Commercial broadcasting


Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship, for example. It was the United States' first model of radio during the 1920s, in contrast with the public television model during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, which prevailed worldwide, except in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, until the 1980s.

Features

Advertising

Commercial broadcasting is primarily based on the practice of airing radio advertisements and television advertisements for profit. This is in contrast to public broadcasting, which receives government subsidies and usually does not have paid advertising interrupting the show. During pledge drives, some public broadcasters will interrupt shows to ask for donations.
In the United States, non-commercial educational television and radio exist in the form of community radio; however, premium cable services such as HBO and Showtime generally operate solely on subscriber fees and do not sell advertising. This is also the case for the portions of the two major satellite radio systems that are produced in-house.
Radio broadcasting originally began without paid commercials. As time went on, however, advertisements seemed less objectionable to both the public and government regulators and became more common. While commercial broadcasting was unexpected in radio, in television it was planned due to commercial radio's success. Television began with commercial sponsorship and later transformed to paid commercial time. When problems arose over patents and corporate marketing strategies, regulatory decisions were made by the Federal Communications Commission to control commercial broadcasting.

Paid programming

Commercial broadcasting overlaps with paid services such as cable television, radio and satellite television. Such services are generally partially or wholly paid for by local subscribers and is known as leased access. Other programming is produced by companies operating in much the same manner as advertising-funded commercial broadcasters, and they sell commercial time in a similar manner.
The FCC's interest in program control began with the chain-broadcasting investigation of the late 1930s, culminating in the "Blue Book" of 1946, Public Service Responsibility For Broadcast Licensees. The Blue Book differentiated between mass-appeal sponsored programs and unsponsored "sustaining" programs offered by the radio networks. This sustained programming, according to the Blue Book, had five features serving the public interest:
  • Sustaining programs balanced the broadcast schedule, supplementing the soap operas and popular-music programs receiving the highest ratings and most commercial sponsors
  • They allowed for the broadcast of programs which, by their controversial or sensitive nature, were unsuitable for sponsorship
  • They supplied cultural programming for smaller audiences
  • They provided limited broadcast access for non-profit and civic organizations
  • They made possible artistic and dramatic experimentation, shielded from the pressures of short-run rating and commercial considerations of a sponsor.
Commercial time has increased 31 seconds per hour for all prime time television shows. For example, ABC has increased from 9 minutes and 26 seconds to 11 minutes and 26 seconds.

Ratings

Programming on commercial stations is more ratings-driven— particularly during periods such as sweeps in the US and some Latin American countries.

Global commercial broadcasting

Americas

Commercial broadcasting is the dominant type of broadcasting in the United States and most of Latin America. "The US commercial system resulted from a carefully crafted cooperation endeavor by national corporations and federal regulators."
The best-known commercial broadcasters in the United States today are the ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC television networks, based in the United States. Major cable television in the United States operators include Comcast, Charter Communications and Cox Communications. Direct-broadcast satellite services include DirecTV and Dish Network.
In an hour of broadcast time on a commercial broadcasting station, 10 to 20 minutes are typically devoted to advertising. Advertisers pay a certain amount of money to air their commercials, usually based upon program ratings or the audience measurement of a station or network. This makes commercial broadcasters more accountable to advertisers than public broadcasting, a disadvantage of commercial radio and television.

Europe

In Europe, commercial broadcasting coexists with public broadcasting.
In the UK, Sky UK is available and WorldSpace Satellite Radio was available.

Asia

The best and most known commercial broadcasters in Asia are the South Korean radio and television networks SBS, Hong Kong television networks TVB, Taiwanese television networks FTV and Philippine radio and television networks GMA Network.

List of major commercial broadcasters

in bold.

Africa

Angola

  • AXN Dublado
  • Dreamia
  • *
  • Palanca TV
  • SuperSport
  • * SuperSport Blitz
  • * SuperSport Grandstand
  • * SuperSport Football Plus
  • * SuperSport Premier League
  • * SuperSport La Liga
  • * SuperSport Football
  • * SuperSport Action
  • * SuperSport Africa
  • * SuperSport Africa 2
  • * SuperSport WWE
  • * SuperSport Variety 1
  • * SuperSport Rugby
  • * SuperSport Cricket
  • * SuperSport Golf
  • * SuperSport Tennis
  • * SuperSport Motorsport
  • * SuperSport Màximo 1
  • * SuperSport Màximo 2
  • * SuperSport Màximo 3
  • * SuperSport Màximo 360
  • TV Zimbo
  • TVCine
  • *TVCine Power
  • ZAP
  • * Zap Filmes HD
  • * Zap Filmes Top
  • * Zap Filmes Extra
  • * Zap Filmes Kids
  • Zap Music
  • * Zap Rock
  • * Zap Blues
  • * Zap Jazz
  • * Zap Dance
  • * Zap Easy Listening
  • * Zap Hip Hop
  • * Zap Trance
  • * Zap Reggae
  • * Zap The Chill Lounge
  • * Zap 80's
  • * Zap 90's
  • * Zap Pop
  • * Zap Greatest Hits
  • * Zap Classic Music
  • * Zap Afro Beat
  • Z Sports
  • * Z Sports 1
  • * Z Sports 2
  • * Z Sports LaLiga
  • Zap Viva
  • Zap Novelas

    Ivory Coast

  • Canal+ Afrique
  • * Canal+ Premières
  • * Canal+ Cinéma
  • * Canal+ Pop
  • * Canal+ Action
  • * Canal+ Family
  • * Canal+ Docs
  • * Canal+ Kids
  • * Canal+ Sport
  • * Canal+ Magic
  • La Nouvelle Chaîne Ivoirienne
  • Life TV
  • Télévision Ivory Coast
  • * TV2
  • TAM-TAM TV
  • Africahit Music TV
  • MTV Ivory Coast
  • MTV Base Africa
  • TFX

