In the United States, the hub of free enterprise, broadcasting is largely private enterprise operated for profit and promoted by law and tradition. Nevertheless, government indirectly involves itself in both creation of programmes and transmission through the public or educational broadcasting services. These are non profit enterprise comprising over 300 stations. This was replaced in 1934 by Federal Communications Commission, FCC, our equivalent of NBC some how. The US has a culture of Television.
Funding is at three levels.
Firstly, the private enterprise stations being profit oriented depend on larger audience appeal or ratings, to win advertisement revenue. Secondly, the public of educational TV are non profit oriented and they get government grants, private foundation gifts, and individual contributions. Although they may broadcast segments in support of corporations that give large gifts or cash by way of sponsors programmes, they do not take paid advertisements in the sense of commercial television. These public stations also draw resources from a network-like body called Public Broadcasting Service. Generally however, both the commercial and the public television are received freely by anyone with a working set.