Top 10 Best Television Channels in the World

What makes a television channel stand out? Is it the quality of its programming, its ability to consistently deliver fresh content, or perhaps its influence on pop culture? For many, it's a combination of all these things and more.

Television has long been a central part of entertainment around the globe, with networks shaping everything from the shows we binge to the news we trust. Some channels are known for their groundbreaking dramas, while others are beloved for their fun, family-friendly cartoons or their deep dives into history and science.

This list compiles some of the best television channels in the world, as voted on by fans like you. Each one has made an impact in its own way, whether through innovative series, iconic movies, or thought-provoking documentaries. Maybe you grew up watching these channels, or maybe you've just recently started to enjoy what they have to offer.

Either way, you'll find plenty of choices here that have set the bar high when it comes to keeping viewers entertained, informed, and coming back for more.

The Top Ten

ABS-CBN

ABS-CBN has amazing workshops for their celebrities. They know how to make each of their celebrities famous and known, not only in the Philippines but also around the whole wide world. They have a strong connection in terms of everything. They create really great shows, movies, and competition shows. Most of their celebrities are popular outside the country.
They also help people daily in a lot of ways. Everything in ABS-CBN is so good, full of fun, excitement, love, humbleness, talent, intelligence, and much more. I recommend ABS-CBN when you go to the Philippines. It's really great. You won't regret watching their shows.
HBO

HBO is a great channel. It shows movies for both boys and girls and is, in my opinion, the best movie/television channel out there. HBO rocks, and I believe it's the best channel ever. I like this channel a lot because it has consistently been the best for years. HBO is brilliantly created for television.
Not only does it provide tons of golden oldies and new flicks - most of them are good, with some great - but it also features intermissions with a good overview of upcoming flicks. Additionally, it provides some great shows - I'm looking at you, Game of Thrones - with low commercial interruptions and a cool name. It's a must-own channel.

Not only is HBO a truly spectacular channel, it's also one of the most important channels in all of pop culture. It revolutionized the monthly premium channel model with no commercials, big feature presentations of many films (old and new), and some of the best TV shows ever produced or aired.
Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that was launched in 1992 by the Turner Broadcasting System. It is now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and is known for airing animated programming targeted primarily at children and teenagers. The network has been home to many... read more

Cartoon Network has both beloved older shows and exciting newer ones. Sure, it went a bit downhill in 2009 with CN Real, but it has since regained its stature. I'd much prefer watching this station over others that focus on making video diaries, underage builders creating inventions, an alien living on Earth, or a kid and a talking snake with a disturbing sense of humor. Cartoon Network rocks!

I totally agree with this channel's ranking. It produced the best shows that really fueled childhoods. With shows like Justice League, Young Justice, Batman, and Ben 10, this brought a certain kind of enjoyment from having a watch. And, in my opinion, the best show ever, Codename: Kids Next Door. Totally awesome, bro.
Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon is an American basic cable and satellite television network that launched on December 1, 1977. It is owned by Paramount Global and is based in New York City. The network is widely known for its original children's programming, including iconic series like SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, and... read more

Nickelodeon was my absolute favorite channel growing up! "SpongeBob SquarePants" was my favorite show when I was growing up, and it's gotten better in recent times. They've been improving. They've given us "The Loud House," which surprisingly managed to be the new "Fairly OddParents" after that show ended (yeah, "Fairly OddParents" finally came to an end).
They gave shows from the 90s second chances, like "Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie," "Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling," and (this may be cheating, but it might be worth it) the untitled "Invader Zim" movie. This shows that Nickelodeon is back and ready to outperform Cartoon Network, which has shows I don't like such as "Teen Titans Go!," "Steven Universe," "Clarence," "The Powerpuff Girls 2016," and "Mighty Magiswords." Nickelodeon is really back in action again!
Comedy Central

Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel that specializes in comedy programming. Its content includes stand-up specials, sitcoms, satirical news programs, and sketch comedy aimed at mature audiences. The channel has played a major role in launching the careers of comedians and features long-running... read more

South Park, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and Dave Chappelle Show, plus random stand-up comedy, make this the best channel there is. I remember when I first watched Comedy Central. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. If I could pay for just one TV channel, this would be it.

I watch a lot of South Park and The Office on Comedy Central, but they also have a lot of bad shows.

