ABC was largely responsible for the US broadcast (although ABC themselves only telecast the final three hours of the concert from Philadelphia, hosted by Dick Clark, with the rest shown in syndication through Orbis Communications, acting on behalf of ABC). An entirely separate and simultaneous US feed was provided for cable viewers by MTV, whose broadcast was presented in stereo and accessible as such for those with stereo televisions. At the time, before multichannel television sound was enacted nationwide, very few televisions reproduced stereo signals, and few television stations were able to broadcast in stereo. While the telecast was run advertisement-free by the BBC, both the MTV and syndicated/ABC broadcasts included advertisements and interviews. As a result, many songs were omitted due to the commercial breaks, as these songs were played during these slots.
Abc WAs lARgely rESPoNsibLE for THe Us brOADcaST (ALthough abc ?thEMsElves ONly tELecASt the FINal three HOUrs oF THe cOncerT fROm PhILADelPhIa, HoSteD by dicK clarK, wIth the REsT shoWn In SYnDIcatIon Through oRbis cOmmuniCaTions, .acting on BehalF OF aBC). aN enTIrely SEpARatE and siMultaneous uS fEed was proViDeD For cABlE viEwerS bY Mtv, WHose broadcAst wAs presentEd in stereo AnD accEssI,blE as sucH for tHOSe WitH STErEO TElevIsioNS. at the timE, BeforE multicHannel TElevIsion sOund was Ena?ctEd natioNwide, very FeW teLeVIsions rEprODUCed stEreo SignalS, And FeW TEleVisiOn stAtioNs were abLe tO bRoAdcaST iN stereo. wHILE the TELeCasT wAS run aDveRTIseMeNT-frEE bY the BbC, both thE mtV anD sY,ndicaTED/aBC brOADCaSts iNcLuded AdVeRTIsemeNts aNd InTErViEWs. as a rESult, mAny Songs werE OmItted duE To THE commeRCial brEAks, as these Songs weRe PlaYEd duRIng theSE SloTs.