List of longest-running American broadcast network television series

Last updated

This is a list of the longest-running U.S. broadcast network television series, ordered by the number of broadcast seasons.

Contents

To qualify for this list, the programming must originate in North America, be shown on a United States national (not regional) television network, and be first-run (as opposed to a repackaging of previously aired material or material released in other media). For this list, series that were available only on a local or regional basis are excluded. The "number of seasons" total does not include cable broadcasts or series in syndication.

Over 60 years

Series shaded in light blue are currently in production.
LengthNumber of
seasons		SeriesNetworkFirst broadcastLast broadcastNumber of
episodes		Notes
76 years70 Meet the Press (NBC News) [1] NBC November 6, 1947 [2] present4,843+Longest-running show.
75 years72 CBS Evening News (CBS News) [3] CBS May 3, 1948present16,400+Longest-running network newscast.
72 years69 Hallmark Hall of Fame [4] NBC December 24, 1951December 17, 1978243+Not broadcast on a regular schedule, with only a limited number of productions per year.
CBS November 14, 1979April 30, 1980
PBS February 9, 1981May 6, 1981
CBS December 1, 1981January 29, 1989
ABC April 30, 1989April 23, 1995
CBS December 10, 1995April 13, 2011
ABC [5] November 27, 2011April 20, 2014
Hallmark Channel November 30, 2014present
72 years70 Today (NBC News) NBC January 14, 1952present15,785+
70 years70 ABC World News Tonight (ABC News) [6] ABC October 12, 1953 [7] present15,722+
69 years69 The Tonight Show [8] NBC September 27, 1954present13,203
69 years64 Face the Nation (CBS News) CBS November 7, 1954present3,000+

50–59 years

LengthNumber of
seasons		SeriesNetworkFirst broadcastLast broadcastNumber of
episodes		Notes
57 years57 Guiding Light (CBS Daytime) [9] CBS June 30, 1952September 18, 200915,762Longest-running dramatic series of any genre. Longest-running daytime drama. While its television debut was on June 30, 1952, The Guiding Light's first incarnation was as a radio show, which premiered on January 25, 1937.
60 years58 General Hospital (ABC Daytime) ABC April 1, 1963present15,134+Television's longest running drama series. As of January 11, 2023 [10]
54 years54 As the World Turns (CBS Daytime) CBS April 2, 1956September 17, 201013,858
54 years54 The Wonderful World of Disney [11] ABC October 27, 1954June 11, 19611,224
NBC September 24, 1961August 16, 1981
CBS September 26, 1981May 3, 1983
ABC February 2, 1986May 22, 1988
NBC October 9, 1988August 26, 1990
Disney Channel September 23, 1990August 25, 1996
ABC September 28, 1997December 24, 2008
December 12, 2015present
53 years54 NFL on CBS CBS September 30, 1956January 23, 19945,000+CBS originally broadcast NFL games from 1956 to its merger with the AFL in 1970. It continued to broadcast NFC regular and playoff games as well as the Super Bowl until 1994 when CBS lost the rights to broadcast these games to Fox. The network returned its football broadcasts by 1998 after CBS acquired the rights to broadcast AFC regular and playoff games from NBC. It also airs Super Bowl matches and between 2014 and 2017, Thursday Night Football alongside NBC in 2016 and 2017 and the NFL Network.
September 6, 1998present
58 years50 Days of Our Lives (NBC Daytime) NBC, Peacock November 8, 1965present14000+Days of our Lives moved from NBC to the Peacock streaming service September 12, 2022 [12]

