Editing Prime time (section)

===United States===
Prime time is the [[daypart]] (a block of a day's programming schedule) with the most viewers and is generally where television networks and local stations reap much of their advertising revenues.  In recent years, television advertising expenditure in the US has been highest during prime-time drama shows.<ref>[http://www.statista.com/statistics/223207/genre-breakdown-of-primetime-tv-ad-spend-in-the-us/ Genre breakdown of primetime TV advertising expenditure in the United States in 2011]. Nielsen. April 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2013.</ref>

The [[Nielsen ratings]] system is explicitly designed for the optimum measurement of audience viewership by dayparts, with prime time being of most interest.  Television viewership is, in general, highest on weekday evenings, as most Americans are [[working time|at work]] during daytime, asleep during the overnights, and out taking part in social events on weekends; thus, television has its highest audience at times when people are unlikely to be away from home.

Prime time for radio is called [[drive time]] and, in Eastern and Pacific Time, is 6–10{{nbsp}}a.m. and 3–7{{nbsp}}p.m. and, for Mountain and Central Time, is 5–9{{nbsp}}a.m. and 2–6{{nbsp}}p.m. The difference between peak radio listenership and television viewership times is due to the fact that people listen to their radios most often while driving to and from work (hence the name "drive time").

A survey by Nielsen revealed that viewers watched almost two hours' worth of TV during prime time.<ref>[http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/television/how-much-tv-do-people-watch-during-the-day-28359/ How Much TV Do People Watch During the Day?] Marketingcharts.com. April 4, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.</ref>