US primetime in different timezones.

[zed]

...

For example, Heroes (my favorite) is on tonight at 9pm where I am in the Eastern time zone. My mother-in-law in the Central time zone will watch it at the same time (except it is 8pm there). People in the mountain time zone will watch it at the same time as well but it is 7. ...

Heroes is on at 8:00PM tonight, Mountain time...

[dneprrider]

I've always wonder what happens with primetime shows in the US in regard to different timezones. You guys live in a large country, spanning many timezones. Is "primetime" the same in each of these time zones (shows play at different local times in different parts of the country), or one nation primetime which varies depending where you are (shows play at the same time in New York and LA)? Can anyone tell me?

Do the big channels do national broadcasts, or are the shows broadcasts at the times appropriate to the timezone by local affiliates?

You though the US situation was difficult with 4 time zones. Try Canada where we have 6 time zones. I lived in the one with the 30min difference. That was hard to get used too. Everything starts on the half hour.
http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/time_ser...ing_e.html