How do websites and TV channels make money?

[Bored Goblin]

it is mostly advertizing.

Some TV channels have subscription fees, or charge people for on-demand movies. The rest is ads. Cable companies can probably trace what you are watching from the converter box. Broadcast stations run phone surveys, and sometime pay people to install a box that again traces what you are watching.

Facebook gets money when you buy stuff for your Farmville with real $. Otherwise, they are paid when they show you an ad, and they get paid more if you click it. Making profiles and adding friends makes you and others look at more ads, but there is no direct revenue.

Google search makes money only off the adds, both those they display on search results, and those they place onto other websites through revenue-sharing schemes. And again, clicking on the ad earns them more money. revenue per user is small of course, but still more than cost of running the servers.

Other websites also make money from ads. either by letting google place their ads, or putting up banners for companies.