In the lаte 1940s, lаrge rаdiо cоnglоmerates like NBC, CBS, and ABC applied for and received television licenses from the FCC (which did not issue any other licenses from 1948-1955, thus giving them a de facto television monopoly). These companies were known as [BLANK-1] and applied the organizational structure of radio to television, focusing on variety and comedy shows in the earliest days of television. The limited number of channels meant that networks selected programs that appealed to a very wide audience. Non-controversial shows like Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver dominated. Since audiences had a limited number of channels to choose from, viewing experiences were broadly shared. More than two thirds of television-owning households, for instance, watched popular shows such as I Love Lucy. Television therefore had a large role in shaping what American values, life, and family should look like in the 1950s.