- 1977
October 22
U.S. House of Representatives passes measure by a vote of 342 to 44 permitting full coverage of sessions using House-operated camera system.
- 1978
May 1
C-SPAN establishes a board of directors comprised of 22 executives of the American cable television industry. Bob Rosencrans, president and CEO of Columbia International Inc., is elected the first chairman of C-SPAN's Executive Committee. CEOs of U.S. cable companies continue to fill the
C-SPAN board.
- 1979
March 19
C‑SPAN begins cablecasting the U.S. House of Representatives live to 3.5 million households.
December
First regularly scheduled non-House of Representatives programming is added, the Close-Up Foundation student seminars.
- 1980
September
John Saeman, president and CEO of Daniels and Associates, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
October 7
From the National Press Club, C-SPAN conducts its first live viewer call-in program, providing viewers direct access to public policy makers and influencers. The first call received was from Yankton, South Dakota. Four media representatives involved in broadcasting and cable were the guests who answered viewer calls.
- 1981
January 6
C‑SPAN adds gavel-to-gavel coverage of congressional hearings to program schedule.
January
C-SPAN wins an NCTA ACE Award for '1980 election programming.'
- 1982
January
C-SPAN wins an NCTA ACE Award for 'Distinguished Achievement.'
May
Ed Allen, chairman and CEO of Western Communications, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
September 14
C‑SPAN begins 24-hour-a-day programming.
C‑SPAN, with support from the Benton Foundation, publishes the first edition of Gavel to Gavel: A C‑SPAN Guide to Congress.
- 1983
February 25
President
Ronald Reagan calls in to a live C-SPAN Close Up call-in program to talk with students he'd met earlier in the day at the White House.
- 1984
January
C-SPAN wins an NCTA ACE Award for its coverage of the Martin Luther King March on Washington.
February 20
C-SPAN's presidential campaign coverage launches with first-ever complete live coverage of an
Iowa caucus, kicking off Campaign '84.
May 10
Speaker of the House 'Tip' O'Neill ordered House cameras to break with precedent and provide a full view of the empty chamber during Special Order speeches. The episode came to be known as '
Camscam.'
June
Jack Frazee Jr., chairman and CEO of Centel Corporation, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
July-August
C‑SPAN televises live, uninterrupted coverage of the
Democratic and
Republican National Conventions for the first time. This gavel-to-gavel convention coverage continues through all presidential election years.
- 1985
January 8
A survey by Media Analysis Project finds that an estimated 20.5 million Americans watch C-SPAN each month and that C-SPAN viewers are four times as likely to be able to identify congressional leaders as compared to non-C-SPAN viewers. Ninety-three percent of viewers say they voted in 1984.
January
C-SPAN wins an NCTA ACE Award for 'Grassroots '84.'
March 1
C‑SPAN offers its first international political coverage with a live cablecast of the Canadian House of Commons.
- 1986
May
Jim Whitson, executive vice president of Sammons Enterprises, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
June 2
C-SPAN2 begins televising the live proceedings of the U.S. Senate (during the Senate's 'test period') to 6.7 million households.
July 29
U.S. Senate votes 78-21 in favor of permanent televised coverage of its proceedings.
August 5-6
For the first time, C-SPAN provides complete coverage of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on a
nomination to the Supreme Court for President Reagan's nominee
Antonin Scalia. C-SPAN continues to provide complete coverage of all Supreme Court nominees' confirmation processes.
- 1987
January 5
C-SPAN2 begins 24-hour-a-day programming.
April
Gene W. Schneider, chairman of United Cable TV Corporation, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
July 27
C-SPAN introduces C-SPAN in the Classroom, a free resource for social studies teachers. Today,
C-SPAN Classroom continues to offer a timely, searchable archive of primary source materials, including videos, lesson plans and bell ringers.
September 15
The
C‑SPAN Video Library, in partnership with Purdue University, begins videotaping and archiving all of the network's programming.
