NBC Universal, a subsidiary of General Electric Company, owns and operates the most profitable television network United State with revenues of over $14 billion. Over 60% of these revenues of were generated by on-air advertising time on its television networks and stations. The major television networks announce their new programming schedules for the upcoming season (which starts in late September) in mid-May. NBC begins selling their advertising time very soon after the new schedule is announced in May, and 60 to 80% of their airtime inventory is sold in the following two-to three-week period (to approximately 400 advertisers), known as the upfront market .Immediately following the announcement of their new season schedule in May, NBC forecasts ratings forecasts are estimates of the number of people in several demographic groups who are expected to watch each airing of the shows in the schedule for the entire year, which are, in turn, based on such factors as a show ‘ strength, historical time slot ratings, and the ratings performance of adjacent shows. Total market demand depends primarily on the strength of the economy and the expected performance of the network’s schedule. Based on this ratings forecast and market demand, NBC develops pricing strategies and sets the prices for commercials on their shows.