TV Basics: Number of Commercial TV Stations
The total number of commercial TV stations on the air at the beginning of 1950 was 96, all VHF stations (ch. 2-13). By 1990 there were about 1,100 stations, evenly split between VHF and UHF (ch. 14+). By 2008 the total had increased to 1,353, up from 1,248 in 2000, with 578 V's and 775 U's
   
VHF
 
UHF
 
Total
             
1950   96   -   96
1955   297   114   411
1960   440   75   515
1965   481   88   569
1970   501   176  
677
1971   503   179  
682
1972   508   185  
693
1973   510   187  
697
1974   513   184  
697
1975   514   192  
706
1976   511   190  
701
1977   515   196  
711
1978   515   201  
716
1979   515   209  
724
1980   516   218  
734
1981   519   237  
756
1982   517   260  
777
1983   519   294  
813
1984   523   318  
841
1985   520   363  
883
1986   522   397  
919
1987   524   444  
968
1988   539   489  
1,028
1989   545   516  
1,061
1990   547   545  
1,092
1991   547   551  
1,098
1992   551   567  
1,118
1993   552   585  
1,137
1994   561   584  
1,145
1995   562   599  
1,161
1996   554   620  
1,174
1997   558   619  
1,177
1998   562   642  
1,204
1999   562   654  
1,216
2000   564   684  
1,248
2001   571   731  

1,302
2002   571   732  
1,303
2003   586   755  

1,341
2004   591   770   1,361
2005   594   781   1,375
2006   585   787   1,372
2007   584   780   1,364
2008   578   775   1,353

Source: Television & Cable Factbook. Count does not include Class A, Low Power or TV Translator stations.
Data updated annually in January.

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