The most common form of entertainment in the U.S. is television. Nearly everyone watches television at some regular time in their daily lives, whether in the morning, at night or on weekends. Most families have color televisions and many have more than one set. Since its
beginning, the television industry in the U.S. has been controlled by three companies. Those companies have formed networks of television stations in cities across the country. Each station televises its company's television programs. The three national networks are ABC, American Broadcasting Company, CBS, Columbia Broadcasting System and NBC, National Broadcasting Company. Each network has news features, dramatic presentations, comedies and sports events. Each network competes for a larger percentage of the television audience by trying to present programs with wide popular appeal. The programs are financed by advertising. Companies pay the television networks to display their products on television. The more popular a program, the higher the network can charge a company for commercials during the program. There is also a public television network. It has no commercials. Instead it receives financial support from the government, some private corporations and individual donations. Recently, a new type of television network has been gaining popularity. These networks are called cable television. Cable television companies sell television programing directly to the public. The viewer pays a monthly fee to the company. The company installs a special line to his television set to receive the programs which he has paid the company to watch. |
|
![[英语]走遍美国-英语口语精简](/images/nopic.gif)
