When Americans are bored or have too much time on their hands, an easy solution is readily available: simply turn on the tube. One thing for certain is that Americans are constantly being accosted by an overabundance of television programs. Today Americans have three national networks from which to choose: the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC); the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). These networks broadcast programs free of charge to the public, relying on the support of major American commercial enterprises, such as Coca-Cola and Kimberly Clark, in the form of airtime purchased to advertise their products.
Commercial support is, by and large, intertwined with the public's often temperamental viewing preferences. The Neilson Ratings are statistical indicators which measure such viewing trends by evaluating how many families are watching a certain program on a given network during a particular day or time. If the Nielsen Rating for a certain program is too low, a potential advertiser will be reluctant to purchase airtime during its broadcast as the advertising message will not reach the maximum number of viewers.
Firms will reach the largest audience during what is known as "Prime Time," the window of advertising opportunity from 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Taking the volume of viewers into account, commercial entities devour this airtime with alacrity. A plethora of popular situation comedies, known as "sit-coms," are aired during these evening hours. Other commercial opportunities exist during morning and afternoon broadcasts of long-running talk shows, game shows, and soap operas, now euphemistically termed "daytime dramas."
READING ANSWERS
81. Which of the following statements concerning national networks is false?
A) Networks are reliant upon businesses for monetary support.
B) The network's success depends upon the public's viewing habits.
C) The national network is also known as the National Broadcasting Corporation.
D) Families do not pay a fee to watch national television.
The correct answer is C.
82. Television programs
A) are few and far between.
B) are broadcast during purchased airtime.
C) are constantly being altered.
D) provide Americans with more than enough options from which to choose.
The correct answer is D.
83. The public's viewing habits
A) are assessed by the Nielsen Ratings.
B) are constant and unwavering.
C) are influenced by advertising.
D) fluctuate in relation to commercial support.
The correct answer is A.
84. An advertiser will communicate his message to the largest amount of viewers
A) when the Nielsen Rating increases.
B) during the evening hours.
C) in the morning.
D) in the afternoon.
The correct answer is B.
85. Commercial opportunities are
A) most plentiful during the broadcast of soap opera episodes.
B) thwarted by statistical ratios compiled by Nielsen.
C) the best during Prime Time.
D) greater during the morning than during the afternoon.
The correct answer is C.
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