Definition of across-the-board

phrase indicating a program scheduled to be broadcast at the same time, on the same radio or television station, for five consecutive days every week (usually Monday through Friday) -for example, a television soap opera or the XYZ morning radio show. The name derives from the fact that the weekday program schedule is sometimes referred to as the board. Programs that are shown across-the-board generally appeal to the same audience every day and are therefore excellent vehicles for advertisers who wish to reach their current or prospective customers with this frequency in the belief that frequent repetition of commercials will best sell their product. Often, broadcast media representatives will offer special prices for commercial time that is scheduled in acrossthe- board programming, making the commercial package economically attractive. Across-the-board programming is also called strip programming, because the program fills in a strip in the broadcast schedule.