40–49 years

LengthNumber of
seasons		SeriesNetworkFirst broadcastLast broadcastNumber of
episodes		Notes
56 years49 Washington Week [13] NET, PBS February 23, 1967present2,000+
55 years56 60 Minutes (CBS News) CBS September 24, 1968present2500+
54 years53 Sesame Street NET November 10, 1969May 8, 19704666 [note 1] Longest-running children's show. [14] While Sesame Street remains on the PBS schedule with second-run rights, new episodes now premiere on HBO Max and become available to PBS nine months later. This formerly applied to HBO from 2016 until 2020 starting at Season 51 when the show moved to HBO Max.
PBS November 9, 1970present
HBO January 16, 2016November 1, 2020
HBO Max November 21, 2020Present
53 years50 Monday Night Football ABC September 21, 1970December 26, 2005641+Since 2016 and 2018 respectively, ABC has simulcast ESPN's coverage of its NFL Wild Card playoff game and the Pro Bowl. In 2020, ABC simulcasted three select ESPN Monday Night Football games. Starting in 2021, ABC will get expanded broadcast rights, including exclusive games, Week 18 Saturday doubleheader simulcasts, and Super Bowl rights. Per NFL Policy, all games that are broadcast via cable or satellite television on a Pay TV Network must also be made available on over-the-air television stations in each participating team's local market.
January 9, 2016Present
ESPN September 11, 2006present
53 years50 NBC Nightly News (NBC News) NBC August 3, 1970present NBC has had an evening broadcast since 1948, starting with Camel News Caravan , lasting until 1956, when it was replaced by Nightly News' predecessor the Huntley-Brinkley Report .
53 years45 Masterpiece Theatre PBS January 10, 1971present
51 years46 The Price Is Right (CBS Daytime) [15] CBS September 4, 1972present8,000+Longest-running game show.
50 years49 The Young and the Restless (CBS Daytime) CBS March 26, 1973present10,200+
49 years42 Nova PBS March 3, 1974present698
51 years43 Great Performances PBS November 4, 1972present
45 years45 Wide World of Sports (ABC Sports) ABC April 29, 1961August 2006 [16]
43 years43 One Life to Live (ABC Daytime) ABC July 15, 1968January 13, 201211,096
41 years41 All My Children (ABC Daytime) ABC January 5, 1970September 23, 201110,712While the show has ceased airing as a television series it is still in production. As of April 29, 2013 the show had resumed airing now as a web series on the internet. It can be seen through Hulu, iTunes and YouTube.
48 years41 The Victory Garden [17] PBS April 16, 1975present
48 years46 Saturday Night Live [18] NBC October 11, 1975present745Is the longest-running sketch comedy show on American television.
48 years40 PBS NewsHour [19] PBS October 20, 1975present
48 years40 Good Morning America ABC November 3, 1975present9,914+
48 years40 Austin City Limits PBS January 3, 1976presentThe 1st episode was a one-off filmed in 1974 and broadcast in 1975. It became a regular series in 1976.
48 years40 Live from Lincoln Center PBS January 30, 1976present [20]
45 years40 Nightly Business Report PBS/American Public Television syndication/CNBC January 22, 1979December 27, 2019

30–39 years

LengthNumber of
seasons		SeriesNetworkFirst broadcastLast broadcastNumber of
episodes		Notes
45 years38 20/20 ABC June 6, 1978present
45 years37 CBS News Sunday Morning CBS January 28, 1979present
44 years36 This Old House PBS February 20, 1979present786+
44 years36 The Woodwright's Shop [21] PBS 1979present429+
43 years36 Nightline [22] ABC March 24, 1980present
35 years35 Professional Bowlers Tour (ABC Sports) ABC January 6, 1962 [23] June 21, 1997
35 years35 Search for Tomorrow (CBS and NBC Daytime) CBS September 3, 1951March 29, 19829,130
NBC March 26, 1982December 26, 1986
35 years35 Another World (NBC Daytime) NBC May 4, 1964June 25, 19998,891Longest-running continuous title sequences on television
42 years35 Noticiero Univision [24] Univision June 1, 1981present
41 years34 Nature PBS October 10, 1982present440+
40 years34 Wheel of Fortune (syndicated) Syndicated September 5, 1983present
41 years33 Frontline PBS January 17, 1983present520+
34 years35 Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser [25] PBS November 20, 1970June 24, 2005
34 years35 Evening at Pops PBS July 12, 1970August 29, 2004
33 years33 Mister Rogers' Neighborhood NET February 19, 1968October 1970895
PBS October 1970August 31, 2001
32 years33 MotorWeek [26] PBS 1982present
39 years32 Jeopardy! SyndicationSeptember 10, 1984present6,829+
31 years31 Lamp Unto My Feet CBS November 21, 1948January 21, 1979
30 years30 American Bandstand [27] ABC August 5, 1957November 5, 19874,134
30 years30 Live from the Met [28] PBS 19772007
37 years30 Sábado Gigante [29] Univision April 12, 1986September 19, 20152,800+Longest-running imported TV show.
37 years29 Hometime PBS November 1, 1986present
36 years29 The Bold and the Beautiful CBS March 23, 1987present6,500+

