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given the statistics, they do not necessarily lead to detrimental social consequences. Therefore, if this is the case, and wider implications do indeed form a good' public sphere', it can be argued that there are other deciding factors that persuade people to buy commercial products.

However, with 26.9 million viewers (an approximately 16% share of television viewing) watching the final series of Friends in 2005, (Friends Ratings, 2005) NBC could demand $473,500 for a 30 second commercial spot. (Kaufman, 2004) The reason the network could ask for such a high price is because commercial television is, quite simply, in the business of aggregating and then selling audiences.' (Baker, Dessart, 1998. pg. 116) Through the commercial media, a cyclical device is occurring where the advertiser needs the network which needs the advertiser which needs the consumer. The commercial media, in order to protect its own survival and support its wealth, favors consumption as the solution to human happiness.' (Herman, McChesney, 1997. pg. 140) Because of this, commercial television, with the attention and audience it receives, is vital to consumer activity and demand.

Works cited:

Bagdikian, B (2004) The New Media Monopoly U.S.A: Beacon Press

Bailey, R (2004) We All Know TV Is Bad For Us, Or Do We? [online] available from http://www.reason.com/rb/rb122 904.shtml (accessed 10 March 2006)

Baker, W.F, Dessart, G (1998) Down the Tube: An Inside Account of the Failure of American Television New York: Basic Books

Cooper-Chen, A (2005) Global Entertainment Media : Content, Audiences, Issues New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Cornell Law School (2005) The First Amendment [online] available from http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex /index.php/First_amendment (10 March 2006)

Cross, D (1984) Media Speak: How Television Makes Up Your Mind [online] available from http://www.reason.com/rb/rb122 904.shtml (accessed 10 March 2006)

Economist, The (2002) What is the point?' The Economist 25 May 2002

Friends Ratings (2005) The only complete online Friends ratings archive! [online] available from http://newmusicandmore.tripod. com/friendsratings.html (accessed 10 March 2006)

Herman, E.S and McChesney, R.W (1997) The Global Media: The New Missionaries of Corporate Capitalism London: Cassell

Kaufman, R (2004) Advertising: Past, present and future [online] available from http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/p rogramsratings/advertising2004 .html (accessed 9 March 2006)

Locy, T (2005) USA Today: Murder, violence rates fall, FBI says [online] available from http://www.usatoday.com/news/n ation/2005-06-06-crime-drop_x. htm?POE=NEWISVA (accessed 10 March 2006)

Mander, J (1978) Four Arguments for the Elimination of TV San Francisco: Harper

McChesney, R.W (2004) The Problem With The Media New York: Monthly Review Press

McChesney, R.W (1995) Telecommunications, Mass Media, and Democracy : The Battle for the Control of U. S. Broadcasting, 1928-1935 Oxford: Oxford University Press

Turow, J (1997) The Global Media: The New Missionaries of Corporate Capitalism London: Cassell

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