The Program Exchange

The Program Exchange, Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Television syndication
Predecessor	DFS Program Exchange, Inc.
Founded	1979
Founder	Dancer Fitzgerald Sample
Defunct	2016
Fate	Discontinued operations following NBCUniversal's acquisition of DreamWorks Classics
Headquarters	Dallas, Texas (initially) , United States
Area served	United States
Owner	Publicis Groupe (via Saatchi & Saatchi and ZenithOptimedia)
Parent	ZenithOptimedia (from 2008)

The Program Exchange, Inc. was a television syndication company established in 1979 under the name DFS Program Exchange, Inc. It briefly operated as DFS-Dorland Program Exchange, Inc. between 1986 and 1987. Initially owned by Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, the firm became part of Saatchi & Saatchi following their purchase of DFS and the merger with Dorland Advertising in 1986. Publicis took over Saatchi & Saatchi in 2000 and reassigned The Program Exchange to its ZenithOptimedia division in 2008, which led to a refreshed logo design. The company discontinued its activities in 2016, coinciding with NBCUniversal’s acquisition of DreamWorks Classics, a significant client. In 2022, distribution rights for Jay Ward Productions’ catalog were acquired by WildBrain, a Canadian media company.

Functioning as a barter syndicator, The Program Exchange distributed television content for producers who frequently maintained their own cash-based distribution arrangements. Instead of monetary payments, stations that broadcast these programs agreed to air commercials promoting General Mills products, providing an opportunity for budget-conscious stations to access content. The company focused on older shows that were no longer broadly syndicated, as well as programming meeting federal educational and informational requirements. Throughout its tenure, it held distribution rights to archives from Jay Ward Productions and Total Television; both companies originally traced back to DFS-owned Gamma Productions in Mexico before that studio ceased operations in 1968.

The Program Exchange handled distribution for all titles listed below, with the indicated dates referring to the period during which they distributed the programs rather than their original broadcast dates.

History

Headquartered initially in Dallas, Texas, DFS Program Exchange began by syndicating series that had been dropped by other distributors, including Hanna-Barbera’s Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons. The company later expanded into live-action programming with Olympic Champions, featuring Bruce Jenner. In 1983, it secured exclusive syndication rights for well-known series such as Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and The Partridge Family, leveraging the expansion of independent television stations.

In 1985, DFS introduced its own barter strip with Dennis the Menace and acquired American syndicated rights for Woody Woodpecker and Friends, taking over distribution from MCA TV in 1988. The following year saw DFS acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi and merged with Dorland Advertising, resulting in the rebranding first as DFS-Dorland Program Exchange, then shortly thereafter as The Program Exchange.

By 1992, the firm obtained off-network syndicated rights to Garfield and Friends, initiating barter syndication for the show in 1993. In 1997, The Program Exchange gained syndication rights for the initial 65 episodes of the English-language dub of Sailor Moon, and later supported DiC Entertainment in airing the remaining episodes on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block.

This timeline illustrates strategic acquisitions and syndication agreements that bolstered the company’s market presence and solidified its role within the competitive arena of television program distribution.

Animated and Children's Series

• The All-New Dennis the Menace (1993–2016)
• Around the World in 80 Days (1979–1983)
• Beakman's World (2008–2013)
• The Berenstain Bears (1997–1999)
• The Biskitts (1989–1994)
• Buford and the Galloping Ghost (1989–1994)
• The Bullwinkle Show, The Rocky Show, Rocky and His Friends (1979–2016)
• Dennis the Menace (1986–2016)
• Devlin (1979–1988)
• Dino Babies (1996–1999)
• Dive Olly Dive (2008–2015)
• Dragon Ball Z (1999–2000) (Ocean Media dub)
• Dudley Do Right and Friends (1979–2016)
• The Flintstones (1981–1997)
• Garfield and Friends (1993–2008)
• Go Go Gophers (1979–2016)
• Goober and the Ghost Chasers (1989–1995)
• The Harveytoons Show (2003–2005)
• Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling
• Inch High, Private Eye (1979–1993)
• Inspector Gadget's Field Trip (2008–2011)
• Jana of the Jungle (1989–1994)
• Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks (2008–2014)
• The Jetsons (1979–1985)
• Jonny Quest (1979–1984)
• King Leonardo and His Short Subjects (1979–2016)
• Knights of the Zodiac (2003–2009) (DIC dub)
• Korg: 70,000 B.C. (1979–1984)
• The Mr. Magoo Show (2004–2005)
• Picture Pages (1984–1987)
• The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1997–2001)
• The Roman Holidays (1979–1988)
• Sailor Moon (1997–2004) (DIC/Optimum Productions dub)
• Sealab 2020 (1985–1986)
• Scooby-Doo (1979–1993)
• Space Kidettes and Young Samson (1979–2016)
• Sport Billy (1982–1985)
• The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1998–2000)
• Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales (1979–2016)
• Uncle Waldo's Cartoon Show (1979–2016)
• The Underdog Show (1979–2016)
• Valley of the Dinosaurs’’ (1982–1992)
• The Wacky World of Tex Avery’’ (1997–2007)
• Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch’’(1979–1993)
• Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?’’(2001–2016)
• Where's Huddles?’’(1989–1995)
• The Woody Woodpecker Show’’(1987–1998)

Family Television Series

• 227’’(2005–2012)
• 3rd Rock from the Sun’’(2008–2016)
• The Addams Family’’(2004–2016)
• The Abbott and Costello Show’’(1987–2006)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents’’(1997–2002)
• Amen’’(1995–2002)
• Benson’’(2005–2010)
• Bewitched’’(1983–1997, 2010–2014)
• Bosom Buddies’’
• The Brady Bunch’’(1990–1998)
• B. Smith: Simply Style’’(2008–2016)
• Charles in Charge’’(1998–2008)
• Coach’’(1995–2016)
• The Cosby Show’’(2012–2015)
• Dear John’’(1998–2004)
• A Different World’’(2015–2016)
• Funniest Pets & People’’(2008–2016)
• Gimme a Break!’’(2006–2016)
• The Greats of the Game’’(1985–1989)
• I Dream of Jeannie
• Fantasy Island ’‘(2003–2006)
• Ironside
• The Jeffersons ’‘(2015–2016)
• Just Shoot Me!

* Kojak   
* Laverne and Shirley ’‘(1990–1998)    
* Leave It to Beaver   
* Mork & Mindy   
* Munsters ’‘(2000–2016)    
* NewsRadio   
* Odd Couple   
* Olympic Champions   
* Partridge Family   
* Taxi   
* That Teen Show   
* Three's Company   
* Too Close for Comfort   
* Webster   
* What's Happening!!   
* What's Happening Now!!   
* Who's the Boss?

Short-form series

• B. Smith Culinary Segments
• Dr. Bob Arnot: Eat Better America
• Healthy Break with Jake
• Medical Minute
• Nutrition Minute

External links

• Archived version of The Program Exchange's website