In the United States , for most of the history of broadcasting, there were only three or four major commercial national broadcast networks . From 1946-1956 these were ABC , CBS , NBC , and DuMont . From 1956-1986, the national commercial networks were ABC, CBS, and NBC.
Today, more than 50 nationwide broadcasting networks exist. Other than the non-commercial educational (NCE) Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which is composed of member stations, the largest broadcast television networks are the traditional Big Three Television Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Many other large networks exist, however, notably Fox and The CW which air original programming for two hours each night instead of three like the original "Big Three" do, as well as syndication services like MyNetworkTV and ION which feature reruns of recent popular shows with little or no original programs. Fox has just about the same percentage of households reached as the Big Three, and is therefore often considered a peer to ABC, NBC, and CBS since it has also achieved equal or better ratings over the last decade. Most media outlets now include Fox in what they refer to as the "Big Four" television networks.
The transition to digital broadcasting in 2009 has allowed for television stations to offer more programming options through digital subchannels . A number of new commercial networks airing specialty programming have been created from companies like Weigel Broadcasting and Luken Communications . There have also been a number of new Spanish-language networks that have launched as well as some new non-commercial public television channels.
Broadcast networks in the United States can be divided into four categories:
Each network sends its signal to many local affiliate television stations across the country. These local stations then air the "network feed," and millions of households across the country tune in. In the case of the largest networks, the signal is sent to over 200 stations. In the case of the smallest networks, the signal may be sent to just a dozen or fewer stations.
There are an estimated 114.2 million television households in the United States as of the 2012-2013 TV season. [1]
[ edit ] Table of broadcast networks
All of the networks listed below operate a number of terrestrial television stations. In addition, several of these networks are also aired on cable and satellite services.
|
Table of broadcast television networks
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| NBC |
1946 [ 1 ] |
97% |
110,774,000 |
Commercial |
226 |
~338 |
| CBS |
1948 [ 1 ] |
97% |
110,774,000 |
Commercial |
215 |
~299 |
| ABC |
1948 [ 1 ] |
97% |
110,774,000 |
Commercial |
229 |
~266 |
| Fox |
October 9, 1986 [ 2 ] |
97% |
110,774,000 |
Commercial |
223 |
~202 |
| The CW |
September 18, 2006 [ 3 ] |
95% |
108,490,000 |
Commercial |
204 |
~11 |
[ edit ] Public television networks
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| PBS |
1969 [ 4 ] |
96% |
109,632,000 |
Nonprofit |
349 |
~342 |
| Create |
January 10, 2006 |
74% |
84,508,000 |
Public TV/Instructional |
208 |
0 |
| World |
August 15, 2007 |
54% |
61,668,000 |
News & Documentaries |
154 |
0 |
| V-me |
2007 |
45% |
51,390,000 |
Spanish Educational |
50 |
1 |
| MHz Worldview / MHz Networks |
2001 |
28% |
31,976,000 |
Educational/International |
30 |
0 |
| France 24 |
December 6, 2006 |
12% |
13,704,000 |
International News |
3 |
4 |