- 1988
January 18
A survey by the University of Maryland Survey Research Center finds that 25 percent of all cable TV households, an estimated 27.3 million Americans, watch C-SPAN each month. The survey also illustrates an audience that is nearly equally liberal and conservative, with 80 percent of C-SPAN viewers watching TV news every day.
September 14
Brian Lamb conducts a five-part interview with Neil Sheehan, author of A Bright Shining Lie, leading to the launch of
Booknotes, C‑SPAN's signature Sunday night author interview program. The programs began airing weekly in February 1989. Lamb hosts a total of 801 authors through 2004.
November 9
The United States Information Agency, USIA, begins transmitting C‑SPAN programming to 90 countries via World Net, the first global satellite television network, which merged with VOA in 2004.
November 22
C-SPAN offers its initial live coverage of
Queen Elizabeth II's speech to the State Opening of Parliament. Each opening speech has been shown since.
December 1
C‑SPAN publishes America's Town Hall - What Links Frank Zappa, Ronald Reagan and Kay Cutcher,...and you?, a collection of stories about the network's early years.
- 1989
January 9
A survey by the University of Maryland Survey Research Center finds that 78 percent of C-SPAN viewers voted in the 1988 election and that 84 percent of C-SPAN viewers were registered to vote.
May
Amos Hostetter Jr., chairman and CEO of Continental Cablevision Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
September 5
C-SPAN launches an audio service for cable subscribers, featuring audio of its channels, the BBC World Service and more.
November 21
- 1990
June
C-SPAN is available in 50 million U.S. homes.
August-January
C‑SPAN airs 1,124 hours of comprehensive coverage of Congress and the Bush administration debating and preparing for the Persian Gulf conflict.
- 1991
February 19
C-SPAN begins offering closed captioning during live proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives.
May
John Evans, president of Hauser Communications Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
September-October
C‑SPAN covers 128 hours of hearings considering the nomination of
Judge Clarence Thomas to serve as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
November 18
C-SPAN begins offering closed captioning during live proceedings of the U.S. Senate.
December 22
C-SPAN interviews
President George H. W. Bush in the Map Room of the White House, discussing topics such as his work as president, his view of the American political system and his goals for the remainder of his presidency.
- 1992
January-November
C‑SPAN offers an unprecedented 1,200-plus hours of Road to the White House election coverage from January 1992 to November 1992, including conventions, debates, campaign speeches and other national and local campaign events.
January
C-SPAN wins a Peabody Award for 'Significant and Meritorious Achievement.'
July 14
C-SPAN interviews
former President Jimmy Carter at Madison Square Garden. Topics include the current state of the Democratic party, the political division within the government and the upcoming presidential election.
- 1993
January 6
A survey by Statistical Research Inc. finds that 98 percent of registered C-SPAN viewers voted in the 1992 presidential election and that viewers are two times more likely to contact their elected officials. The survey also illustrates that regular viewers are up from 4.1 hours per week of C-SPAN programming to 5.1 hours per week.
January
C‑SPAN wins the NCTA Golden Cable ACE award, the industry's highest annual honor, for its comprehensive coverage of the 1992 presidential election.
May
C‑SPAN receives the 1992 Peabody Award for 'Overall Excellence by an Institution.'
June
Jim Gray, president and COO of Warner Cable Communications Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
June 26
For the first time, C-SPAN televises a funeral ceremony of a former first lady.
Pat Nixon was eulogized in a ceremony in the garden outside the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library.
September 29
President Bill Clinton gives C-SPAN a tour of the Oval Office and discusses its recent redecoration and what the office means to him. The president also talks about his childhood and reflects on past presidents and their impact.
November 1
The
C-SPAN School Bus debuts in Washington, D.C. This one-of-a-kind mobile classroom and TV studio introduces teachers and students to C-SPAN's educational resources and partners with local cable operators to build awareness of the cable industry's support of C-SPAN. Through various incarnations, the C-SPAN Bus program continues on the road today.
