Radio and television in the USA

In the USA radio is controlled by private commercial companies, with the exception of National Public Radio, which is supported by grants and donations. By 1928, the USA had three national radio networks, two owned by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and one by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). At first, sound broadcasting was almost entirely for entertainment, but schedules are now more varied, and some stations broadcast purely educational programs.

In 1985, there were over 9,000 radio stations in the USA, the largest number in the world. Of this number, over 1,000 were noncommercial, that is, no advertising or commercials of any type are permitted. These public and educational radio stations are owned and operated primarily by colleges and universities, by local schools and boards of education, and by various religious groups.

At the same time, there were close to 1,200 individual television stations, not just transmitters that pass on programs. All radio and television stations in the United States must be licensed to broadcast by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Although the FCC regulates radio and television transmission, it has no control over reception: there are no fees, charges, taxes or licenses in the United States for owning radio and television receivers or for receiving anything that is broadcast through the air. Laws prohibit any state or the federal government from owning or operating radio and television stations. (Stations such as the Voice of America may only broadcast overseas).

Most commercial radio stations follow a distinctive "format", that is a type of programming that appeals to a certain listening audience (some stations have more than one format). To change from one format to another, stations need permission from the FCC.

Most television production is in the hands of the Big Three: the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). These recently have been joined by a forth: The Fox Broadcasting Company (FBC) commonly referred to as Fox (often stylized FOX) and owned by Rupert Murdoch. There is also non-commercial television, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), which is financed by grants from companies and individuals. It offers quality drama programs, children's programs, and national and international news programs.

The majority of commercial television stations receive most of their programming, roughly 70 percent, from the three commercial networks: ABC, CBS and NBC. These networks are not television stations or channels. They sell programs and news to individual television stations which choose those they want to broadcast. These affiliated stations also create some of their own programming; produce their own state and local news programs and purchase films from other sources.