Comprehensive directory of national cable and broadcast networks beginning with the letter Q
Total Networks
Active Channels
Shopping Networks
QVC Global Reach
Television networks beginning with Q represent a diverse mix of programming, from home shopping giants to documentary-focused channels. While fewer in number compared to other letters, Q channels include some of the most successful and recognizable brands in television history.
QVC leads the category as one of the world's largest home shopping networks, broadcasting to over 350 million households across seven countries since 1986. The letter Q also encompasses specialty channels serving niche audiences, from adventure documentaries on Quest to defunct networks that once targeted specific demographics.
Full Name: Quality Value Convenience
Owner: QVC Group, Inc. (formerly Qurate Retail Group)
Launched: November 24, 1986
Founder: Joseph Segel
Headquarters: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Genre: Home Shopping, Lifestyle
Reach: 350+ million households in 7 countries
QVC is one of the world's largest television shopping networks, founded by Joseph Segel (creator of The Franklin Mint) on June 13, 1986. Broadcasting live 24 hours a day, 364 days per year, QVC sells products ranging from fashion and beauty to electronics and home goods. The first item sold when the channel went live was an $11.49 shower radio. By fiscal year 1988, QVC achieved $112.3 million in sales, breaking American records for first-year sales by a new public company. In 2024, QVC generated $10 billion in revenue, reaching households across the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and through a joint venture in China. QVC Group operates multiple platforms including QVC+, a free streaming service combining live commerce with on-demand content.
Owner: QVC Group, Inc.
Launched: August 22, 2013 (as QVC Plus); rebranded April 1, 2017
Genre: Home Shopping
Schedule: Live 13 hours daily
Originally launched as QVC Plus in 2013 as the first timeshift channel operated by a home shopping network, QVC2 was rebranded in 2017 to offer more live programming. Broadcasting live Monday-Friday from noon to midnight ET and weekends 10am-10pm ET, QVC2 provides extended shopping opportunities beyond the main QVC channel. After temporarily pausing live programming during the 2020 pandemic, QVC2 restored live broadcasts in December 2020, expanding to 13 hours of live programming daily by July 2021.
Owner: QVC Group, Inc.
Launched: April 1, 2019 (rebranded from Beauty iQ)
Genre: Home Shopping
Schedule: 24/7 reruns
QVC3 airs rebroadcasts of previously recorded QVC and QVC2 programming 24 hours a day. Originally launched as Beauty iQ, the channel was rebranded to QVC3 in 2019, providing viewers additional opportunities to shop products featured on the flagship channels. QVC3 is part of the QVC+ streaming ecosystem, which combines five linear channels (QVC, QVC2, QVC3, HSN, and HSN2) with digital-exclusive content.
Owner: Tegna Inc. (to be acquired by Nexstar Media Group in 2026)
Launched: January 29, 2018
Genre: Documentary, Reality, Adventure
Format: Standard Definition (480i)
Distribution: 246 affiliates in 173 markets
Reach: 73.91% of US households (as of November 2025)
Target Audience: Adults 25-54
Quest is an American digital multicast television network specializing in travel, historical, science, and adventure-focused programming. Announced on November 7, 2017, as a partnership between Cooper Media and Tegna Inc., Quest launched in early 2018 to compete in the over-the-air broadcast space. The network features programs originally aired on A&E, Discovery, History, Smithsonian, and truTV, including popular series like Dual Survival, Auction Kings, Most Daring, Aussie Gold Hunters, and Dogfights. Quest is distributed via digital subchannels of local television stations across the United States, making it available free over-the-air to viewers with antennas. Tegna agreed to sell Quest and other assets to Nexstar Media Group in a $6.2 billion deal expected to close in 2026.
Location: Queens, New York
Founded: 1990s (30+ years)
Genre: Community Access, Educational
Focus: Local programming for, by, and about Queens
QPTV has served the Queens community for over 30 years, providing public access television and media education. The station teaches television production and media creation skills while broadcasting locally-produced content that reflects the diverse Queens community. QPTV offers training programs for residents interested in creating their own television content and broadcasts community events, local news, and educational programming specific to Queens, New York.
