television has been part of our lives
for decades and these stations have
shaped its past present and future
welcome to watchmojo.com 10 most iconic
TV channels of all time funding for this
program provided by the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting and by annual
financial support from viewers like you
before we begin we publish new content
every day so be sure to subscribe to our
Channel and ring the bell to get
notified about our latest videos for
this list we’re ranking based on clout
and reach in the station’s respective
programming but we’ll only be looking at
broadcast and cable channels and
networks
so while Netflix entertains masses you
won’t see it here number 10
Fox since the beginning of television
the big three u.s. broadcast networks
the upstart Fox Network turned it into
the big four when it hit the airwaves in
late 1980s no other over-the-air
broadcaster has been able to join the
club since Fox’s huge initial success
was due to innovative risk-taking
programming and one show in particular
the Simpsons Murdock air $10,000 you
sidebar network wouldn’t be the first
time over the years they have solidified
their place as a major player and even
spawned a top-rated
albeit divisive cable news channel the
Fox News Network a number of figures on
the Left have denounced this show as
racist is notable that not a single one
of them has offered any evidence to
support that slur number nine CNN the
original 24-hour cable news channel
started broadcasting in 1980 from
Atlanta Georgia while they have moved
headquarters changed owners hosts and
graphics several times and expanded with
bureaus around the world they haven’t
altered their logo once when you see it
you know right away what you’re watching
even before James Earl Jones says this
is CNN it may not be number one in the
American cable news ratings anymore but
there’s still one of the most recognized
and trusted news brands in the world
number eight Nickelodeon the Cartoon
Network is always a good topic for
discussion but Nickelodeon or just plain
Nick delivers the Tunes produced through
its own animation studio just as well as
the CN and then some
[Music]
primarily aimed at kids and early teens
Nick was first launched as pinwheel in
1977 and took on it’s more familiar
moniker in 79 before rising to
prominence in the 80s and 90s producing
and airing both live-action and animated
shows on its flagship channel and
several sister cable stations it’s also
the host of the Kids Choice Awards and
it’s the channel that gave us SpongeBob
SquarePants
number 7 ABC this big three networks
spent the first few decades of his
existence playing catch-up with CBS and
NBC Sports children’s programming and a
partnership with the Walt Disney Company
its future owner kept it afloat in the
early years eventually shows like The
Flintstones happy days and a slew of
soap operas would put it on the map I
didn’t kill her
she was my best friend
ABC would continue to grow in the 90s
thanks to its focus on sitcoms and
development of the TGIF lineup and today
thanks to dramas it’s still on top of
its game number six
ESPN sports and TV go hand in hand but
it took ESPN to make the relationship
exclusive the first all sports all the
time cable channel hasn’t wavered from
the one thing it covers since it first
went on-air in 1979 just as it hasn’t
dropped its first and now signature
SportsCenter show from the lineup how
far do you think LeBron can take this
Lakers team this season I think you take
them to the Western Conference Finals
now I know everybody think I’m smoking
something but it’s not true it’s
expanded quite a bit and now counts
seven sister stations all branded with a
variation on the ESPN name when they
call themselves the worldwide leader in
sports they mean it number five
CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System
better known as CBS got the moniker of
the Tiffany Network for the prestige it
had during the golden age of television
this is CBS the network that gave the
world I Love Lucy mash and all in the
family was also responsible for bringing
credibility to television news and
anchors like Walter Cronkite and Dan
Rather from CBS News headquarters in New
York this is the CBS Evening News with
Walter Cronkite
while the networks ratings dominance
waned for a few decades it came back to
prominence in the 2000s with its
unchanged and unblinking eye logo still
number four HBO this is the only network
on our list that has dragons it’s also
the only one responsible for making
commercial free highbrow premium cable
TV a thing during the 70’s and 80’s it
ran movies sporting events and stand-up
comedy specials this is the home box
office television network in the 90s it
started making batches of original TV
shows at a time when the airwaves were
dominated by shows with over 20 episodes
a season HBO bucked the long-standing
model and opted for quality over
quantity with its dramas producing only