November
C-SPAN.org launches on the then-fledgling World Wide Web. Today C-SPAN operates dozens of web properties, offering access to the entirety of our programming, context, community and other resources.
- 1994
April 27
For the first time, C-SPAN televises a funeral ceremony of a former U.S. president. Former presidents, congressional leaders, family and friends gathered to honor the 37th president,
Richard M. Nixon.
May 23
June
Jim Robbins, president and CEO of Cox Communications Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
C-SPAN Classroom launches its annual summer
Teacher Fellowship program. Funded by the C-SPAN Education Foundation, C-SPAN hosts three educators who have experience using C-SPAN resources in the classroom. Fellows collaborate with our education staff to develop new lesson plans and other teaching materials.
August
C-SPAN publishes A Companion to Lincoln-Douglas Debates to complement the series written by John Splaine.
August-October
November 21
C-SPAN sends a
letter to incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) with five specific requests to increase television access to the House of Representatives.
- 1995
January 4
The daily three-hour
Washington Journal (7 to 10 am ET) replaces the network's earlier call-in incarnations as the network's flagship viewer call-in program.
January
C‑SPAN wins the NCTA Golden Cable ACE award for the C‑SPAN School Bus program.
February 17
C-SPAN interviews
President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office at the White House, discussing topics such as his administration's first two years in office and the remainder of his first term, representative versus direct government and the name for his library.
March
C‑SPAN wins the CTPAA Golden Beacon Award for the C‑SPAN School Bus and its customer-relations efforts using the Bus in conjunction with its cable affiliates in markets around the country.
June
Tom Baxter, president of Comcast Cable Communications Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
July 23
November 21
C-SPAN sends a
letter to House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) reviewing the status of the proposals from the letter sent the previous year.
C-SPAN publishes The Road to the White House Since Television by John Splaine.
- 1996
January 1
C-SPAN launches a second School Bus to travel the country working with affiliates.
May 18
C‑SPAN2 launches About Books, a five-hour weekend programming block devoted to nonfiction books, authors and the publishing industry.
June
The C-SPAN Bus travels to Alaska, marking its first visit outside the contiguous United States.
C‑SPAN's Washington Journal wins an award from the National Education Association for advancement of learning through broadcasting.
October
Stephen Frantzich and John Sullivan publish The C-SPAN Revolution, providing a history of the network's early years.
- 1997
January 6
A survey by Statistical Research Inc. finds that 22 million Americans watch C-SPAN weekly and that 93 percent of viewers voted in the 1996 election. The survey also illustrates an audience that is nearly equally liberal and conservative and that C-SPAN viewers are more likely to make political contributions.
January
C‑SPAN is the first television network to begin streaming live coverage of the U.S. House and Senate on the internet.
April
C-SPAN Classroom offers a free Alexis de Tocqueville poster and lesson packet for members, a complement to the TV series. Since then, C-SPAN Classroom has offered a variety of
free classroom resources to teachers.
April-February
C‑SPAN launches the
Alexis de Tocqueville Tour, an 11-month series retracing the steps of the French aristocrat and author of Democracy in America.
June
Leo Hindery Jr., president of Tele-Communications Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
The C‑SPAN School Bus travels to Hawaii, marking the 50th state visited since its launch.
September 15
C‑SPAN Extra, the network's third television network, debuts with a focus on live coverage of public affairs events.
October 9
C‑SPAN Radio 90.1 FM, a 24-hour, 50k watt, public affairs radio station serving the Washington-Baltimore market, goes on the air.
- 1998
February
C‑SPAN Radio begins airing the
LBJ White House tapes of phone conversations President Johnson had in the Oval Office from November 1963 to December 1964.
June
C-SPAN, with Johns Hopkins University Press, publishes Traveling Tocqueville's America: A Tour Book as a companion to the series .
