TV & Streaming
Line of Fire Full Season Order: What Made NBC Go All In
NBC has ordered a full 18-episode first season of Line of Fire , the network announced Oct. 22, 2026. The Line of Fire full…
Network Hub
NBC
NBC shows, the broadcast network behind decades of sitcoms, dramas and live TV events.
Total Apex Take
NBC is betting its whole broadcast future on sports rights, and getting the NBA back in 2025 might be the single smartest media deal any network made this decade.
NBC's Sunday Night Football has anchored its schedule for years, but the bigger move was reclaiming NBA broadcast rights starting with the 2025-26 season, more than two decades after the network let the league go to ESPN — now splitting coverage alongside ESPN/ABC and Amazon in a new media-rights landscape. On the scripted side, Dick Wolf's Law & Order and Chicago franchises remain the network's load-bearing walls, SNL celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, and Peacock has increasingly become the place NBC funnels exclusive sports windows and library content to justify the subscription.
Our take: NBC figured out faster than CBS or ABC that broadcast's survival now depends on live, DVR-proof sports inventory rather than scripted hits, and the NBA deal specifically is a shrewd bet that the league's post-LeBron, post-Steph star transition will still draw live audiences network television desperately needs. It's a more aggressive and more expensive strategy than its competitors have been willing to make.
Watch Peacock's subscriber numbers around NBA tip-off in the 2025-26 season — if NBC can replicate the bump it got from NFL and Olympics windows, it validates sports-rights spending as the network's actual business model going forward, not just a hedge.
About NBC
NBC (National Broadcasting Company) is one of the oldest and most established American broadcast networks, owned by NBCUniversal (a subsidiary of Comcast). NBC has a long history in both scripted comedy and drama as well as live event programming, including a famous run of Thursday-night sitcoms during the 1990s and 2000s.
The network's current and past programming is closely tied to the Peacock streaming service, which NBCUniversal uses to extend NBC's content library and offer next-day access to new episodes.
History
1926
Founding
NBC launches as one of the first major American radio and later television broadcast networks.
1990s–2000s
"Must See TV" era
NBC's Thursday-night sitcom block, including Friends and Seinfeld, becomes a dominant force in American television.
2020s
Peacock integration
NBC programming becomes closely tied to NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service for library and next-day access.
Key People
Mark Lazarus
Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group
Frances Berwick
Chairman, NBCUniversal Entertainment & Streaming
David Sarnoff
RCA executive who founded NBC in 1926
Notable NBC Series
| Title | Debut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seinfeld | 1989 | One of the most influential sitcoms in television history |
| Friends | 1994 | A defining sitcom of the "Must See TV" era |
| The Office (US) | 2005 | A mockumentary sitcom that became a major streaming success years after airing |
| This Is Us | 2016 | A critically acclaimed family drama |
Financials
| Founded | 1926 (oldest major U.S. broadcast network) |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Comcast, via NBCUniversal |
| Full Comcast buyout | Comcast paid about $16.7 billion in 2013 to acquire GE's remaining 49% stake in NBCUniversal |
How It Compares
| Compared To | Key Difference |
|---|---|
| CBS | NBC and CBS have traded the primetime ratings crown for decades, with NBC historically leaning on Thursday-night comedy blocks and late-night franchises like Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show. |
| ABC | Both networks compete heavily in scripted drama and live events, though NBC holds the Sunday Night Football package while ABC/ESPN share Monday Night Football rights. |
Trivia & Fan Culture
America's oldest major network
NBC was founded by RCA in 1926, making it the oldest of the traditional U.S. broadcast networks, predating CBS by about a year.
Peacock pride
NBC's multicolor peacock logo, introduced in 1956, was originally created to promote the network's early color broadcasts.
Saturday Night Live's long run
Saturday Night Live has aired on NBC since 1975, making it one of the longest-running programs in American television history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NBC owned by Comcast?
Yes, NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, which is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Where can I stream NBC shows?
Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service and typically offers next-day access to new NBC episodes along with the network's older library.
Who owns NBC?
NBC is owned by Comcast through its NBCUniversal division.
What does NBC stand for?
NBC stands for the National Broadcasting Company.
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