20–29 years

LengthNumber of
seasons		SeriesNetworkFirst broadcastLast broadcastNumber of
episodes		Notes
29 years29 Love of Life CBS September 24, 1951February 1, 19807,316
29 years29 Captain Kangaroo [30] CBS October 3, 1955December 8, 1984
28 years28 The Edge of Night CBS April 2, 1956November 28, 19757,420
ABC December 1, 1975December 28, 1984
28 years28 Mystery! [31] PBS February 5, 19802008
36 years36 48 Hours [32] CBS January 2, 1988present991 [33]
35 years35 American Experience PBS October 1, 1988present366
34 years35 Cops Fox March 11, 1989present1,175
Paramount Network
Fox Nation
34 years27 Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito [34] PBS/National Educational Telecommunications Association syndicationOctober 1, 1989presentLongest-running cooking program.
34 years35 The Simpsons [35] Fox December 17, 1989present760Longest-running animated series, longest running sitcom and longest running scripted primetime series.
34 years26 America's Funniest Home Videos ABC November 26, 1989present500
32 years25 Charlie Rose PBS September 30, 1991November 17, 2017
31 years24 Dateline NBC [36] NBC March 31, 1992present1,700+
25 years25 WWE SmackDown UPN (1999-2006), MyNetworkTV (2008-2010), SyFy (2010-2015), USA Network (2015-2019), FOX (2019-Present)April 29, 1999present1274+
24 years24 Camera Three CBS January 22, 1956January 21, 1979
PBS October 4, 1979July 1, 1980
24 years24 CBS Morning News [37] CBS September 2, 1963January 9, 1987
30 years23 The Late Show CBS August 30, 1993present3,796+ ...with David Letterman , ... with Stephen Colbert
23 years23 The Ed Sullivan Show [38] CBS June 20, 1948June 6, 19711,087
23 years23 America's Most Wanted Fox February 1, 1988June 18, 2011940+
23 years23 Lilias, Yoga and You [39] PBS 19761999
23 years23 Reading Rainbow PBS June 6, 1983November 10, 2006155
29 years22 Fox NFL Sunday Fox September 18, 1994present
29 years20 The Late Late Show [40] CBS January 9, 1995present3,468+
22 years22 The Original Amateur Hour [41] DuMont January 18, 1948October 1949
NBC October 1949September 1954
ABC October 1955June 1957
NBC July 1957October 1958
CBS May 1959October 1959
ABC March 1960September 26, 1960
CBS October 2, 1960September 27, 1970
22 years22 NASCAR on CBS CBS February 18, 1979July 15, 2000
22 years22 NFL on NBC [42] NBC 19751997
21 years21 Issues and Answers [43] ABC 19601981
21 years21 Sneak Previews [44] PBS 19751996
21 years21 Cookin' Cheap PBS 19812002
21 years21 The New Yankee Workshop PBS January 1988June 27, 2009284
20 years20 The Doctors NBC April 1, 1963December 31, 19825,280
20 years20 Law & Order NBC September 13, 1990May 24, 2010456
20 years20 The Red Skelton Show NBC September 30, 1951June 1953672
CBS September 1953June 1970
NBC September 1970August 1, 1971

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Season 44 (2013–2014) was the first time episodes were numbered in a seasonal order rather than the numerical and chronological fashion used since the show premiered. For example, episode 4401 means "the first episode of the 44th season", not "the 4401st episode" (it is in fact the 4328th episode).

