The 1996–97 daytime network television schedule for the six major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the weekday and weekend daytime hours from September 1996 to August 1997. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 1995–96 season.
Affiliates fill time periods not occupied by network programs with local or syndicated programming. PBS – which offers daytime programming through a children's program block, branded as PTV at the time – is not included, as its member television stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
Legend
New series are highlighted in bold.
Schedule
All times correspond to U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time scheduling (except for some live sports or events). Except where affiliates slot certain programs outside their network-dictated timeslots, subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska, and Hawaii-Aleutian times. Local schedules may differ, as affiliates have the option to pre-empt or delay network programs. Such scheduling may be limited to preemptions caused by local or national breaking news or weather coverage (which may force stations to tape delay certain programs in overnight timeslots or defer them to a co-operated or contracted station in their regular timeslot) and any major sports events scheduled to air in a weekday timeslot (mainly during major holidays). Stations may air shows at other times at their preference.
Monday–Friday
Notes: ABC, NBC and CBS offered their early morning newscasts via a looping feed (usually running as late as 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time) to accommodate local scheduling in the westernmost contiguous time zones or for use a filler programming for stations that do not offer a local morning newscast; some stations without a morning newscast may air syndicated or time-lease programs instead of the full newscast loop. NBC allowed owned-and-operated and affiliated stations the preference of airing Another World and Days of Our Lives in reverse order from the network's recommended scheduling. Sunset Beach debuted on NBC on January 6, 1997, and was made available to affiliates at either noon/11:00 CT or 3:00/2:00 CT. Some NBC affiliates did not air Sunset Beach in the noon timeslot, opting to air local news and/or syndicated programming instead, and often placing the soap opera in a late morning or afternoon time slot. The City aired its last episode on ABC on March 28; abbreviated half-hour versions of classic episodes of All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital filled the timeslot in the interim, until Port Charles premiered in its place on June 1, 1997; The City and Port Charles was fed to affiliates at Noon/11:00 a.m. CT or 12:30 p.m./11:30 a.m. CT, depending on local scheduling preference. (+) Fox Kids temporarily aired Mighty Morphin Power Rangers reruns in the 4:30 p.m. ET slot for two non-consecutive weeks during the 1996–97 midseason (one in February and one in March). Fox Kids ran temporary stunt blocks of animated and live-action series in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot during the spring of 1997, including: Bobby's World (March 31–April 11) Spider-Man (April 14–25) Goosebumps (April 28–May 2) Eerie, Indiana (May 5–9) Life with Louie (May 12–16) Casper (May 19–23) In July, Fox Kids replaced Power Rangers reruns at 4:30 p.m. ET with Round the Twist (Monday–Thursday) and Stickin' Around (Friday).
Saturday
CBS note: The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat and Beakman's World switched timeslots on July 12.
Sunday
By network
ABC
Returning series: ABC Weekend Special ABC World News This Morning ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings All My Children The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends The City General Hospital Good Morning America The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh One Life to Live Schoolhouse Rock! This Week
New series: Bone Chillers Brand Spanking New! Doug DuckTales Flash Forward Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Jungle Cubs The Mighty Ducks Nightmare Ned Port Charles Street Sharks The View
Not returning from 1995-96: Bump in the Night Dumb and Dumber Free Willy Fudge George of the Jungle (reruns) Hypernauts Loving Mike and Maty The New Adventures of Madeline ReBoot What-a-Mess