This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009)

A cable channel is a television channel available via cable television. Such channels are usually also available via satellite television, including direct broadcast satellite providers such as DirecTV, Dish Network and BSkyB. Alternative terms include non-broadcast channel or programming service, the latter being mainly used in legal contexts.

Another common label is cable network, though this is something of a misnomer. While usually national in scope, cable channels are not television networks in the defined sense (as are, for example, CBS or NBC in the United States, or the BBC in the United Kingdom), because they provide a full national schedule and do not need to act through local stations in each media market. 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 (or promotions for the satellite companies).

Philippines[link]

Examples of cable channels in the Philippines include Basketball TV, Hero and Living Asia Channel.

United Kingdom[link]

Examples of cable channels in the United Kingdom include BBC One, ITV1 and Dave. Kids Cable TV contain Boomerang, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.

United States[link]

Examples of cable channels in the United States include Public, educational, and government access (PEG) and generally included in standard multichannel cable packages. CNN, Nickelodeon and USA Network may or may not be included in standard multichannel packages. HBO and Showtime are commercial-free cable networks and classified as premium television services. They are not included in standard multichannel cable packages.

See also[link]

• Category:Lists of television channels by company
• Satellite television

This article about television technology is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e