What is american tv format like??

Question

I am just curious about american tv. In UK we have 5 regular channels which are free so to speak. If you buy a tv u can plug it and you would hav 5 channels. BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and just recently channel 5. If you want other channels such as sky 1, FX, paramount comedy, sky Movie channels you have to buy a cable package.

So can sum1 tell me how american tv works?

Thanks alot

Answer 1

It really depends what major city we are near.  The major networks are CBS, NBC, ABC.  But in Chicago we have a couple of PBS channels (Public Broadcasting System) which operate from donations, and a number of other commercial and religious networks and home shopping.  Since many stations started broadcasting digital, those stations have multiple subchannels on the same frequency.  So we do have some channels that rotate things like BBC News, DW (from Germany), whatever news from France, and Russia.  There are channels with old TV shows and Hispanic and oriental content.  And if that is not enough (or stations are playing infomercials, which are 30 minute commercials) I have a subscription from Blockbuster for up to 3 DVD's at a time and as I mail one back (or take one into a store) they send me another.  So I don't even have cable or satellite, which is more useful in smaller towns away from big cities.

Answer 2

its all going to be changing very soon. I believe the deadline is Feb 2009 that all American channels will go to digital tv and that you will need to buy a separate adapter to get the "free basic" channels. As of right now it is only local channels that you get for free but only if you have an antenna to receive them.

Answer 3

ABC,NBC,CBS,MY29, WB, PBS, Univision(Spanish) and some other local community channels are completley free over the air.

The Feb 2009 change to digital signal doesnt mean that people have to get cable service, no! They just need to make sure that they have a digital tv and if not get a digital convertor(which the goverment is giving 2 $40 coupons to people for convertors)

So all channels will broadcasting in a digital signal in 2009, HD channels are coming along at a good pase, most cable and satelite companies carrie an average 30 to 60 HD channels and more to come!