"We just don't sell spots and dots," he added.

ABC, the last of the networks to sell spots in what is called the upfront market, began to do so Wednesday.

Many television networks have benefited from these broader marketing efforts, often selling 30-second spots as part of packages that include other promotions.

- Selling and buying spots in a queue to the radio operator.

So far in Times Square, most advertisers have shunned television-style signs that sell spots to a number of users.

A dozen advertisers, up from three or four last year, have bought such packages, making up for the loss in simply selling spots.

The station did not begin to sell commercial spots until after its fifth year of operation.

It is increasingly hard just to sell commercial spots in shows.

The slick, softly selling spots are the centerpiece of a campaign, with a budget of $8.5 million, that carries the theme, "Telling America's stories."

So, beginning in the early 1950's, the networks began producing their own programming and selling spots to various advertisers.