| MiND (MiND: Media Independence) |
May 15, 2007 |
9% |
10,361,000 |
Multicultural, educational |
2 |
0 |
| DW-TV (Deutsche Welle) |
1953 |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Multicultural |
0 |
2 |
| Minnesota Channel |
2005 |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Educational television , public affairs , ethnic and local programming |
17 |
0 |
| ThinkBright |
|
1.2% |
1,370,400 |
New York Public broadcasting |
4 |
0 |
| Classic Arts Showcase |
1994 |
0.4% |
456,800 |
Non-commercial performance art video clips |
1 |
0 |
|
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| Univision |
1986 [ 5 ] |
55% |
62,810,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
46 |
13 |
| Telemundo |
1954 |
48% |
54,816,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
45 |
19 |
| UniMás |
2002 |
47% |
53,674,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
35 |
10 |
| MundoFox |
August 13, 2012 |
44% |
50,248,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
25 |
31 |
| Estrella TV |
2009 |
40% |
45,680,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
24 |
17 |
| Azteca América |
2001 |
38% |
43,396,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
14 |
23 |
| LATV |
May 7, 2007 |
37% |
42,254,000 |
Bilingual(English/Spanish) Entertainment |
27 |
15 |
| SOi TV |
|
24% |
27,408,000 |
|
15 |
0 |
| Exitos TV |
|
20% |
22,840,000 |
|
12 |
0 |
| Mexicanal |
August 23, 2005 |
12% |
13,704,000 |
Mexican Programming |
2 |
10 |
| Inmigrante TV |
2010 |
12% |
13,704,000 |
|
6 |
1 |
| Tele-Romantica |
2012 |
10% |
11,420,000 |
|
0 |
9 |
| Mega TV |
|
9% |
10,278,000 |
|
4 |
4 |
| Tr3s [ 6 ] |
1998 |
9% |
10,278,000 |
Spanish Music Videos |
1 |
9 |
| Multimedios Television |
Unknown |
3% |
3,426,000 |
Spanish Commercial |
1 |
3 |
[ edit ] Genre-based and general entertainment television networks
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| MyNetworkTV |
September 5, 2006 [ 3 ] |
91% |
103,922,000 |
Commercial/Syndication service |
162 |
~40 |
| Me-TV |
December 15, 2010 (national) |
87% |
90,218,000? |
Classic TV shows |
141 |
21 |
| This TV |
November 1, 2008 |
85% |
97,070,000 |
Movies & TV shows |
134 |
16 |
| Bounce TV |
September 26, 2011 |
64% |
73,088,000 |
African-American Programming |
70 |
9 |
| Ion Television |
August 31, 1998 [ 7 ] [ 8 ] |
62% |
70,804,000 |
Commercial/Syndication service |
64 |
22 |
| qubo |
2006 [ 7 ] [ 8 ] |
61% |
69,662,000 |
Commercial (Children's) |
60 [ 9 ] |
2 |
| Antenna TV |
January 1, 2011 |
61% |
69,662,000 |
Classic TV shows and movies |
63 |
4 |
| RTV |
2005 |
42% |
47,964,000 |
Commercial, reruns |
33 |
55 |
| Cozi TV |
January 1, 2013 |
30% |
34,260,000 |
Classics/Movies/Lifestyle |
20 |
2 |
| The Country Network |
2009 |
29% |
33,118,000 |
24/7 Country Music videos |
38 |
4 |
| TheCoolTV |
2009 |
20% |
22,840,000 |
Music videos |
12 |
9 |
| Punch TV |
2012 |
53% |
59,902,174 |
Urban & Independent programming |
0 |
>30 [2] |
| My Family TV |
December 2008 |
12% |
13,704,000 |
Family Entertainment |
6 |
32 |
| PBJ |
September 2011 |
10% |
11,420,000 |
Children's/Classic Cartoons |
1 |
25 |
| AMGTV |
Unknown |
5% |
5,710,000 |
Commercial, family |
1 |
9 |
| The Nashville Network |
November 1, 2012 |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Country Music & Lifestyle |
4 |
5 |
[ edit ] News, sports and lifestyle networks
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| Live Well Network |
April 27, 2009 |
69% |
