The network also sold the hourlong discussion show that followed, at lower rates.

The network must sell now and sell better than last year.

That is a common circumstance, because a network sells commercial time based on the delivery of a national audience.

That means the network, which mature Americans have long called their own, can now sell more ads at higher prices.

If the networks were selling shoes instead of news, they'd be out of business by now.

Industry experts say that means the network has already sold about $130 million in time.

The network will sell the remaining commercial time (about three minutes' worth) to a single sponsor each night.

The four networks sold $5.6 billion worth of commercial time before the 1995-96 season, in what is known as the up-front market.

Without history, it is just 21-year-olds running around and networks selling cars.

Usually, networks sell seven minutes of commercials for each hour.