Definition of independent station

broadcast station that is not owned or controlled by or affiliated with a network; also called independent store. According to Federal Communications Commission regulations, any station that carries less than ten hours of prime-time network programming per week is considered independent. For the most part, independent stations are local stations, although there are currently four independent television stations, called "superstations," that operate locally and also transmit their signals throughout the country via satellite: WTBS in Atlanta, WGN in Chicago, and WOR and WPIX in New York. An independent station is also called an indy.