    Nigeria

  • 1 Music
  • ACBN
  • ACBN International
  • ACNN TV
  • Aforevo TV
  • * Aforevo Music TV
  • * Aforevo Francais
  • Africa Health TV
  • African Broadcasting Network
  • Afro Hits TV
  • Africa Magic
  • AKBC
  • Al-Ansar Radio and TV
  • Arewa 24
  • Arise News
  • Akwa TV
  • AIT
  • * AIT International
  • * AIT Lagos
  • * AIT Parliamentary
  • Al-Afrikiy Islamic Television
  • AMC TV
  • Arewa24 TV
  • Artmosfair
  • * Artmosfair +
  • ARTV Kano
  • AWA TV
  • BCS StarCross TV
  • Be. Television
& Borno Radio Television
  • Brekete Family TV
  • Bride TV
  • Capital TV
  • Champions TV
  • Channels TV
  • * Channels 24
  • Chosen TV
  • CMTV
  • Cool TV
  • Core TV News
  • CRBC
  • DBN
  • DASAMAL TV NETWORK
  • Degue Broadcasting Network
  • Deeper Christian Life Ministry Channel
  • Digha TV
  • DITV
  • DNI
  • Dog Racing
  • Dove Television
  • Dream God TV
  • Dunamis TV
  • EBS
  • E-Stars TV
  • Ebony Life
  • Edo Broadcasting Service
  • Elijah's Voice
  • Emerald TV
  • Emmanuel TV
  • Evangel TV
  • EWTN Africa
  • Family Network Africa
  • FAPM TV
  • Farin Wata TV
  • Favour TV
  • Fortis TV
  • Free Indeed, TV
  • Fresh Oil TV
  • FS Devotion Channel
  • * FS Football
  • * FS Junior
  • * FS Movies
  • * FS Sports
  • G-Rhythm
  • Ga Naku TV
  • Galaxy TV
  • GNN TV
  • GWB Health TV
  • Haba TV
  • Harvest TV
  • Heritage Global Academy TV
  • Hola TV
  • Hosanna Broadcast Network
  • ITV Benin
  • ibakatv
  • Idan TV
  • Irawo TV
  • iROKO Play
  • Isi Mbido
  • IT
  • ITV
  • ITVS
  • KAFTAN TV
  • Kedu TV
  • Kennis Music Channel
  • Kingdom Africa TV
  • Kingdom Life Network TV
  • Kuungana Africa TV
  • Koga TV
  • LTV
  • Liberation TV
  • Liberty TV
  • Livestyle Afrika
  • Lighthouse TV
  • LCN
  • * Loveworld Plus
  • Lucky Balls TV
  • Lumen Christi TV Network
  • Manara TV
  • Manifestation TV
  • Mantle TV
  • MCN Africa
  • * MCN Entertainment
  • Mercy TV
  • Messianic World Plus
  • MFM TV
  • Mitv
  • Moneymart TV
  • Montage Sports News
  • More Grace TV
  • Mount Zion TV
  • Mitv
  • Minaj Systems Tv Obosi
  • Minaj Broadcast Network Obosi
  • Murhi International Television
  • MBI
  • MY TV Africa
  • * MY TV Hausa
  • * MY TV More
  • * MY TV Series
  • * MY TV Toonz
  • * MY TV Yoruba
  • News Central TV
  • Nigezie
  • NN24
  • Noma TV
  • Odenigbo TV
  • * Odenigbo FM Obosi Anambra state
  • Ogun State Television
  • * Ondo State Radiovision Corporation
  • Orient TV
  • OnMax TV
  • OnTV
  • Orisun TV
  • Osasogie Gospel TV
  • OSBC
  • Osun State Broadcasting Corporation
  • Oyo State Broadcasting Corporation
  • People's TV
  • Power Broadcasting Network
  • Plus TV Africa
  • Quest TV
  • R2 TV
  • Rave TV
  • Rahma TV
  • Rivers State Television
  • Rayuwa TV
  • Restoration TV
  • Rhema TV
  • Rivers Stage TV
  • ROK TV
  • Royal TV
  • Salvation TV
  • School On Air
  • SilverBird Television
  • Smash TV
  • Soundcity TV
  • Spice TV
  • StarTimes
  • * Startimes Adepa
  • * Startimes Afrik
  • * Startimes Am'mobi
  • * Startimes Swahili
  • * Startimes Swahili Plus
  • * Startimes Bongo
  • * Startimes Chinese Homeland
  • * Startimes Dahin Kowa
  • * Startimes Ganza
  • * Startimes Kung-Fu
  • * Startimes Katong
  • * Startimes Kids
  • * Startimes Kids Plus
  • * Startimes Toons
  • * Startimes Makula
  • * Startimes Movies
  • * Startimes Movies Plus
  • * Startimes Nollywood
  • * Startimes Nollywood Plus
  • * Startimes Nollywood F
  • * Startimes Naija
  • * Startimes Novela E
  • * Startimes Novela E W
  • * Startimes Novela Plus E
  • * Startimes Novela F
  • * Startimes Novela Plus F
  • * Startimes Rembo
  • * Startimes Rembo Plus
  • * Startimes RnB
  • * Startimes Sino Drama
  • * Startimes Sports Arena
  • * Startimes Sports Beta Sports
  • * Startimes Sports Focus
  • * Startimes Sports Life
  • * Startimes Sports Premium HD
  • * Startimes World Football
  • * Startimes Yoruba
  • * Startimes Zone
  • TVC Entertainment
  • * TVC News
  • Trust TV
  • WAP TV
  • Wazobia TV