U.S. Broadcasting Networks Directory

Complete guide to American broadcast television networks including the Big Four (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX), Spanish-language networks, public broadcasting, and emerging networks reaching over 120 million households.

4

Big Four Networks

1,700+

Local Affiliates

120M+

Households Reached

68M

Hispanic Viewers

Table of Contents

The Big Four Broadcast Networks

The Big Four networks dominate American broadcast television, reaching virtually every U.S. household through their owned-and-operated stations and local affiliates. In 2024, CBS led in total viewers thanks to Super Bowl LVIII, while NBC captured the Adults 18-49 demographic crown with the Paris Olympics.

CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System)

Founded: 1927

Owner: Paramount Global (Skydance merger pending)

Headquarters: New York City, NY

Affiliates: 240+ stations nationwide

CBS is the most-watched broadcast network in America (2024), known for hit shows like NCIS franchise, Tracker, Ghosts, and the #1 new series Matlock. Home to CBS News, CBS Sports (NFL, NCAA), and late-night programming with Stephen Colbert.

Visit CBS.com

NBC (National Broadcasting Company)

Founded: 1926

Owner: NBCUniversal (Comcast)

Headquarters: New York City, NY

Affiliates: 230+ stations nationwide

NBC won the Adults 18-49 demo in 2024, powered by the Paris Olympics. Home to Sunday Night Football, Law & Order franchise, Chicago franchise, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and streaming service Peacock.

Visit NBC.com

ABC (American Broadcasting Company)

Founded: 1943

Owner: The Walt Disney Company

Headquarters: Burbank, CA

Affiliates: 240+ stations nationwide

ABC delivers family-friendly programming including Grey's Anatomy, Abbott Elementary, The Golden Bachelorette, and breakout hit High Potential. Home to Monday Night Football, Good Morning America, and late-night with Jimmy Kimmel. Content streams on Disney+ and Hulu.

Visit ABC.com

FOX Broadcasting Company

Founded: 1986

Owner: Fox Corporation

Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA

Affiliates: 210+ stations nationwide

The "fourth network" that disrupted the Big Three, FOX is known for The Simpsons, Family Guy, 9-1-1, The Masked Singer, and extensive NFL coverage including NFC games. Also operates Fox News Channel and Fox Sports as separate cable brands.

Visit FOX.com

Spanish-Language Broadcast Networks

Spanish-language television serves the nation's 68 million Hispanic and Latino population, approximately 20% of the total U.S. populace. Univision and Telemundo together own 136 of 181 stations serving U.S. Hispanic viewers, providing telenovelas, news, sports, and variety programming.

Univision

#1 Spanish-Language Network

Founded: 1962 (as Spanish International Network)

Owner: TelevisaUnivision

Headquarters: Miami, FL & Mexico City

Reach: 60+ O&O stations covering 90%+ Hispanic households

Univision has been #1 in Spanish-language primetime for 32 consecutive years (since 1993). In 2024, hosted Super Bowl LVIII (most-watched Spanish Super Bowl ever), Copa América final, and the 25th Latin Grammy Awards (4.2M viewers). Flagship news program "Noticiero Univision" averages 1.2 million total viewers nightly.

Visit Univision.com

Telemundo

NBCUniversal

Founded: 1954 (Puerto Rico), 1987 (National)

Owner: NBCUniversal (Comcast)

Headquarters: Miami, FL

Reach: 30 O&O + 91 affiliates covering 95% Hispanic households

Telemundo saw 13% year-over-year growth in 2024, the biggest jump tying CBS among broadcast. Home to top-rated reality shows La Casa de los Famosos (1.34M viewers), Exatlón Estados Unidos, and the Telemundo Studios production hub. Leads in weekday afternoons and dominates YouTube with 65 million subscribers.

Visit Telemundo.com

UniMás

Owner: TelevisaUnivision

Focus: Young adult Hispanic audience

Secondary network targeting younger Hispanic viewers with soccer coverage (Liga MX, MLS), reality competition shows, and imported programming. Formerly known as TeleFutura.

