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'Commercial break' is a period of time when a television station interrupts a programme to broadcast television commercials. In the United States, most half-hour television shows accommodate 8 minutes of commercial break, while full-hour shows usually accommodate 16-18 minutes of commercial break. This means that a one-hour episode actually only runs for about 42-44 minutes without commercial breaks.
Commercial breaks are also taken during breaks in the action in sporting events. In some cases, the sporting event will pause to accommodate a commercial break. This is known as a television timeout.