Television networks in the United States

Television networks in the United States
Name	Television networks in the United States
Country	United States
Founded	1927 (experimental transmissions)–1940s (commercial networks)
Headquarters	New York City; Los Angeles; Atlanta; Chicago
Language	English; Spanish; other languages

Television networks in the United States are organized groups of broadcasting and distribution entities that deliver audiovisual programming across the United States via over-the-air television, cable television, satellite television, and streaming media. Networks range from legacy commercial families tied to companies such as NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Paramount Global to public entities like Public Broadcasting Service and regional or specialty providers such as Univision Communications and Telemundo. Their operations intersect with institutions including the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Broadcasters, and major content creators such as CBS Studios and ABC Signature.

History

Early developments emerged from experimental broadcasts by inventors and companies like AT&T, RCA Corporation, and broadcasters such as WJZ (AM) and WRGB (TV), leading to the first commercial networks in the 1940s including NBC and CBS. The postwar expansion involved regulatory milestones tied to the Federal Communications Commission and legal decisions like the Chain Broadcasting Rules, while corporate consolidation saw mergers among firms such as Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Viacom Inc.. The rise of cable in the 1970s generated networks such as HBO, MTV, and CNN, and the 1990s consolidation produced conglomerates like Fox Corporation and later mergers culminating in the creation of WarnerMedia and the modern Warner Bros. Discovery. The 21st century introduced streaming disruptors including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+, prompting legacy networks to launch services such as Peacock (streaming service), Paramount+, and Hulu.

Major Broadcast Networks

Major commercial broadcast networks traditionally include NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox Broadcasting Company, each affiliated with station groups like Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tegna Inc., Nexstar Media Group, and Cox Media Group. Spanish-language and multicultural networks such as Univision and Telemundo serve large audiences alongside specialty national networks like The CW and legacy services such as PBS affiliates. National network news operations—NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, and Fox News—work with program producers such as 60 Minutes producers at CBS Studios and investigative operations tied to corporations like New York Times Company in cross-media collaborations.

Cable and Satellite Networks

Cable-originated networks include premium services like HBO, Showtime (TV network), and Starz (TV network), basic cable brands like TBS (TV network), TNT (TV network), USA Network, and specialty channels such as ESPN and CNN. Satellite distributors such as DirecTV and Dish Network historically packaged these networks with regional sports networks like Bally Sports and national entertainment chains like AMC Networks. Media companies behind these channels include Discovery, Inc., Paramount Global, Disney–ABC Television Group, and independent entities like AMC Networks and A&E Networks.

Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) and Public Broadcasting

Public broadcasting in the U.S. centers on Public Broadcasting Service and American Public Television, with production and distribution partners including National Public Radio for cross-platform content. State and local PEG channels operate via municipal franchises and community media centers such as Twin Cities Public Television and university-run stations like WGBH Educational Foundation and KCETLink; these entities receive funding from institutions including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and philanthropic organizations like the Ford Foundation and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Network Structure and Distribution

Networks rely on a mix of owned-and-operated stations (O&Os) and affiliate groups such as Hearst Television and Gray Television to reach local markets defined by the Nielsen ratings market map. Distribution channels include retransmission consent agreements with multichannel video programming distributors such as Comcast, Charter Communications, and Altice USA, and carriage disputes have involved corporations like Sinclair Broadcast Group and ABC, Inc.. Technological transitions—driven by standards bodies like Advanced Television Systems Committee and mandated by the Digital Television transition in the United States—shifted spectrum allocation and introduced multicasting, enabling subchannels such as MeTV and Antenna TV.

Programming and Scheduling

Programming models draw from legacy formats (prime time dramas and sitcoms popularized by series produced by studios like CBS Studios and Warner Bros. Television Studios), live sports contracts negotiated with leagues such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and National Basketball Association, and syndicated programming marketed through distributors such as Debmar-Mercury. Networks coordinate national advertising sales with agencies like WPP (company), Omnicom Group, and Publicis Groupe, while scheduling mechanics respond to audience measurement from Nielsen Media Research and streaming analytics provided by companies like Comscore.

Regulation and Industry Economics

Regulation involves the Federal Communications Commission oversight of broadcast licenses, the implementation of statutes such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and antitrust scrutiny from the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission during major mergers like CBS and Viacom merger (2019). Economic drivers include subscription revenue from multichannel operators, advertising markets influenced by firms like Interpublic Group, retransmission consent fees mandated by carriage negotiations, and copyright frameworks enforced through bodies such as the United States Copyright Office and litigation in courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Category:Broadcasting in the United States Category:Mass media in the United States