around ten episodes of season each an
approach they still use today but this
shit I’m telling you it’ll all blow over
several of their competitors have
followed suit most notably AMC number
three MTV I want my MTV wasn’t just the
marketing slogan of this music centered
cable channel it was the call that
ushered in the music video era in the
1980s MTV not only changed television
there’s even a recognized MTV generation
the station’s format also inspired other
successful networks like the et and vh1
while today the main channel is more
reality TV oriented they still play
music videos on their sister stations
and the MTV Music Video Award remains a
sought-after trophy for artists they
dedicate this award to the people of New
Orleans
god bless you guys thank you number 2
BBC this is BBC one with some of the
most classic British comedies and dramas
as well as current worldwide hits
produced in the UK all released under
its brand the BBC is what most people
think of when you say British TV you
could up to the privacy of your own
regeneration of your business one of
them is as icon
I’m not judging here originally founded
in 1922 as a radio network
this state-funded broadcaster started
producing and airing TV in the 1930s
taking a break for the Second World War
today they have the largest number of
employees of any broadcaster in the
world and also have a globally respected
news division the question is how do
democracies respond of those scandals
and what will it mean for for the wider
region I think one of your children’s
just walked in i mean shift its shifting
shifting sands in the region to the
relations with the north may change
before we unveil our topic here are a
few honorable mentions
[Music]
number one NBC while it may have had its
ups and downs over the years the oldest
of the major networks in the u.s. is
consistently in the top three ratings
wise and it’s familiar peacock logo is
synonymous with TV itself this is the
NBC television network even it’s New
York headquarters in Rockefeller Plaza
is famous since first going on the air
in 1939 it’s launched the careers of
countless household names pioneered
late-night TV as well as science fiction
television and was the first major
network to produce and air programs in
living color a special program in living
color on NBC do you agree with our picks
check out these other great clips from
WatchMojo and be sure to subscribe and
ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos
for decades and these stations have
shaped its past present and future
welcome to watchmojo.com 10 most iconic
TV channels of all time funding for this
program provided by the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting and by annual
financial support from viewers like you
before we begin we publish new content
every day so be sure to subscribe to our
Channel and ring the bell to get
notified about our latest videos for
this list we’re ranking based on clout
and reach in the station’s respective
programming but we’ll only be looking at
broadcast and cable channels and
networks
so while Netflix entertains masses you
won’t see it here number 10
Fox since the beginning of television
the big three u.s. broadcast networks
the upstart Fox Network turned it into
the big four when it hit the airwaves in
late 1980s no other over-the-air
broadcaster has been able to join the
club since Fox’s huge initial success
was due to innovative risk-taking
programming and one show in particular
the Simpsons Murdock air $10,000 you
sidebar network wouldn’t be the first
time over the years they have solidified
their place as a major player and even
spawned a top-rated
albeit divisive cable news channel the
Fox News Network a number of figures on
the Left have denounced this show as
racist is notable that not a single one
of them has offered any evidence to
support that slur number nine CNN the
original 24-hour cable news channel
started broadcasting in 1980 from
Atlanta Georgia while they have moved
headquarters changed owners hosts and
graphics several times and expanded with
bureaus around the world they haven’t
altered their logo once when you see it
you know right away what you’re watching
even before James Earl Jones says this
is CNN it may not be number one in the
American cable news ratings anymore but
there’s still one of the most recognized
and trusted news brands in the world
number eight Nickelodeon the Cartoon
Network is always a good topic for
discussion but Nickelodeon or just plain
Nick delivers the Tunes produced through
its own animation studio just as well as
the CN and then some
[Music]
primarily aimed at kids and early teens
Nick was first launched as pinwheel in
1977 and took on it’s more familiar
moniker in 79 before rising to
prominence in the 80s and 90s producing
and airing both live-action and animated
shows on its flagship channel and
several sister cable stations it’s also
the host of the Kids Choice Awards and