Founder: Frank Olsen
Final Owner: Triangle Multimedia / Lloyd Fan
Launched: September 2004
Closed: May 2006 (bankruptcy filed May 25, 2006)
Headquarters: Palm Springs, California (studio in Burbank)
Genre: LGBTQ+ Programming
Target Audience: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual viewers
Q Television Network was a pioneering but short-lived cable channel targeting LGBTQ+ audiences. Announced in early 2004, the network aired a mix of films, documentaries, music programming, and original live talk shows. Q Television launched in September 2004 on selected cable services in major metropolitan markets, expanding in 2005 alongside the debut of Logo TV. Financial difficulties emerged in February 2006 when the channel missed payroll, leading to mass layoffs and closure of the Burbank production facility. Founder Frank Olsen was ousted as CEO in March 2006, replaced by businessman Lloyd Fan. By May 2006, Fan announced the network's shutdown, and the company filed for bankruptcy on May 25, 2006, ending its brief two-year run.
Original Owners: Ion Media, NBCUniversal, Corus Entertainment, Scholastic, DreamWorks Classics
Final Owner: Ion Media (acquired by E.W. Scripps Company)
Launched: September 9, 2006 (programming blocks); January 8, 2007 (standalone channel)
Closed: February 28, 2021
Genre: Children's Programming
Target Audience: Children ages 5-14
Qubo was a children's television brand featuring educational and entertaining programming for kids ages 5-14. Originally launched as a joint venture between multiple media companies, Qubo began with weekend morning programming blocks on NBC and Telemundo in September 2006. The standalone 24-hour Qubo Channel launched in January 2007, featuring series like VeggieTales, 3-2-1 Penguins, Dragon, Jacob Two-Two, Babar, and Jane and the Dragon. NBCUniversal exited the joint venture in 2012 following its Comcast acquisition, discontinuing NBC and Telemundo Qubo blocks. Following Ion Media's acquisition by E.W. Scripps Company in January 2021, Qubo Channel ceased operations on February 28, 2021. With Qubo's closure and later shutdown of Smile in 2025, PBS Kids remains one of the few dedicated 24-hour children's networks in the United States.
Founder: Irwin L. Jacobs
Acquired by: QVC (July 1989)
Genre: Home Shopping
Acquisition Price: $380 million
Cable Value Network was an early home shopping channel founded by entrepreneur Irwin L. Jacobs. Operating during the 1980s boom in televised retail, CVN competed with QVC and Home Shopping Network for cable distribution and viewer attention. In July 1989, QVC acquired Cable Value Network for $380 million, consolidating its position in the home shopping market. The acquisition contributed to QVC's $17 million loss in the following fiscal quarter but helped eliminate a competitor during the industry's rapid expansion phase when the television shopping field was narrowing from 20+ companies to just a handful of major players.
Television channels beginning with Q are relatively rare in the American broadcast landscape. Unlike letters such as C, N, or S which feature dozens of networks, Q channels number fewer than ten active and defunct networks combined. This scarcity reflects naming conventions in the television industry, where Q names are less common due to limited relevant acronyms and brand recognition challenges.
QVC and its sister channels (QVC2, QVC3) represent the dominant Q-branded networks, accounting for the vast majority of viewership and revenue among Q channels. Since its 1986 founding, QVC has evolved from a single cable channel into a global multimedia shopping platform reaching 350+ million households worldwide. The QVC Group (formerly Qurate Retail Group) also owns HSN (Home Shopping Network), making it the largest player in video commerce globally.
QVC has successfully transitioned to streaming with QVC+, a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service available across multiple platforms including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and web browsers. QVC+ combines five linear channels with digital-exclusive content, approximately 200 original streaming shows, and social commerce integration through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. This multi-platform approach positions QVC for continued relevance as traditional cable viewership declines.
Beyond QVC's shopping empire, Q channels serve specialized audiences. Quest targets adventure and documentary enthusiasts with free over-the-air programming reaching nearly 74% of US households. QPTV serves hyper-local needs in Queens, New York, providing community access television for three decades. These niche networks demonstrate that Q-branded channels can succeed by focusing on underserved markets rather than competing for broad national audiences.
Several Q networks have ceased operations, reflecting changing market dynamics. Q Television Network (2004-2006) attempted to serve LGBTQ+ audiences but failed due to financial mismanagement and competition from Logo TV. Qubo (2006-2021) provided children's programming for 15 years before closing when owner E.W. Scripps Company consolidated operations. Cable Value Network was absorbed by QVC in 1989 during the home shopping industry's consolidation phase. These closures illustrate the challenges faced by smaller networks competing against well-funded rivals with established distribution.
Last updated on November 27, 2025