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A television network (broadcaster) is a telecommunications system that distributes video and audio programming from a central operation to multiple TV stations, pay-TV providers, and multichannel video programming distributors for broadcast and cable delivery to viewers.

Networks often produce original shows or acquire content from production companies, coordinating national and regional schedules and advertising across their affiliate stations.

While the terms network, channel, and station are sometimes used interchangeably in casual conversation, they have distinct meanings in broadcasting. A network is a centralized entity that creates or curates programming and distributes it to multiple local affiliates, while a channel is a specific frequency or digital subchannel on which content is broadcast, and a station is a local broadcaster licensed to serve a particular geographic area, which may be owned by a network or operate as an affiliate carrying network programming alongside local content. This distinction helps us understand how television operates as both a national and local medium.

The concept of a television network came about in the mid-20th century, building on the model of radio networks. Early developments in the 1920s and 1930s, such as Vladimir Zworykin's iconoscope and Philo Farnsworth's image dissector, laid the groundwork for the development of electronic television.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the first experimental broadcasts took place in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, NBC and CBS, already established in radio, began experimenting with television. The first U.S. commercial TV licenses were issued in 1941, but World War II slowed expansion.

Television ownership surged after 1946, during the post-war boom. By 1952, networks like NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont were broadcasting to millions of sets nationwide. This era, often referred to as the "Golden Age of Television," was characterized by the dominance of live dramas, variety shows, and early sitcoms.

In the network era (1950s-1980s), the "Big Three" (ABC, CBS, and NBC) dominated U.S. broadcasting. DuMont folded in 1956, and attempts at a fourth network failed until Fox launched in 1986.

The 1990s and 2000s saw the rise of cable, satellite, and, later, digital broadcasting, which allowed for more channels and niche networks. The 2009 U.S. transition to digital TV enabled multicasting, letting stations carry multiple subchannels.

The 2010s brought the streaming era, in which traditional networks had to compete with streaming platforms, although they remain influential in live sports, news, and event programming.

Television networks and their affiliated stations operate under a regulatory framework designed to ensure they serve the public interest. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses individual stations, not networks. Stations must operate in the "public interest, convenience, and necessity." Content standards include rules prohibiting obscene content at all times, restricting indecent or profane content to late-night hours. Children's programming is subject to educational content requirements and limits on advertising. The rules on political broadcasting specify that stations must provide reasonable access to legally qualified candidates and offer equal opportunities to opposing candidates. FCC regulations limit the percentage of U.S. households a single station group can reach. However, these rules have been criticized as outdated in the age of streaming and Big Tech competition. Cable and satellite providers must either carry local stations for free (must-carry) or negotiate payment for carriage (retransmission consent).

Internationally, similar bodies, such as Ofcom in the United Kingdom and CRTC in Canada, regulate broadcast content, licensing, and ownership.

In the United States, the largest networks are often divided into categories: major English-language commercial networks, public broadcasters, and major Spanish-language networks.

The larger networks include CBS (1941), NBC (1939), ABC (1943), Fox (1986), PBS (1970), Univision (1962), and Telemundo (1984). These networks distribute programming to hundreds of local affiliates, reaching nearly every U.S. household. While cable and streaming have eroded their dominance, they remain central to live events, sports, and national news.

TV networks link national programming with local stations to create a unified yet regionally responsive medium. Despite the challenges posed by streaming services, the largest networks continue to command massive audiences and remain vital players in the television landscape.

 

 

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