Editing Television licence (section)

=== United States ===
In the United States, privately owned commercial radio and television stations funded by advertising proved to be commercially viable. Some governments owned non-commercial radio stations (such as [[WNYC (AM)|WNYC]], owned by New York City from 1922 to 1997) or [[educational television]] stations, but most broadcasters were private companies or were owned by charitable organizations supported by donations.

The [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] (CPB) was created by the [[Public Broadcasting Act of 1967]], and this led to the creation of the [[Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS) and [[National Public Radio]] (NPR). These are loose networks of [[non-commercial educational]] (NCE) stations owned by state and local governments, [[educational institutions]], and non-profit organizations. They are more similar to U.S. commercial networks than European public broadcasters.

Annual funding for [[public television]] in the United States was US$445.5&nbsp;million in 2014 (including interest revenue).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials/budget|title=CPB Operating Budget|date=15 January 2015|website=Cpb.org|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> The CPB, and virtually all government-owned stations, are funded through general taxes, donations from individuals (usually in the form of "memberships"), and charitable organizations. Individual programs on public broadcasters may be supported by [[underwriting spot]]s paid for by sponsors. Between 53 and 60 percent of public television's revenues come from private membership donations and [[Grant (money)|grants]],<ref name="revenue">{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2005PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf|title=Public Broadcasting Revenue Fiscal Year 2005|access-date=10 March 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515140419/http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2005PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf|archive-date=15 May 2011}}</ref> so most stations solicit individual donations by [[fundraising]], [[pledge drive]]s or [[telethon]]s which can disrupt regularly scheduled programming. Normal programming can be replaced with specials aimed at a wider audience to solicit new members and donations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/2006/03/pledging_allegiance_or_march_madness.html|title=Pledging Allegiance, or March Madness?|last=Getler|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Getler|date=24 March 2006|publisher=PBS Ombudsman|access-date=22 May 2006}}</ref>

In some rural areas of the United States, [[broadcast translator]] districts exist, which are funded by an [[ad valorem]] [[property tax]] on all property within the district,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aspenpitkin.com/Departments/Public-Works/TV-FM-Broadcast-Service|title=TV/FM Broadcast Service &#124; City of Aspen and Pitkin County, Colorado|publisher=Aspenpitkin.com|access-date=13 January 2011|archive-date=13 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213095808/http://aspenpitkin.com/Departments/Public-Works/TV-FM-Broadcast-Service/|url-status=dead}}</ref> or by a parcel tax on each dwelling unit within the district. Failure to pay the TV translator tax has the same repercussions as failing to pay any other property tax, including a [[lien]] placed on the property and eventual seizure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monocounty.ca.gov/online_services/documents/cocode/_DATA/TITLE03/Chapter_3_32_TELEVISION_TRANSL.html|title=Chapter 3.32 TELEVISION TRANSLATOR SERVICE CHARGE|publisher=Monocounty.ca.gov|access-date=13 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115192928/http://www.monocounty.ca.gov/online_services/documents/cocode/_DATA/TITLE03/Chapter_3_32_TELEVISION_TRANSL.html|archive-date=15 November 2010}}</ref> In addition, fines can be levied on viewers who watch TV from the translator signals without paying the fee. As the Federal Communications Commission has exclusive jurisdiction over broadcast stations, whether a local authority can legally impose a fee merely to watch an over-the-air broadcast station is questionable. In some areas the tax is charged regardless of whether the resident watches TV from the translator. In other areas the property owner may certify that they do not use the translator district's services and get a waiver.

[[Cable television franchise fee]] agreements are added to cable TV bills to fund [[public, educational, and government access]] (PEG) television for the municipality that granted the franchise agreement. State governments may also add taxes. These taxes generate controversy since they sometimes go into the general taxation fund, or there is "double taxation" where [[public-access television]] is paid for by taxes but the cable television operator has to pay for equipment or facilities, or has to pay for local municipality projects that are not related to television.