A primetime address by Donald Trump on the ongoing Iran War is set to disrupt major U.S. television schedules on April 1. Slated for 9 p.m. ET, the speech will air across four major broadcast networks, forcing last-minute changes to several popular shows, including Chicago Fire, Survivor, and The Masked Singer.
Donald Trump’s primetime address on Iran War will impact networks’ release schedules
The Iran War address will cut into peak primetime programming, prompting networks to quickly reshuffle their lineups with around 24 hours’ notice. On the East Coast, Donald Trump’s speech will interrupt two-hour broadcasts of The Masked Singer on Fox and Survivor on CBS (via Deadline).
Both were originally scheduled from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Each show will pause at 9 p.m. ET for the address and resume afterward, extending their finales’ end time to 10:20 p.m. ET. CBS will then push its planned programming forward, airing America’s Culinary Cup from 10:20 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. ET, followed by local news.
NBC’s schedule will also shift. While Chicago Med will air as planned at 8 p.m. ET, Chicago Fire will begin at 9:20 p.m. ET after the address. Chicago P.D. will follow at 10:20 p.m. ET. Late-night programming will also move, with The Late Show and The Tonight Show starting at 11:50 p.m. ET.
ABC has opted for a different approach. The network will replace original episodes of The Greatest Average American and Shark Tank with reruns. On the East Coast, the Iran War coverage will preempt the scheduled programming, with ABC joining its rerun in progress at 9:20 p.m. ET once the address concludes. Notably, West Coast viewers will not face primetime disruptions, as the address will air earlier at 6 p.m. PT.
Overall, Donald Trump’s Iran War address is going to significantly alter Wednesday night television schedules, affecting both primetime and late-night programming across major networks.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.
