Empire TV
Empire TV was a television network on planet 892-IV, an M-class planet where a civilization, mirroring the Roman Empire, had survived into the 20th century equivalent of Earth. Its broadcasts were intercepted by the USS Enterprise in 2268, while that vessel attempted to determine the status of the SS Beagle; later, a landing party became the unwilling collaborators in one of the network's offerings.
Prime-time programming consisted of gladiator fights supervised by local government officials such as Proconsul Claudius Marcus and First Citizen Merikus These programs were supported by commercial sponsorship from various concerns such as automobile manufacturers. State executions were a recurring feature on its flagship program. Good ratings were as valued by Empire TV personnel as they were by their Earth-counterparts.
Though produced in a soundstage, the impression of a live audience was created by means of recorded cheering and hisses from a crowd; again, this practice was not dissimiliar to television productions on Earth of the 1960's. (TOS: "Bread and Circuses")