The Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, also known as C – SPAN, is a private nonprofit public affairs network which came into existence in 1979. The main kind of programming an audience will find on this channel is reports which are aired from the US federal government. It also airs a range of other public affairs programs which focus on the US Senate.

The headquarters for C-SPAN are based in Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. The channel provides unfiltered insights into daily on-goings in the government. This content is broadcasted nationwide to its audience. C-SPAN is owned by the National Cable Satellite Corporation, and it has two sister channels: C – SPAN 2 and C – Span 3.

Brian Lamb, who is the current chairman and former C.E.O of the network, came up with the idea as he worked as the bureau chief of Cablevision in Washington D.C. He envisioned a cable network that was nonprofit to televise the daily events happening within the U.S. Congress. Lamb shared this vision with other executives, one of whom was Bob Rosencrans. Rosencrans completed Lamb’s vision by providing $25,000 in funding.

C-SPAN does not have any advertisements on its radio, website, and TV network. It is independently run and its programs are not controlled by Congress. In fact, they receive almost all of their funding from cable and DBS operators.

In the beginning, C-SPAN was run by only three employees. Impressively, it was still able to reach 3.5 million users. Its full operations began in 1982, and this was followed by the creation of sister channel C-SPAN2 in 1986. Afterwards came C-SPAN 3, a channel which broadcasts live government events during the weekdays and historical programs on nights and weekends.

This channel brings you the latest political news from the US federal government. It is broadcasted nationwide to every satellite on cable networks. They also televise reports on the Canadian, Australian and British governments, plus provide coverage of significant occasions worldwide.

The programming offered on this channel is mostly political in nature. That said, in addition to live streaming from Congress, there are also many famous shows to get stuck into. With 20 seasons, the most famous program is Washington Journal. This show focuses on the interviews and discussion around current affairs unfolding in Washington DC or Congress. Other famous shows are First Ladies: Influence & Image, Road to the White House, American Presidents: Life Portraits, and The Communicators. These are all political shows catering to an audience interested in these topics.

However, there are a few nonpolitical shows as well. For example, there is the famous show Book TV, which started in 1998 and has aired eight seasons so far. This show is one of the few titles which does not focus mainly on politics. It is a weekend show featuring discussions with authors of nonfiction books from the US.

This channel reaches an estimated 100 million cable-using American households across the United States of America. However, this channel is only available on cable or satellite. As it is a nonprofit channel, there is no option available to stream C-SPAN without cable. As the owners are not after making big profits, they don’t have a contract with any streaming services at the time of writing.

However, you are able to access the channel anywhere by going on the official site – www.c-span.org. It almost always broadcasts live events and proceedings from the U.S. Congress, along with other major political happenings worldwide.

When you head to the website to check out the schedule of broadcasts and shows available, you will mostly see subjects which are being discussed in Congress as opposed to particular shows.

Although C-SPAN can also be accessed via YouTube, it cannot be watched via its streaming service. The main website is a good streaming medium for the channel, as people are provided with real-time coverage of ongoing committee hearings. Its main goal with the programming provided is to give the audience live coverage of the House and Senate.

Alternatively, C-SPAN Radio is now available for both Android and iOS devices. This can be accessed from anywhere around the globe.