ABSTRACT
At the time the fin-syn rules were enacted, the three broadcast networks constituted an oligopoly, that is, more than one company (in this case three) acting under the same conditions as a monopoly. As such, the three networks had virtually unlimited control over the national airwaves, particularly as it related to the selection of programming for broadcast during the prime-time hours. The networks attracted the largest part of the audience because there was little or no competition for viewers except in the very largest television markets such as New York and Los Angeles. Because the networks had the largest audiences, they attracted the bulk of the advertising dollars, which enabled them to produce or purchase the best programming.
