Statewide time change may shuffle TV schedule

If the proposed year-round daylight saving time goes through in Florida, expect it to affect your TV habits.

A bill called the “Sunshine Protection Act’’ that calls for Florida to stay on daylight saving time yearround is on its way to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk after the state Senate approved it 33-2 on March 6.

If Scott signs the bill, it could affect your TV viewing because the state will be one hour ahead of the rest of the East Coast, including major markets such as New York, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. (Northwest Florida is on Central time.)

Here is a glimpse at how the statewide time change could create a TV programming domino effect in the Sunshine State. Morning news: National morning shows such as NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning” most likely wouldn’t start broadcasting in South Florida until after 8 a.m. instead of the current 7 a.m. slot. The same goes for the cable news networks’ morning programs. Prime time: Shows that now start at 8 p.m. wouldn’t begin until 9 p.m. and finish around midnight. News at 12: The local TV stations’ late newscasts, most of which are

now at 11 p.m., wouldn’t get started until midnight. One possible exception might be WSVN-Ch. 7. Their popular hourlong 10 p.m. newscast with Belkys Nerey and Craig Stevens could easily slide into the 11 p.m. hour when the station has a halfhour newscast and a rebroadcast of its gossip show, “Deco Drive.” The Jimmys and Stephen: Shifting the local news to an hour later would also mean that NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on CBS would (y-a-w-n) move well past 12:35 a.m. That would also move the subsequent late, late shows with Seth Meyers and James Corden to later. Sports: And then there are the games. Be prepared to lose an hour of sleep catching the end of your favorite teams’ games. Sunday and Monday night football would kick off around 9:30 p.m. and finish close to 1 a.m. And Sunday afternoon football wouldn’t begin until 2 p.m.