In the broadcasting industry (particularly in North America), a network affiliate (or affiliated station) is a local broadcaster, owned by a company other than the owner of the network, which carries some or all of the programming lineup of a television or radio network. This distinguishes such a television or radio station from an owned-and-operated station (O&O), which is owned by the parent network. Notwithstanding this distinction, it is common in informal speech (even for networks or O&Os themselves) to refer to any station, O&O or otherwise, that carries a particular network’s programming as an affiliate, or to refer to the status of carrying such programming in a given market as an “affiliation”.
Joost Nusselder is The Content Decoder, a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new tools en tactics. He's been working on a portfolio of niche sites since 2010. Now since 2016 he creates in-depth blog articles together with his team to help loyal readers earn from their own succesful sites.