Visit UniMás.com

Estrella TV

Owner: Estrella Media (Liberman Broadcasting)

Focus: Mexican-American programming

Independent Spanish-language network featuring original variety shows, music programs, news, and syndicated content targeting the Mexican-American community across major U.S. markets.

Visit EstrellaTV.com

Public Broadcasting

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)

Non-Commercial

Founded: 1970

Structure: Non-profit public broadcaster

Headquarters: Arlington, VA

Member Stations: 350+ across all 50 states

PBS operates America's largest non-commercial television network, funded by viewer contributions, CPB grants, and underwriting. Known for award-winning content including Masterpiece, NOVA, Frontline, Antiques Roadshow, and children's programming like Sesame Street and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Each local station has programming flexibility while carrying national PBS content.

PBS KIDS offers 24/7 educational programming and free streaming, while PBS NewsHour provides in-depth journalism without commercial interruption.

Quick Links

Other Broadcast Networks

The CW

Founded: 2006 (merger of UPN and The WB)

Owners: Nexstar Media (75%), Warner Bros. Discovery (12.5%), Paramount (12.5%)

Affiliates: 200+ stations

The CW targets younger audiences with programming including All American, Superman & Lois, and acquired content. Under Nexstar ownership since 2022, the network has pivoted toward sports programming including NASCAR Xfinity Series and LIV Golf.

Visit CWTV.com

MyNetworkTV

Founded: 2006

Owner: Fox Corporation

Format: Syndication-based programming service

MyNetworkTV operates as a programming service rather than traditional network, providing syndicated content to affiliates typically on UHF channels. Programming includes off-network reruns and movies.

Visit MyNetworkTV.com

Ion Television

Founded: 1998 (as Pax TV)

Owner: The E.W. Scripps Company

Reach: 100+ million households

Ion Television focuses on procedural dramas and family-friendly content, featuring marathons of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, and Blue Bloods. Known for consistent, predictable programming blocks.

Visit Ion Television

Bounce TV

Founded: 2011

Owner: The E.W. Scripps Company

Target: African American audiences

First African-American-owned broadcast network, Bounce TV delivers original programming, theatrical films, documentaries, and sports including HBCU football and basketball games.

Visit BounceTV.com

Digital Subchannel Networks

The digital television transition enabled stations to broadcast multiple channels, spawning dozens of digital subchannel networks offering classic TV, movies, news, and specialty content.

Classic Television
  • MeTV - Classic TV shows from 1950s-1990s
  • Antenna TV - Classic sitcoms and dramas
  • Cozi TV - NBC classic series
  • Decades - Pop culture by decade
  • Heroes & Icons - Action and adventure classics
Movies & Entertainment
  • Movies! - Classic Hollywood films
  • GetTV - Sony classic movies
  • Grit - Western and action movies
  • Laff - Comedy movies and shows
  • Defy TV - Reality and documentary
News & Lifestyle
  • Court TV - Legal trials coverage
  • Newsy - E.W. Scripps news channel
  • TBD - Digital-first entertainment
  • Quest - Science and nature
  • Circle - Country music lifestyle

Network Ownership & Corporate Structure

Parent CompanyBroadcast NetworksRelated Platforms
The Walt Disney CompanyABCDisney+, Hulu, ESPN, FX
NBCUniversal (Comcast)NBC, TelemundoPeacock, USA Network, Bravo, MSNBC
Paramount GlobalCBS, The CW (12.5%)Paramount+, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET
Fox CorporationFOX, MyNetworkTVFox News, Fox Sports, Tubi
TelevisaUnivisionUnivision, UniMásViX streaming, Galavisión
Nexstar Media GroupThe CW (75%)NewsNation, 200+ local stations
E.W. Scripps CompanyIon, Bounce, Newsy60+ local stations, digital networks

Frequently Asked Questions

The Big Four broadcast networks are ABC (owned by Disney), CBS (Paramount Global), NBC (Comcast/NBCUniversal), and FOX (Fox Corporation). These four networks dominate American broadcast television, reaching virtually every U.S. household through their owned-and-operated stations and over 900 combined local affiliates. Before FOX launched in 1986, only ABC, CBS, and NBC existed as the "Big Three."