it’s the channel that gave us SpongeBob
SquarePants
number 7 ABC this big three networks
spent the first few decades of his
existence playing catch-up with CBS and
NBC Sports children’s programming and a
partnership with the Walt Disney Company
its future owner kept it afloat in the
early years eventually shows like The
Flintstones happy days and a slew of
soap operas would put it on the map I
didn’t kill her
she was my best friend
ABC would continue to grow in the 90s
thanks to its focus on sitcoms and
development of the TGIF lineup and today
thanks to dramas it’s still on top of
its game number six
ESPN sports and TV go hand in hand but
it took ESPN to make the relationship
exclusive the first all sports all the
time cable channel hasn’t wavered from
the one thing it covers since it first
went on-air in 1979 just as it hasn’t
dropped its first and now signature
SportsCenter show from the lineup how
far do you think LeBron can take this
Lakers team this season I think you take
them to the Western Conference Finals
now I know everybody think I’m smoking
something but it’s not true it’s
expanded quite a bit and now counts
seven sister stations all branded with a
variation on the ESPN name when they
call themselves the worldwide leader in
sports they mean it number five
CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System
better known as CBS got the moniker of
the Tiffany Network for the prestige it
had during the golden age of television
this is CBS the network that gave the
world I Love Lucy mash and all in the
family was also responsible for bringing
credibility to television news and
anchors like Walter Cronkite and Dan
Rather from CBS News headquarters in New
York this is the CBS Evening News with
Walter Cronkite
while the networks ratings dominance
waned for a few decades it came back to
prominence in the 2000s with its
unchanged and unblinking eye logo still
number four HBO this is the only network
on our list that has dragons it’s also
the only one responsible for making
commercial free highbrow premium cable
TV a thing during the 70’s and 80’s it
ran movies sporting events and stand-up
comedy specials this is the home box
office television network in the 90s it
started making batches of original TV
shows at a time when the airwaves were
dominated by shows with over 20 episodes
a season HBO bucked the long-standing
model and opted for quality over
quantity with its dramas producing only
around ten episodes of season each an
approach they still use today but this
shit I’m telling you it’ll all blow over
several of their competitors have
followed suit most notably AMC number
three MTV I want my MTV wasn’t just the
marketing slogan of this music centered
cable channel it was the call that
ushered in the music video era in the
1980s MTV not only changed television
there’s even a recognized MTV generation
the station’s format also inspired other
successful networks like the et and vh1
while today the main channel is more
reality TV oriented they still play
music videos on their sister stations
and the MTV Music Video Award remains a
sought-after trophy for artists they
dedicate this award to the people of New
Orleans
god bless you guys thank you number 2
BBC this is BBC one with some of the
most classic British comedies and dramas
as well as current worldwide hits
produced in the UK all released under
its brand the BBC is what most people
think of when you say British TV you
could up to the privacy of your own
regeneration of your business one of
them is as icon
I’m not judging here originally founded
in 1922 as a radio network
this state-funded broadcaster started
producing and airing TV in the 1930s
taking a break for the Second World War
today they have the largest number of
employees of any broadcaster in the
world and also have a globally respected
news division the question is how do
democracies respond of those scandals
and what will it mean for for the wider
region I think one of your children’s
just walked in i mean shift its shifting
shifting sands in the region to the
relations with the north may change
before we unveil our topic here are a
few honorable mentions
[Music]
number one NBC while it may have had its
ups and downs over the years the oldest
of the major networks in the u.s. is
consistently in the top three ratings
wise and it’s familiar peacock logo is
synonymous with TV itself this is the
NBC television network even it’s New
York headquarters in Rockefeller Plaza
is famous since first going on the air
in 1939 it’s launched the careers of
countless household names pioneered
late-night TV as well as science fiction
television and was the first major
network to produce and air programs in
living color a special program in living
color on NBC do you agree with our picks
check out these other great clips from
WatchMojo and be sure to subscribe and
ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos
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