NBC

NBC, or National Broadcasting Company, is an American commercial broadcast network that operates in television and radio. It is one of the major national networks in the United States, along with ABC, CBS, and Fox, and is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, which is part of Comcast. Its headquarters are at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.

The network traces its origins to the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). RCA founded NBC in 1926 to distribute programming to affiliated radio stations, and by 1927 it operated two radio networks: NBC Red and NBC Blue. NBC launched a television network in 1939, with regular color broadcasts beginning in the 1950s. In 1943 the Federal Communications Commission ordered the sale of NBC Blue to resolve chain ownership issues; NBC Blue later became the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the mid-1940s.

In terms of ownership, NBC was part of General Electric (GE) from 1986 until 2013, when Comcast completed its acquisition of NBCUniversal, making Comcast the principal owner. NBCUniversal now oversees NBC along with its other media properties.

NBC's operations include NBC News and NBC News Now, NBC Sports, and the network’s entertainment programming such as late-night talk shows and variety programs. The network also broadcasts major events, including the Olympic Games, and operates the streaming service Peacock, launched in 2020. Telemundo operates as NBCUniversal’s major Spanish-language network.

Branding and legacy elements include the NBC chimes, a three-note motif used since the early days, and the peacock logo introduced in the 1950s to symbolize color programming. NBC remains a core component of the U.S. broadcast landscape, continuing to develop both traditional and digital-first content.