Catholic University Law Review Volume 24 Issue 4 Summer 1975 Article 3 1975 Cable-Satellite Networks: Structures and Problems George H. Shapiro Gary M. Epstein Ronald A. Cass Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.edu/lawreview Recommended Citation George H. Shapiro, Gary M. Epstein & Ronald A. Cass, Cable-Satellite Networks: Structures and Problems, 24 Cath. U. L. Rev. 692 (1975). Available at: https://scholarship.law.edu/lawreview/vol24/iss4/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by CUA Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Catholic University Law Review by an authorized editor of CUA Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. CABLE-SATELLITE NETWORKS: STRUCTURES AND PROBLEMSt George H. Shapiro* Gary M. Epstein** Ronald A. Cass** * Unlike the broadcast television industry, in which programming is domi- nated by three giant networks, the cable television industry is quite fragment- ed. Most cable television systems are small operations, and although a few large cable organizations own numerous systems, the individual cable sys- tems they operate typically are dispersed over wide geographic areas and are not interconnected. Thus, compared to television broadcast stations, which, even if not affiliated with a network, generally reach large viewing audi- ences, cable systems constitute small economic units.' The programming "originated" by cable systems-that is, programming not obtained from television broadcasts-reflects the industry's economic structure. Small cable systems are not able individually to procure programming with the same mass appeal as that of broadcast networks or individual broadcast stations, 2 so originations presently are locally oriented and seldom sophisticated.