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References

  1. ↑ Only its time on television is counted here; it began on radio (as American Mercury Presents: Meet the Press) in 1945
  2. ↑ NBC News
  3. ↑ CBS Television News 1948–51, Douglas Edwards with the News 1951–63
  4. ↑ Originally Hallmark Playhouse radio series, was Hallmark Television Playhouse (1951–54)
  5. ↑ "Hallmark Hall of Fame Has Rough Start on ABC". 28 November 2011.
  6. ↑ ABC Evening News 1953–65 and 1967–78; Peter Jennings and the News 1965–67; World News Tonight 1978–2006; World News with Charles Gibson 2000–09
  7. ↑ "Early TV Anchors | Poynter". Archived from the original on 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2014-07-30.
  8. ↑ Includes the various permutations and re-brandings over the years, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
  9. ↑ Originally The Guiding Light. Only its time on television is counted here; it began on radio January 25, 1937.
  10. ↑ Kroll, Dan J (May 13, 2022). "General Hospital to broadcast its 15,000th episode". Soap Central . Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  11. ↑ Disney anthology television series aired under a variety of titles, including Disneyland, Disney's Wonderful World of Color and The Magical World of Disney. The current title is The Wonderful World of Disney. See the main article for a complete broadcast history
  12. ↑ Clifford, Kambra (August 3, 2022). "NBC drops Days of our Lives; soap now available for streaming only, exclusively on Peacock". Soap Central . Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  13. ↑ Originally Washington Week in Review
  14. ↑ This only applies to the time that a children's program has broadcast nationwide. Technically a few other children's programs may have run longer in years/seasons than Sesame Street. Its just that some of those programs' seasons/years don't count as said programs weren't broadcast nationwide for their entire run.
  15. ↑ Originally The New Price Is Right; longest-running game show in American television history.
  16. ↑ Weekly broadcasts ended January 1, 1997; irregular airings afterward; officially ended with the absorption of ABC Sports into ESPN
  17. ↑ Jim Crockett's Victory Garden, 1975–79
  18. ↑ Originally NBC Saturday Night
  19. ↑ Previously The Robert MacNeil Report (1975), The MacNeil/Lehrer Report (1975–83), The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour 1975–95, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer 1995–2009
  20. ↑ Not currently on a regular schedule
  21. ↑ Broadcast only in North Carolina, 1979–81
  22. ↑ Evolved from The Iran Crisis – America Held Hostage (1979–80)
  23. ↑ "Schenkel Going Out on a Roll". New York Daily News .
  24. ↑ Originally titled "Noticiero SIN" when Univision was known as SIN (Spanish International Network).
  25. ↑ Became Wall Street Week with Fortune after original host was fired in 2002
  26. ↑ Also syndicated, 1982–present
  27. ↑ Continuation of Bandstand, which aired on WFIL 1952–57
  28. ↑ Also known as The Metropolitan Opera Presents
  29. ↑ Continuation of series that aired 1962–85 on Chile's Canal 13
  30. ↑ Reruns aired in syndication, 1984–92
  31. ↑ Started in 2008, Mystery! was absorbed into Masterpiece (the former Masterpiece Theatre) and airs under the banner Masterpiece Mystery!
  32. ↑ Also called 48 Hours Investigates
  33. ↑ "48 Hours on CBS". TV Guide. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  34. ↑ America's longest-running cooking show, running consecutive episodes and consecutive seasons. While some believe Julia Child's series to have run longer, Child and other appeared in series with different names, hosts. Ciao Italia has been on the air since 1989.
  35. ↑ Only its time as its own television show is counted here; it began on The Tracey Ullman Show as animated shorts. It is currently the longest-running prime time entertainment program with a consistent setting and recurring characters. While other prime-time shows have run longer, they are all news, sports, anthology or variety programs.
  36. ↑ Also known as Dateline (day of week it airs), Dateline With Stone Phillips
  37. ↑ Morning 1979–82
  38. ↑ Aired as Toast of the Town until 1955
  39. ↑ Local transmission only (WCET), 1972–96
  40. ↑ Host: Tom Snyder 1995–99, Craig Kilborn 1999–2004, Craig Ferguson 2004–2014, James Corden 2015-
  41. ↑ Originated on radio as Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, 1934–46
  42. ↑ Originally GrandStand, then changed name to reflect year; was also NFL Live 1987–97
  43. ↑ Originally ABC Press Conference; succeeded in time slot by This Week
  44. ↑ Originally Opening Soon at a Theater Near You (1975–77); Sneak Previes Goes Video 1989–91
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