September 1
September 12
Book TV (formerly
About Books), an all-weekend, 48-hour programming block dedicated to nonfiction books, launches on C-SPAN2.
December 19
- 1999
January 6
500th episode of
Booknotes airs with guests Peter Kan and Frances Fitzgerald, who are featured in the book
Reporting Vietnam.
January 7-February 12
March
Joe Collins, chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
C-SPAN wins a Peabody Award for its American Presidents: Life Portraits series.
May-December
June
C-SPAN wins a CTPAA Beacon Award for its partnership with Time Warner Cable Albany Division for the 'Cambridge Public Library Goes High Tech.'
September
C‑SPAN's American Presidents: Life Portraits exhibit, including portraits of all U.S. presidents by artist Chas Fagan and photos from the White House Historical Association, opens its ongoing nationwide tour at Union Station in Washington, D.C.
October 22
C-SPAN interviews
former President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center Library in Atlanta, Georgia. Topics include his views of former presidents, the media, present-day campaigning and his life as president.
November 19
C-SPAN interviews
former President George H.W. Bush at his presidential library in College Station, Texas. Topics include his library, the beginning of his career in public service, serving as director of the CIA, serving as vice president and the Persian Gulf War.
December 3
C-SPAN interviews
President Bill Clinton in the Cabinet Room at the White House, discussing topics such as his views of former presidents, the 1992 campaign and the legacy of his administration.
December
- 2000
February 6
In Depth debuts, Book TV's once-a-month, three-hour interview program that takes a comprehensive look at one author's works, with questions from viewers.
February
C-SPAN conducts a Historians Survey of Presidential Leadership, in which a cross-section of presidential historians rank the former occupants of the White House on 10 attributes of leadership. The survey is repeated in 2009, 2017, and
2021.
July
C-SPAN Classroom launches
Summer Educators' Conference. Funded by the C-SPAN Education Foundation, teachers visit C-SPAN for two days, learning how to effectively integrate the network's online resources into their curriculum. Today, C-SPAN Classroom hosts two teacher conferences per summer, one for high school and one for middle school.
November-January
December 4
A survey by Statistical Research Inc. finds that 90 percent of C-SPAN viewers vote in elections and that viewers are more interested in news than the average population.
December
The U.S. Supreme Court grants the same-day release of oral arguments in Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board as a result of C‑SPAN's request to televise the proceedings, marking a court first.
- 2001
January 6
Following the 2000 Florida recount and a Supreme Court ruling, Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore presides over the
Electoral College vote count conducted in a joint session, which resulted in his Republican opponent, George W. Bush, officially winning the presidency.
January 22
C-SPAN3 (formerly C-SPAN Extra) launches, offering live coverage of national events on weekdays and long-form history programming overnight and on weekends.
March-September
C‑SPAN produces the live, on-___location history series,
American Writers: A Journey Through History, a look at the lives and works of influential authors through two centuries of history. Events of 9/11 interrupt the planned series.
September 11
C‑SPAN brings in New York City and Washington, D.C., local news feeds of the attacks at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Pennsylvania, as well as news from around the world. C‑SPAN offers its signature '
open phones' segments for viewers to share their reactions.
November 7
November 12
C-SPAN Radio debuts nationwide on satellite radio service XM Radio. Today, C-SPAN Radio can be heard on Sirius XM, as well as audio apps Stitcher, TuneIn and others.
December
C‑SPAN airs the first of over 50
Enron bankruptcy-related congressional hearings.
- 2002
March-July
March
C‑SPAN Classroom wins a CTPAA Beacon Award for its American Writers website.
August-November
C‑SPAN airs over 100 Senate, House and gubernatorial debates for the 2002 midterm election.
November
Steve Burke, president of Comcast Cable Communications Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
- 2003
May
C‑SPAN's
Students and Leaders launches in Washington, D.C., in partnership with Comcast. This educational program brings local leaders to high school classrooms to discuss leadership and public service and airs to a national audience on the C‑SPAN networks. Subsequent Students and Leaders were held in New York City (Time Warner Cable), Los Angeles (Time Warner Cable) and San Diego (Cox Communications).
