According to Amanda D. Lotz, the multi-channel transition began in the mid-1980s and ended in the late 1990s. During this era, multichannel television became popular in the United States, leading to the breakdown of the network era which had been dominated by the Big Three networks (NBC, ABC, and CBS). Many changes happened during this transition, such as the invention of the remote control, the video cassette player, and analog cable systems expanding viewer's choice and control. This era gave viewers more choice and control over what and when they wanted to view a program. Viewers were able to defy the networks' schedules, because they could record the program and watch it whenever they wanted, using the VCR and later the DVR. Producers adjusted to the government regulations and networks