Broadcast networks are free to watch with a digital antenna - no subscription required. Simply connect an antenna to your TV to receive ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, and other local stations in HD quality. Additionally, streaming services like Peacock (NBC), Paramount+ (CBS), and Hulu (ABC) offer network content. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV provide live streaming of all major networks.

Broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS) transmit over-the-air signals that can be received free with an antenna. They are regulated by the FCC and must follow content guidelines. Cable networks (ESPN, CNN, HGTV) require a paid subscription and are delivered via cable, satellite, or streaming services. Broadcast networks reach more households but cable networks can offer more specialized content with fewer restrictions.

CBS led all broadcast networks in total viewers for 2024, largely due to hosting Super Bowl LVIII. However, NBC won the crucial Adults 18-49 demographic thanks to the Paris Olympics. Among Spanish-language networks, Univision maintained its #1 position for the 32nd consecutive year in Hispanic households, while Telemundo saw the biggest growth (+13% year-over-year) among all broadcast networks.

The two largest Spanish-language broadcast networks are Univision (owned by TelevisaUnivision) and Telemundo (owned by NBCUniversal/Comcast). Together they operate 136 of 181 Spanish-language stations nationwide. Additional options include UniMás (younger Hispanic audience), Estrella TV (Mexican-American programming), and Azteca América. These networks serve the 68 million Hispanic Americans with telenovelas, news, sports (including soccer), and entertainment programming.

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) is a non-commercial network funded by viewer donations, CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) grants, and corporate underwriting rather than advertising. PBS stations are independently owned and operated, giving them local programming flexibility while carrying national content like Masterpiece, NOVA, and PBS NewsHour. There are no commercial interruptions during programs - only brief sponsorship acknowledgments between shows.

Digital subchannels are additional free channels broadcast alongside main network signals. When TV transitioned to digital in 2009, stations gained the ability to multicast several channels. For example, a CBS affiliate on channel 5.1 might also carry MeTV on 5.2 and Antenna TV on 5.3. Access them free with any digital antenna - scan for channels on your TV to find all available subchannels in your area. Popular networks include MeTV (classic TV), Grit (westerns), and Court TV (legal coverage).

The CW is now majority-owned by Nexstar Media Group (75%), with Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global each retaining 12.5% stakes. This ownership change occurred in 2022 when Nexstar acquired the network from its previous 50/50 owners (WarnerMedia and CBS/Viacom). Under Nexstar, The CW has shifted toward profitability with more sports programming (NASCAR, LIV Golf) and acquired content while reducing expensive original scripted series.

Network affiliates are local television stations that contract with a network to carry its programming. In exchange for broadcasting network shows, affiliates receive compensation and can sell local advertising time during network programs. Networks also own some stations directly (O&O - owned-and-operated), typically in major markets. Affiliates provide local news, weather, and programming while carrying national network content during prime time. Large station groups like Sinclair, Nexstar, and Gray Television own hundreds of affiliates across multiple networks.

Each major network has affiliated streaming services: NBC content streams on Peacock, CBS shows are on Paramount+, ABC programming is available on Hulu (same Disney ownership), and FOX content appears on Tubi (owned by Fox Corp). For live viewing, services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV carry all major broadcast networks. PBS offers free streaming through the PBS app and PBS KIDS app with no subscription required. Spanish networks stream on ViX (TelevisaUnivision) and Peacock (Telemundo).

Related Television Resources

Browse Television Directories
Industry Resources

Last updated on November 27, 2025