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Cable network is the most common colloquial term for a television channel
Television channel

A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier wave frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and 59.75 MHz for analog audio , or 55.31 MHz for digi...
 available via cable television
Cable television

Cable television is a system of providing television to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through fixed optical fibers or coaxial cables as opposed to the over-the-air method used in traditional television broadcasting in which a television antenna is required....
, particularly in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. Such channels are usually also available via satellite television
Satellite television

Satellite television is television delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by a satellite dish and set-top box. In many areas of the world it provides a wide range of channels and services, often to areas that are not serviced by terrestrial television or cable television providers....
, including direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite

Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception, also referred to more broadly as direct-to-home signals....
 providers such as DirecTV
DirecTV

DirecTV is a direct broadcast satellite service based in El Segundo, California, California, which transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Latin America....
, as well as through a variety of alternative means, although for simplicity the shorter term is usually used. Alternative terms include "cable channel", "non-broadcast network", or "programming service," the latter being mainly used in legal contexts.

The term "cable network" is something of a misnomer.






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Cable network is the most common colloquial term for a television channel
Television channel

A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier wave frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and 59.75 MHz for analog audio , or 55.31 MHz for digi...
 available via cable television
Cable television

Cable television is a system of providing television to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through fixed optical fibers or coaxial cables as opposed to the over-the-air method used in traditional television broadcasting in which a television antenna is required....
, particularly in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. Such channels are usually also available via satellite television
Satellite television

Satellite television is television delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by a satellite dish and set-top box. In many areas of the world it provides a wide range of channels and services, often to areas that are not serviced by terrestrial television or cable television providers....
, including direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite

Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception, also referred to more broadly as direct-to-home signals....
 providers such as DirecTV
DirecTV

DirecTV is a direct broadcast satellite service based in El Segundo, California, California, which transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Latin America....
, as well as through a variety of alternative means, although for simplicity the shorter term is usually used. Alternative terms include "cable channel", "non-broadcast network", or "programming service," the latter being mainly used in legal contexts.

The term "cable network" is something of a misnomer. While usually national in scope, cable networks are not television network
Television network

A television network is a distribution wiktionary:Network for television content whereby a central operation provides television program for many television stations....
s in the defined sense (as are, for instance, CBS
CBS

CBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American radio network and television network. The name is derived from the initials of Columbia Broadcasting System, its former legal name....
 or NBC), since they provide a full national schedule and do not need to act through individual local stations in each media market
Media market

A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television station and radio broadcasting offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content....
. However, individual cable and satellite providers that carry them are sometimes called "affiliates", in recognition of the agreements required for these providers to carry each channel and that most networks offer each system a block of one or two minutes each hour to carry local advertising
Advertising

Advertising is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to Purchasing or to consume more of a particular brand of Product or Service ....
 (or promotions for the satellite companies).

Examples of cable networks include USA Network
USA Network

USA Network is an United States cable television channel launched in 1977. The channel shows a variety of original and second-run programming, from syndicated TV series to edited Film....
, ESPN
ESPN

ESPN is a United States cable television Television network dedicated to Broadcasting of sports events and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day....
, and Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)

Nickelodeon is an United States cable television network owned by Viacom International, founded in 1977 as Pinwheel. The Pinwheel name was used until 1981....
. HBO and Showtime
Showtime

Showtime is a Pay TV brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States....
 are classified as premium television services, not cable networks, as they are commercial-free and not included in standard multichannel cable packages.