No there isn't anything inherent in the way commercial TV happens to work in the US. There are many other models, including, but not limited to: - Taxpayer fun

No there isn't anything inherent in the way commercial TV happens to work in the US. There are many other models, including, but not limited to: - Taxpayer funded television (ala BBC) - Direct viewer funded television (ala PBS) - Subscription television (ala HBO, Netflix, etc.) - Television subsidized by some organization that doesn't advertise but wants to produce content (probably doesn't currently exist, but could) - Community produced television (ala cable access) - Any other model you'd like. Just because the current model exists doesn't mean nothing else could work, and doesn't mean that I should assume anything when I turn on the TV. There's nothing inherent about advertising.