Television station

A television station broadcasts video and audio to television receiverss in a particular area. Traditionally, TV stations made their broadcasts by sending specially-encoded radio signals over the air. Individual television stations are usually granted licenses to use a particular section of the radio spectrum (a channel) through which they send their signals. The term television channel has become synonymous with "TV station" and even television network, leading to confusion. Television stations, at least in the United States, usually just have one transmitter, but are also generally associated with a nationwide television network, through which they get significant amounts of programming. Because some regions have had difficulty picking up over-the-air signals (particularly in mountainous areas), satellite and cable television has been introduced. Television stations specifically built to run on cable or satellite blur the line between TV station and TV network. That fact led some early cable networks to call themselves superstations.

In the United States, each nationwide terrestrial broadcast network can have a few "O & O's", stations it owns and operates, usually in the larger marketss. Satellite and cable have created changes. Broadcast stations in an area can sign up to be carried on cable, but content providers like TLC Network can too. They aren't licensed to run broadcast equipment like a station and they don't regularly provide content to licensed broadcasters either. Furthermore, a distributor like TNT may begin producing its own programming, and shows presented exclusively on cable by one distributor may be syndicated to broadcast stations.

A person viewing by cable or satellite may not know what kind of organization is responsible for the program. So what seems to be a station or a network may be neither.

See Lists of television channels, for lists by country and language.

Major television stations (alphabetically listed)

3sat - German Culture channel with contribution of german, swiss and austrian TV Stations (ARD, ZDF, ORF, SFR)

Aaj Tak - Hindi news channel, India

Aasthaa - Spiritual/Hindu religious programming, India

Abu Dhabi TV - Arabic 24 hour news and lifestyle channel, from Saudi Arabia

ABC - American Broadcasting Company, USA, Canada

ABC - Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia

The Amp - Indie music videos, UK

Adult Channel - Adult programming

Animal Planet - Programmes about animals, owned by the Discovery Channel

Antena 3 - Spain

ANT1 - Greek Language

ARY Digital - Pakistani channel - asian programmes, UK Europe, Middle East & Asian Subcontinent, most of the world

Al Arabiyya - Arabic 24 hour news channel, from Saudi Arabia

Al Jazeera - Arabic 24 hour news channel, from Qatar

Alpha TV GUJARATI - Gujrati channel, India

Alpha TV PUNJABI - Punjabi channel, India

Atlantic Television System (ATV) - Canada

ARD Arbeitsgemeinschaft Rundfunk Deutschland - German TV Network with contribution of regional TV stations (BR NDR, MDR, RB, RBB, SWR, WDR)

Associated Television Network Limited (ATV) - UK

Asia Television Ltd (ATV) - Asia, Hong Kong

AXN - Entertainment, India

Radio Bremen - German TV for Bremen and Bremerhafen

BR - Bayrischer Rundfunk - German TV channel for Bavaria

BR-alpha - German Education TV Channel from Bayrischer Rundfunk

BBC America - British Broadcasting Corporation US lifestyle channel, US

BBC Canada - British Broadcasting Corporation Canadian lifestyle channel, Canada

BBC Kids - British Broadcasting Corporation Canadian children's channel, Canada

BBC ONE - British Broadcasting Corporation primary analogue channel, UK

BBC TWO - British Broadcasting Corporation secondary analogue channel, UK

BBC THREE - British Broadcasting Corporation digital channel, UK

BBC FOUR - British Broadcasting Corporation digital channel, UK

BBC News 24 - British Broadcasting Corporation 24-hour news channel, UK

BBC Parliament - British Broadcasting Corporation political channel, UK

BBC Prime - British Broadcasting Corporation European lifestyle channel

BBC World - British Broadcasting Corporation international news channel

Biography Channel - Biographies, UK

Bollywood 4U - 2 Indian movie and music channels, UK

Boomerang - Cartoons, US, UK

The Box - Interective Popular Music Channel, UK

Bravo - 1980s TV shows like Knightrider and The A-Team, UK

Bravo - Arts and entertainment themed channel, Canada.

