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C-SPAN, which originally stood for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, was the first United States cable television network dedicated to 24-hour coverage of government and public affairs. C-SPAN often shows live sessions of all the U.S. House of Representatives while in progress; this coverage is referred to as "gavel to gavel".

History

Brian Lamb, C-SPAN's chairman and CEO, conceived of C-SPAN while working at the Cablevision company. It was created as a cable-industry financed, non-profit network for televising sessions of the U.S. Congress. It receives no funding from any government source and does not sell sponsorships or advertising. The neutrality and lack of bias in its public affairs coverage is widely recognized.

C-SPAN first went on the air on March 19, 1979. C-SPAN 2, a spinoff network, covers all live sessions of the U.S. Senate and went on the air on June 2, 1986, with the original channel then focusing on the House. The latest spinoff, C-SPAN 3, began broadcasting on January 22, 2001, and shows other government-related live events along with historical programming from C-SPAN's archives. Since 1979, the cable industry has spent US $230 million to operate the networks.

On October 9, 1997, C-SPAN launched C-SPAN Radio which broadcasts on WCSP 90.1 FM in Washington, DC. The radio station, which also broadcasts on the XM and Sirius satellite radio systems, covers similar events as its sister TV networks, often simulcasting their programming.

On September 13, 2004, C-SPAN received an Emmy Award in special recognition of "their outstanding coverage of the American electoral process."

Coverage

The three channels also air government hearings, press conferences and meetings of various political, media, and non-profit organizations, book discussions, Q&A sessions, and occasionally show proceedings of the Canadian Parliament, British Parliament, and other governments while they are discussing matters relevant to the U.S.

All of C-SPAN's feeds are available live free of charge on its world wide web site.

Past chairmen include:

• Bob Rosencrans
• John Saeman
• Ed Allen
• Gene Schneider

Shows

• Washington Journal
• Booknotes

See also

• BBC Parliament (British)
• CPAC (Canadian)

External links

• C-SPAN Official Website
• Booknotes
• "Parliament, Coverage by Television," The Museum of Broadcast Communications

• Television networks
• Washington, DC