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ABC is an American TV broadcasting network that has been actively broadcasting since the year 1943. ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Company, and was created from what was known as the NBC Blue radio network. Used to refer to the American Broadcasting Company, ABC had its first broadcast in the year 1948, and is one of the top three TV networks in America. The station has over the years come to be seen as being a reflection of American culture, and way of doing things. Its corporate headquarters is located in Manhattan, New York, and the offices used for programming are in Burbank, California.
ABC has several shows that are among the most rated in the American ratings. Some of them include breakfast shows, where VIP and other prominent persons are brought and interviewed on issues of public interests. In fact, almost all of America's presidential candidates are brought on ABC, where they are interviewed and evaluated, thus making the American public makes their own judgments on their ability to rule. Some people refer to ABC as the Alphabet Network, because of the way the letters follow each other in order. One of the main reasons why ABC has managed to penetrate deep into the American viewership is due to the fact that it has a programme for every one in the family. This includes children shows, sports news and analysis, music and entertainment, lifestyle and fashion, to mention but a few. An example of breakfast shows in ABC that are popular with the older generation is the World News Now, and America This Morning. During most of the weekend afternoons, ABC airs fantastic sports news, and when no sports are scheduled they air some filler programmers.
ABC has the tendency to air soap operas during the daytime, and some of these soaps include All My Children, One Life to Live, as well as General Hospital. These are some of the best soaps being aired by the station this year. However, they have had other superb soaps aired on the station in the past, and include Dark Shadows, The City, The Edge of Night, and so forth. It is also worth noting that ABC has come to be one of the most popular stations as far as kids are concerned due to their excellent choices of children’s programming. This is because the station works closely with Walt Disney Television, who are renowned producers of shows targeting small children. Some of these shows include animated programs which have become popular nowadays with children.
For anyone pursuing a course in journalism, or mass communication, they will be glad to note that ABC is the only network news station that offers an internship that pays. In other words, one can make money while still being on internship in this American TV station that is so popular. By enrolling or joining ABC as an intern, one will definitely get valuable experience, besides being exposed to research at network level. One will also be in position to get acquainted with digital production each day, and get exposed to editorial as well as operational coverage. These things are crucial for any upcoming journalist, and the fact that one earns while still learning is like music to the years. But one must meet the eligibility requirements, which include one being an undergraduate student who is pursuing or finished the sophomore year in their studies. Graduate students are also allowed to be interns at ABC, under the following conditions. First, that they presently be pursuing a university degree in a related field, that they have superb communication skills, and that they are available at least 16 hours every week. Note that the internship may last for three years, and one earns on an hourly basis. However, an internship is not usually eligible for any medical benefits from the company, or sick pays and holiday pays.
Although there are many fantastic programs aired by ABC, there is one in particular that has been there for long, and which is still as popular as ever before. This is known as “The Tonight Show”, and is aired late in the night, 5 days a week. This program used to be anchored by Ted Koppel, who did so from the year 1980 until when he retired around 2005. But what is extra ordinary about this program is not so much who airs it, but where it originated from. Strange as it may sound, this show began on November 8, 1979, which was only a few days after the infamous Iranian revolution. It is widely believed that Roone Arledge who is the ABC news president, felt that coming up with this show was one of the surest ways of updating and informing Americans on what the situation was like in Iran. During that time, the show used to be known as “The Iran Crisis”, and it was then that American Embassy staff were being held hostage by Iranians. By the time the crisis in Iran cooled, around 1981, the show had already become entrenched, and nothing was going to turn it back.
Nowadays, the fact that “The Nightline” show covers hard topics, but without stirring sensationalism, or being inflammatory, has made it one of the most popular TV shows in America. But this is not tot say that the program has not had its own share of controversies. In 1987, Al Campanis who was then Los Angeles Dodgers executive made some remarks that ere widely criticized. When asked by the show's anchor why there were fewer blacks in baseball leagues in America, he answered by saying that black people probably lacked some “necessities”. This remarks caused such a huge controversy that not long after the interview was over, the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Campanis. Although the show has been dogged by other controversies over the years, they have been trying to diversify their programs and covering different topics. These includes topics like science, economics, politics, education, and any other topic within the public interest. Would you believe that at one time “The Nightline” was aired live from the top of Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the universe? Also in 1992, they did a live report that was broadcast from Antarctica. Yet, the shoe has had to be shelved on several occasions to give way to some breaking news. This was the case for example when Yasir Arafat died in 2004, and also when John Lennon died in 1980.
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