78,798,000 |
Health/Lifestyle |
67 |
5 |
| ION Life |
2005 [ 7 ] [ 8 ] |
61% |
69,662,000 |
Health/Lifestyle
Occasional movies |
60 [ 9 ] |
1 |
| The AccuWeather Channel |
2004 |
25% |
28,550,000 |
Local Weather Information |
37 |
2 |
| Tuff TV |
2009 |
16% |
18,272,000 |
Male interest programming |
2 |
25 |
| WeatherNation TV |
June 11, 2011 |
11% |
12,562,000 |
Weather Forecast |
10 |
7 |
| Biz Television |
2008 |
4% |
4,568,000 |
Business and financial information |
2 |
4 |
| Untamed Sports TV |
2008 |
3% |
3,426,000 |
Sports/Outdoors |
4 |
2 |
| Frost Great Outdoors |
2011 |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Outdoors/Shopping |
0 |
5 |
| Pursuit Channel |
2008 |
0.5% |
571,000 |
Sports and recreation |
0 |
3 |
|
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| HSN |
1985 [ 7 ] |
36% |
41,112,000 |
Commercial/Infomercial |
3 |
50 |
| JewelryTV [ 10 ] [ 11 ] |
1993 |
14% |
15,988,000 |
Commercial/Infomercial |
6 |
14 |
| Corner Store TV |
Unknown |
5% |
5,710,000 |
Commercial/Infomercial |
0 |
1 |
| ShopNBC |
1991 |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Commercial/Infomercial |
2 |
0 |
|
|
| Television Network | Founded | % of U.S. households reached | # of households viewable | Type of Television network | # of Full-Power Affiliates | # of Low-Power / Class-A Affiliates & Transmitters |
| Daystar |
1982 |
48% |
54,816,000 |
Religious |
22 |
44 |
| TBN Enlace USA [ 12 ] |
2006? |
45% |
51,390,000 |
Spanish-Language Religious programming |
37 |
9 |
| TBN |
1973 |
44% |
50,248,000 |
Religious |
39 |
10 |
| Smile of a Child [ 12 ] |
December 24, 2005 |
44% |
50,248,000 |
Religious Children's TV |
35 |
12 |
| JCTV [ 12 ] [ 13 ] |
2003 |
44% |
50,248,000 |
Religious Youth Programming/Music Videos |
36 |
10 |
| The Church Channel [ 12 ] |
2002? |
43% |
49,106,000 |
Religious |
35 |
9 |
| SonLife Broadcasting Network |
2010 |
24% |
27,408,000 |
Religious |
4 |
18 |
| Almavision |
2002 |
15% |
17,130,000 |
Spanish Religious |
0 |
9 |
| 3ABN |
1984 |
14% |
15,988,000 |
Religious |
2 |
64 |
| Cornerstone Television [ 14 ] |
1979 [ 15 ] |
14% |
15,988,000 |
Religious |
2 |
16 |
| The WALK TV |
January 11, 2010 |
12% |
12,969,400 |
Religious |
0 |
240 |
| 3ABN Latino |
2003 |
11% |
12,562,000 |
Spanish Religious |
0 |
58 |
| Peace TV |
2006 |
8% |
9,136,000 |
Religious (Islamic) |
0 |
6 |
| TCT |
1977 |
6% |
6,852,000 |
Religious |
8 |
5 |
| 3ABN Proclaim! |
2010 |
5% |
5,710,000 |
Religious |
0 |
44 |
| CTN |
1979 |
5% |
5,710,000 |
Religious |
11 |
5 |
| LeSea " WHTV " |
1985 [ 16 ] |
5% |
5,710,000 |
Religious |
7 |
4 |
| Tele Vida Abundante |
|
5% |
5,710,000 |
Spanish Religious |
1 |
?? |
| Dare to Dream Network |
2010 |
3% |
3,426,000 |
Religious |
0 |
30 |
| FamilyNet |
Unknown |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Religious |
2 |
8 |
| GOD TV |
1995 |
2% |
2,284,000 |
Religious |
1 |
2 |
| EWTN |
1981 |
1.5% |
1,713,000 |
Religious (Catholic) |
0 |
2 |
| Hope Channel |
October 10, 2003 |
1.5% |
1,713,000 |
Religious |
0 |
6 |
| The Word Network |
2000 |
1.5% |
1,713,000 |
Religious |
2 |
2 |
| La Familia Network |
2002? |
1% |
1,142,000 |
Spanish Religious |
0 |
1 |
| TLN |
1973 |
1% |
1,142,000 |
Religious |
1 |
0 |
| Tvida Vision |
2005 |
0.7% |
799,400 |
Spanish Religious |
0 |
2 |
| The Worship Network [ 7 ] |
1992 |
0.6% |
685,200 |
Religious |
0 |
1 |
| GLC |
1982 |
0.25% |
285,500 |
Religious |
5 |
0 |
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