Cleveland Abbe
In order to compile his information, Abbe required a time-keeping system that was consistent among the stations. To accomplish this he divided the United States into four standard time zones. He published, in 1879, a paper titled "Report on Standard Time". In 1883, he convinced North American railroad companies to adopt his time-zone system. In 1884, Britain, which had already adopted its own standard time system for England, Scotland, and Wales, helped gather international consent for global time. In time, the American government, influenced in part by his 1879 paper, adopted the time-zone system.
Effects of time zones on North American broadcasting
The Eastern Time Zone is commonly used as a " de facto" official time for the United States because it includes the nation's capital city, Washington D.C.; the most populous city, New York City; and half of the country's population.