Canal Plus - Cable, France

Carlton Television - ITV London regional, UK

Cartoon Network - Cartoons, US, worldwide

CBBC - British Broadcasting Corporation Children's, digital channel, UK

CBC - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada

CBeebies - British Broadcasting Corporation digital channel for young children, UK

CBS - Columbia Broadcasting System, US, Canada

CCTV - Chinese Central Television, worldwide

Challenge - Game Shows Channel, UK

Chart Show TV - Continuous music videos and charts, UK

Channel 4 - Channel 4, UK

Channel 5 - MediaCorp Channel 5, Singapore. Broadcast in English

Channel 8 - MediaCorp Channel 8, Singapore. Broadcast in Mandarin.

Channel V - Music channel, India

Classic FM TV - Classical music (part of the Classic FM brand), UK

CNBC TV18 - Business news channel, India

CNN - Cable News network, worldwide

C-Span - Government programming, US

CTV - Canadian Television Network, Canada

Deutsche Welle TV - Internatinal Broadcast Service from Germany

Disney Channel - Disney Cartoons and other shows, UK--outlet of a production company, which also owns ABC network.

Discovery - Documentary Channels, UK

Doordarshan National - National Broadcaster, India

Doordarshan National Gujarat - State owned Gujrati language entertainment channel

Doordarshan News - State owned News channel, India

Doordarshan Sports - State owned sports channel, India

E4 - Entertainment & Comedy Channel, UK

ERT - Greek language, worldwide

ETV Gujarati - Gujarati language, India

Eurosport - European Sports Channel, UK

FilmFour - Channel for specialist, rare and independent films, UK

five - Channel Five, UK

FOX Network - US

FOX News Channel - US

FOX Sports - US

France 2 - France

France 3 - France

Front Row - 4 Pay Per View Movie Channels (cable only), UK

Fuji Television - Japan

Galavision - US, parts of Latin America

Global Television Network - National Canadian network, Canada

Globo (television) - Brazil

GOD Channel - Christian Channel, UK

Grampian Television - Regional television channel for Northern Scotland

Granada - Series of TV Channels, UK

History Channel - Documentaries, UK

HBO - Home Box Office, movie channel, USA

HR - Hessischer Rundfunk, German TV for Hesse

HBO Family - family/children, USA

HSN - Home Shopping Network, retailing, USA

ITV1 - Independent Television analogue channel, UK

ITV2 - Independent Television digital channel, UK

Kerrang - Interactive Alternative Music Channel, UK

KIKA - Der Kinderkanal - German noncomercial TV Station

Kiss - Interactive R&B, Rap and Dance Music Channel, UK

Liberty TV - Family Entertainment, UK

Living - Women's TV shows, UK

Magic - Interactive Easy Listening and Jazz Music Channel, UK

Mega Channel - Greek Language

MDR - Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk - German TV for Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia

MTV - Music Television

MTV2 - Alternative Music Television

MTV Hits - Popular Music Television

MTV Base - Rap, Garage and R&B Music Television

MTV Dance - Dance Music Television

MUTV - Manchester United (Football Club) TV, UK

National Geographic - Documentaries (also National Geogrpahic +1), and (National Geographic Channel), US, UK, worldwide

NBC - National Broadcast company, US, Canada

NDTV 24x7 - News channel, India

NDTV India - News channel, India

NDR - Nordeutscher Rundfunk - German TV network for Hambourgh, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schlewig-Holstein,

Network 2 - Radio Telefís Éireann, Network 2, Ireland

NHK - Public broadcaster, Japan

Nickelodeon - Children's programs

NTV - Japan Television, Japan

Paramount Comedy Channel - US & UK sitcomss

PBS - Public Broadcasting Service, US

Phoenix - Public Documentary and Event Channel for Germany

Phoenix TV - based in Hong Kong, broadcast worldwide for Chinese viewers.

