How Corporate Sponsorship Affects TV Programs

Sporting events, such as football, receive heavy sponsorship from corporations.

TV programs reflect the structure of a business, unless they are supported by nonprofit or government grants. Under a business model, TV channels and companies survive and expand by making a profit. These profits come primarily from companies and corporations paying the channel for advertising time between programming.

Programming Sensitivity

Corporations that sponsor programs on TV do so to connect with a specific audience that may buy the corporation's service or product. If the program changes, the corporation will weigh whether there are improved or decreased chances the TV advertising will translate into more sales.

Influence

Pressure comes in the form of a corporation refusing to advertise around a specific program. This choice is a direct hit in the wallet, as the refusal is clearly connected with the corporation's dissatisfaction with programming. The channel must decide whether to lose the advertising or change the program to get the revenue back.

Varied Influence

Historically major networks (ABC, NBC and CBS) once dominated viewership and related advertising dollars. But with modern cable, much of the audience has moved to other programming. Corporation sponsorship now varies and fluctuates depending on the time slot and programming demand. For nonprofit channels, the revenue can still be a mainstay.

References

• The New Citizen: How Corporations Influence PBS, NPR
• Consortium: The Decline and Fall of Public Broadcasting
• Fair: Public TV More Corporate, Less Public Than Ever

Resources

• USA Today: Sponsors Make NASCAR's Wheels Go 'Round