Impractical Jokers, Friends, weekly movies, and Two and a Half Men - what more could you want?
Fox

The best comedy and animated series include The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad!, The Cleveland Show, Raising Hope, and the sitcom I Hate My Teenage Daughter. FOX also has Napoleon Dynamite (animated series) coming and The Flintstones remake in 2013. Additionally, FOX airs The X Factor USA.

As an Australian, FOX is my only chance to watch good shows (oh god, the Australian shows are bad). It has shows like Family Guy, The Simpsons, American Dad, and a lot of other good shows. And to any other Australians reading this, I'm watching FOX 8, not FOX.
Discovery Channel

This channel is the most educational, entertaining, and amazing one I've ever watched. The producers spend tons - and I mean tons - of money to create the shows we love. Mythbusters is my favorite show ever.
Throughout the years, I've learned from the Discovery Channel, perhaps more than from school. Now, I know a lot of interesting facts and information that only a small portion of people know. It's something to be proud of.

Who needs school when you have National Geographic and the Discovery Channel?
ESPN

ESPN Inc. is an American sports media conglomerate owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications. It operates various sports broadcasting platforms, including cable channels, a sports radio network, and an accompanying website. ESPN is headquartered in Bristol, Connecticut.

Don't look now because ESPN has the NFL, MLB, NBA, and, coming this fall, the National Hockey League. Also, this fall 2021, they're presenting their biggest slate of college football live games ever! Stay tuned. This ride will get wild!
Its Joeysworld.

The most watched sports channel in America. It features sports like Hockey, English Premier League Soccer, NFL Football, and more.
AMC

AMC, short for American Movie Classics, is a cable channel known for its focus on film and cinematic storytelling. It features a variety of movies, from classic films to recent blockbusters, and has become widely recognized for its original programming. Notable series include Breaking Bad, The Walking... read more

The best shows and actors I have ever seen on a TV station. It has an edgy touch to each show that makes it unique.

AMC has some of the best shows like The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Mad Men, Fear the Walking Dead, and others.

When you have Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Mad Men, and The Killing, how are you not first?
BBC One

I mean, come on. HBO as the top? BBC One has the longest-running sci-fi show, Doctor Who, plus the brilliantly cast and written mystery drama, Sherlock. Plus, the detailed BBC Earth and the various documentaries. Where the heck can you go wrong?

Dr. Who, Sherlock, Top Gear, and Pointless are the bomb! The old shows from the 70s/80s like Porridge, Dad's Army, Monty Python, and Only Fools and Horses deserve to rerun as I love them all.

Given the variety of shows it airs, BBC One is a no-brainer of a choice. It features Strictly Come Dancing, Poldark, Countryfile, Antiques Roadshow, Doctor Who, Sherlock, The One Show, Mrs Brown's Boys, and many one-off dramas like War & Peace and The Night Manager.

The Newcomers

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Hallmark Channel

Very tailored and very specific. I love it! It's quite different and distinct from all the other channels.
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Spacetoon

The Contenders

CBS

CBS, which stands for the Columbia Broadcasting System, is one of the major television networks in the United States. It offers a wide range of programming, including news, sports, dramas, comedies, and reality shows. CBS is home to many iconic programs such as 60 Minutes, The Big Bang Theory, and Survivor... read more

This channel is easily the best. It runs or ran the three best shows I've ever seen, in my opinion: NCIS (statistically, the best show), The Big Bang Theory (statistically, the best comedy), and How I Met Your Mother (in my opinion, the most underrated show). The finale of How I Met Your Mother got 13.4 million viewers, the highest rating for the show. The other two shows get roughly 4 million more viewers every week.

The best channel because of Big Bang Theory (currently the best comedy) followed by a prequel (Young Sheldon). They have NCIS (which lots of people love), Happy Together, and The Neighborhood, which are some really good sitcoms. It is currently home to the Super Bowl.
ABC

ABC airs some of my favorite shows such as Full House and Boy Meets World. The ABC channel made the Olsen twins famous. Additionally, my all-time favorite show, Pretty Little Liars, is on it.

How is ABC at number 18?! That's the channel that gave us The Flintstones, The Brady Bunch, Happy Days, Three's Company, Full House, Home Improvement, Boy Meets World, and George Lopez. ABC is number one!