Playboy TV - Adult entertainment channel from the makers of Playboy

Playhouse Disney - Younger children's programming

PlayJam - Interactive Games Channel, UK

PRO TV - Romanian language

Pub Channel - Channel for people in the restaurant and pub trades, UK

Q - Interactive Indie Music Channel, UK

QVC - Home shopping channel

RAI - Italian language, Italy

RBB - Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, German TV for Berlin and Brandenburg

Record - Brazil

Red Hot TV - 5 adult entertainment channels, UK

RTE ONE - Radio Telefís Éireann, Ireland

RTP - Portugal

S4C - Sianel Pedwar Cymru, Entertainment and News (in Welsh language), UK

S4C2 - Sianel Pedwar Cymru 2, Political coverage (in Welsh language), UK

Sab TV - Entertainment channel, India

Sanskar - Hindu religious/spiritual programming, India

Scottish TV - Independent TV for Central Scotland

Scuzz - Rock music station, UK

SET MAX - Hindi movie/entertainment channel, India

Showtime - movie channel, USA

SIC - SIC TV, private TV for Portugal

Sky Box Office - Pay Per View Movies and Events, UK

Sky Cinema - 2 Movie Channels, UK

Sky Moviemax - 5 Movie Channels, UK

Sky News - 24 hour news, UK

Sky One - UK Entertainment Channel

Sky One Mix - UK Entertainment Channel

Sky Premier - 5 Movie Channels, UK

Sky Sports - 5 Sports Channels, UK

Sky Travel - 2 travel channels, UK

Smash Hits - Interactive Music Channel, UK:

Sony Entertainment Television - Entertainment channel, India

Sony TV - Entertainment channel, India

STAR GOLD - Hindi movie channel, India

STAR MOVIES - English movies channel, India

STAR NEWS - Hindi news channel, India

STAR PLUS - Hindi entertainment channel, India

Star World - Entertainment channel, India & South-East Asia

Starz - movie channel, USA

SWR - Südwestrundfunk - German TV station for Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland

TBS - Tokyo Broadcasting, Japan

TBS Superstation - Turner Broadcasting System, US

TCM - Turner Classic Movies, UK

TeleG - Gaelic language channel, Scotland

Telemundo - US, parts of Latin America

Television Asahi - Japan

Televista - Spanish language, Mexico

TEN Sports - Sports channel, India

TF1 - Tèlèvision France 1, France

TG4 - Entertainment and News (in Irish), Ireland

TMF - The Music Factory - Music videos, owned by MTV

TNT - Turner Network Television, US, UK

Toon Disney - Disney cartoons

TQS - Television Quatre Saisons, Canada

Travel Channel - 2 travel channels, UK

TV3 - Entertainment and News, Ireland

TVB - Television Broadcast Hong Kong

TVBS - TVBS Taiwan

TV Cabo - TV Cabo Portugal, private Pay TV accessible by cable or satellite

TV Chile - Chile (Spanish language)

TVE - Spain

TVI - Televisao Independente, Portugal

TVM - Television Malta, Malta

UKTV BrightIdeas -

UKTV Documentary - Documentaries, UK

UKTV Drama - Classic TV Drama, UK

UKTV Food - Cookery programming, UK

UKTV Gold - Classic TV Series, UK

UKTV G2 - Comedy programming, UK

UKTV History - History programming, UK

UKTV People -

UKTV Style - Home, garden and cookery programming, UK

Univision - Spanish Language, US, parts of Latin America

UPN - US

UTV - Ulster Television (Part of the ITV network), UK

VH1 - Rock Music & Older Music Television (Owned by MTV)

VH1 Classic - Older easy listening and rock music

WB - Warner Bros. TV, US--both a small network and a production company.

WDR - Westdeutscher Rundfunk German, TV network for Northrhine Westfalia

- US

Weather Channel - US

ZDF - public TV channel, Germany

Zee Cinema - Hindi movie channel, India

Zee English - English language entertainment channel, India

Zee MGM - English movie channel, India

Zee MUSIC - Hindi music channel, India

Zee NEWS - Hindi news channel, India

Zee TV - Entertainment channel, India