[abb]

I’m just about finished with the first of a three volume history of broadcasting.

http://www.amazon.com/History-Broadcasting-United-States-Babel/dp/0195004744
A History of Broadcasting in the United States: Volume 1: A Tower of Babel. To 1933 (Vol 1)
Erik Barnouw (Author)

It deals extensively on how broadcast advertising came to be and its evolution. Very informative.

Broadcast advertising was originated by AT&T and called “toll broadcasting.”

http://earlyradiohistory.us/sec020.htm
Financing Radio Broadcasting (1898-1927)

[DaveArk]

Their discussion of the early days when they were debating whether to have subscribers or something else. “The wired network was too expensive.”

I have my broadband provided wireless (directional wifi antennas),phone is cellular, and my TV is satellite.

I built the house in 1998 with all the wires to network with anything. That has been largely abandoned.

Now the wired providers (AT&T and Cox cable) are providing all those services. Isn't the free market great? :)