Are your talking about premium channels? if so keep in mind that HBO and Cinemax are owned by the same company and Starz and the multiple Encore channels also have common owner. When they make deals with the studios usually it's set up in a way that allows the films to be played on all that company's channels.
Often too, when it comes to older films that have been around a lot, rather than pay big bucks to get them exclusively the channels may opt to lease shorter "windows of availability" . For example, certain films might run on HBO/Cinemax for say the first six months of the year and then move to Encore for the second six months.
As for basic channels, TCM, TBS and TNT are all owned by Time-Warner and while most of what TCM shows is limited to that channel, often certain well known classics like THE WIZARD OF OZ or GONE WITH THE WIND end up on their other channels too. Of course, when TCM shows a film it's uncut and commercial free, but when the others show it, it's edited and loaded with commercials.
Often too, when it comes to older films that have been around a lot, rather than pay big bucks to get them exclusively the channels may opt to lease shorter "windows of availability" . For example, certain films might run on HBO/Cinemax for say the first six months of the year and then move to Encore for the second six months.
As for basic channels, TCM, TBS and TNT are all owned by Time-Warner and while most of what TCM shows is limited to that channel, often certain well known classics like THE WIZARD OF OZ or GONE WITH THE WIND end up on their other channels too. Of course, when TCM shows a film it's uncut and commercial free, but when the others show it, it's edited and loaded with commercials.
