Media and Communications: Introduction

Companies broadcast television programs for free to the public and for cable subscribers. Broadcasts and programming, production, and post-production services are major sources of revenue.

Companies in this segment operate and maintain switching and transmission facilities in order to provide telecommunications services via airwaves.

Companies in this industry primarily produce, or produce and distribute, television programs, television commercials, or videos.

Companies in this industry produce, sell, and license musical recordings; they may also own and license musical copyrights.

Companies in this industry publish newspapers, magazines and other periodicals, books, directories, and mailing lists, as well as items such as calendars, greeting cards, and maps.

Communications satellites are used to relay and amplify radio telecommunications signals via a transponder to create a communication channel.

Companies in this segment purchase network access and capacity from telecommunications carriers and resell wired and wireless telecommunications services to businesses and households.

In this segment, companies provide services including local and long-distance calling, Internet access, and TV program distribution over fixed-line telecommunications networks.