reair

Reair is a broadcasting term referring to airing content again after its initial transmission. The verb reair and the noun reairing are common in schedules and press materials, with variants such as re-air and encore rebroadcast. In practice, reairing occurs across television networks, cable channels, and streaming platforms, and may involve the same version of the program or an edited version prepared for the later broadcast.

Reairs are used to maximize the value of programming, fill schedule gaps, and provide accessibility to audiences who missed the original airing. They are common for scripted series episodes, sports events, news retrospectives, and special programming blocks. Encores or “best-of” blocks are typical implementations, as are holiday marathons and weekend rerun blocks. On streaming services, a reair may be handled as a re-release or as part of a licensed catch-up window, though many services prefer labels like encore or replay.

Rights and timing: Reairing requires appropriate rights clearances and license terms, which may differ from the original broadcast. Advertisements can be resold or changed for the reair, and regional or time-window restrictions may apply. Networks negotiate windows, often with agreed-upon exclusivity and duration.

Impact and measurement: Reairs influence reach, ratings, and advertising revenue. In traditional linear TV, audience measurements attribute viewership to the reair but may be treated differently from first-run broadcasts; streaming platforms measure plays and completion rather than Nielsen-like ratings.

See also: rerun, rebroadcast, encore, catch-up.