Television in the United States Gray Television, whose 131 stations cover mostly smaller metropolitan areas reaching only 10% of the population. The five major U.S. broadcast television networks are the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), CBS (formerly known as the Columbia Broadcasting System), the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox) and the CW Television Network. The first and elder three (which are colloquially known as the "Big Three") began as radio networks: NBC and CBS respectively began operations in 1924 and 1927, while ABC was spun off from NBC to Edward J. Noble in 1943 as the Blue Network during FCC inquiries over
Edward J. Mason of her career. Edward J. Mason Edward J. Mason (born 8 May 1912 in Birmingham, England, died 3 February 1971) was a scriptwriter for radio, television and movies for both the BBC and its rival Radio Luxembourg. Edward J. Mason had his first major success in 1947 as a script writer when the BBC Home Service radio network began airing his British detective serial "Dick Barton" which he created with co-writer Geoffrey Webb. This was the first serial to air on the BBC and it continued to be aired until 1951. The BBC replaced "Dick Barton" with "The Archers". Originally