Why is this channel not even in the top ten? It should be at number one! I wouldn't be able to survive without this channel. It's so amazing!
Cinemax
Showtime
Disney Channel

I love Disney (channel & park). My favorites are Austin & Ally, Jessie, Good Luck Charlie, Shake It Up, Dog with a Blog, and ANT Farm (not in order). All these shows have improved a lot since their first season.

I love this channel. Disney Channel is my favorite channel in the whole world, and I want to go to Disneyland in Hong Kong to see and meet with my cartoons. This is the best channel I have ever seen!

Disney Channel has some of my favorite shows, like Jessie and the Suite Life series. Although it has gone downhill lately, it is attempting to climb back up.
NBC

NBC, or the National Broadcasting Company, is a major American television network that broadcasts a diverse range of programming. Its lineup includes news, sports, dramas, comedies, and reality shows, making it one of the most influential networks in the country. NBC is one of the "Big Three" television... read more

Unlike ABC and Fox, this TV station allows viewers to watch the latest episodes without having to verify. Also, unlike ABC, it does not ask to allow cookies. There is a large selection of good shows.

NBC is the best. It has great classics like Seinfeld, Friends, and even the quiz show scandal was on NBC. A few years ago, The Office ended. More recently, Parks and Rec ended. Superstore is currently running. It features shows like The Voice (not so great), AGT, and Blacklist.

This American channel has great drama, news programs, and a few comedies.
Boomerang

Boomerang is an American digital and satellite television channel. It is owned and operated by Warner Bros. Discovery through its Turner Broadcasting division. The channel primarily airs animated programming from the Warner Bros. animation library.

Boomerang is the channel for all ages because it shows all the shows that adults watched growing up. Kids get to see what the shows were like back in the day. It features Scooby Doo, Huckleberry Finn, The Flintstones, Tom and Jerry, and more!

Boomerang is the best family channel. These days, Cartoon Network is terrible compared to Boomerang.

I watched this channel before. It has some of my favorite TV shows such as Sonic Boom and Looney Tunes.
Disney XD

Disney XD is an American digital cable and satellite television channel. It is owned by Disney Channels Worldwide, which operates under the Disney - ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company.
The channel primarily targets children and teens with a mix of animated and live-action... read more

This is the best channel ever! Lab Rats is so cool. It features three bionic teenagers living in a billionaire's mansion, going on missions. It's so unpredictable. Villains come out of nowhere. What is cooler than this? This channel should at least be in the top ten. Haters!

The best channel ever. With "Lab Rats" and "Elite Force," the powers actually make sense, unlike Nickelodeon's "Thundermans," where the powers are seen as fake. One more thing: "Gravity Falls." I don't get why Nickelodeon is rated higher, but eh.

This channel is just way too low on this list.
Nicktoons

Nicktoons refers to a group of original animated television series produced specifically for Nickelodeon. These shows are created exclusively for the network rather than acquired from outside sources. The first Nicktoons, including Rugrats, Doug, and The Ren & Stimpy Show, debuted in the early 1990s... read more

Way better than Nick itself. I love to watch SpongeBob, TMNT, Rugrats, anime, Fairly Odd Parents, and so much more.
Animal Planet

Animal Planet should be number one! Not Comedy Central, which is terrible. To me, they never had good shows. Animal Planet rocks, while Comedy Central is disappointing.

I love this channel personally because I love nature and animals. It has educational shows and many entertaining things!

Animal Planet is low on this list? And Disney Channel is higher? What is wrong with people?
National Geographic

It's better than the Discovery Channel. It's all about science and society. It should be number one. Coraline Jones from Twitter.

National Geographic could be considered the gateway to the edge of knowledge.

I love National Geographic the most. The Discovery Channel comes second.
MTV

MTV is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is part of the Viacom Music and Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount Global. Launched in 1981, the channel initially gained popularity for airing music videos hosted by video jockeys.... read more

Teen Wolf! Starring the all-amazing, all-talented, good-looking Dylan O'Brien!
USA Network

Burn Notice, Psych, and White Collar. Three great shows, and in general I like their style of television.
truTV

Move truTV up higher. Impractical Jokers is the best show on television!

Its main purpose is Impractical Jokers.

Best channel ever! Peace from Tunisia.
BBC Three

It's the best because animations like Family Guy and American Dad! are the best.