Cable television has been around since the 1940s but until recently was used almost exclusively to bring watchable television reception to communities that were separated from broadcasting antennae by distance or physical barriers such as mountains. In the 1970s individuals in a few communities had cable connections to their homes that allowed them to see movies, sports, and special events on a subscription basis. By the 1980s, however, the availability of commercial telecommunications satellites made it economically feasible for independent stations and special-interest channels to broadcast nationwide. As more material became available to the nation's cable providers, the business grew dramatically, gaining subscribers in urban centers around the country. In 1976 the average American home received seven channels on its television set; by the end of the 1980s the average number of channels had climbed to nearly thirty.
Before the 1980s the "Big Three" networks.....
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