Final answer:
Time shifting is true; it accounts for the time zone differences across the United States, enabling nationwide synchronization of broadcast timings to accommodate for local prime times.
Step-by-step explanation:
Time shifting does refer to the delay of broadcast programs because of different time zones across the United States; therefore, the statement is true. Time shifting allows people across various time zones to watch broadcasts at equivalent local times. For instance, when a show airs at 8 PM Eastern Time, it would also air at 8 PM Pacific Time, despite the three-hour difference. This ensures that viewers nationwide can experience the program during local prime time. Before time zones were standardized, each community set its own time, which created confusion. This led to the adoption of a standardized time zone system, adjusting for time differences across regions.
The system of time zones is also influenced by social and geopolitical factors, such as state and regional boundaries, resulting in time zones that may not always align perfectly with 15-degree longitude increments. The advent of radio and television programming emphasized the need for coordinated broadcast times, which was facilitated through this time zone system. Moreover, these time zones have become an integral part of daily life, influencing when we make phone calls or watch events such as the significant moment when the Twin Towers were attacked in 2001, which was experienced by many across the US in real-time through media.