June
C-SPAN wins the CTPAA Golden Beacon Award for its Presidents Timeline, a poster about the history of the presidency offered to all C-SPAN Classroom members.
- 2004
March 19
A survey by Hart Research Associates finds that 20 percent of the cable/satellite viewing audience, an estimated 34.5 million people, watch C-SPAN regularly — at least once or twice a week. The survey also illustrates an audience that is nearly equally liberal and conservative and geographically diverse. Eighty-nine percent of viewers say they vote, and 83 percent say C-SPAN is a valuable resource.
March
C‑SPAN celebrates its 25th anniversary with an event for 1,000 former and current C‑SPAN staff, a viewer essay contest with 25 prize winners, a dinner for all current and former C‑SPAN directors, and a multimedia ad campaign thanking the U.S. cable television industry for their support.
May
June
C-SPAN partners with Comcast to win the CTPAA Golden Beacon Award for Students and Leaders.
June 11
August
Debut of C-SPAN's Campaign Cam, a student video documentary competition that encourages students to think critically about issues that affect our communities and nation. Annual
StudentCam competitions are introduced in 2006, with nearly 3,000 entries.
September 13
C-SPAN wins a News and Documentary Emmy from the National Television Academy for 25 years of extensive and unfiltered coverage of major news events, especially of the American electoral process.
December
C‑SPAN debuts weekly Sunday night interview series,
Q & A, with host Brian Lamb.
- 2005
January 28
President George W. Bush is interviewed on
Q & A from the Map Room of the White House. Topics included his thoughts on his presidency, the next four years and how he has developed his governing philosophy.
January
After Words debuts, Book TV's weekly interview program that pairs new, nonfiction authors with guest hosts who have a connection to the book's content.
June
C-SPAN wins a CTPAA Beacon Award for CampaignCam, the student video documentary competition.
August
Newsmakers debuts, C-SPAN's weekly Sunday interview program with the people making news and the journalists who cover them.
September 24
The C-SPAN School Bus becomes the
Book TV Bus and is unveiled at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., before embarking on a nationwide tour of libraries, book festivals and book stores.
September
Bill Bresnan, president of Bresnan Communications, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
October 3
C-SPAN sends a
letter to Chief Justice John Roberts detailing C-SPAN's commitment to coverage of the Supreme Court and to offer technical expertise to help facilitate any exploration into televised court proceedings.
October 7
C‑SPAN marks the 25th anniversary of its viewer call-in programs with a live 25-hour marathon program and viewer essay contest.
November 3
Former President Jimmy Carter is interviewed on Book TV's (C-SPAN2)
After Words about his book,
Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis, by
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.
- 2006
March
C‑SPAN debuts
The Communicators, a weekly half-hour interview with people who shape telecommunications policy.
May
C‑SPAN presents
The Capitol, a three-part, nine-hour rare look into the art, history and architecture that has enriched the U.S. Capitol building.
December 22
Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
replies to C-SPAN's request for C-SPAN cameras to be permitted on the House floor and for individual House votes to be released electronically immediately after voting periods have closed by saying that the current system will stand.
- 2007
January 2
January
The C-SPAN School Bus becomes the Campaign 2008 Bus, kicking off its Road to the White House tour from Des Moines, Iowa. Each subsequent presidential election cycle, the Bus is converted to a Campaign Bus.
January 19
C-SPAN sends a
letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi providing more detailed information on C-SPAN's request for House telecasts.
February 12
C-SPAN interviews
President George W. Bush at the White House. Topics include U.S. foreign policy, immigration and the culture of Washington, D.C.
March
C-SPAN expands its Capitol Hearings website, making audio of multiple congressional hearings available. Today, it's been expanded to video and can be found on our
Congress page.
April 22
C-SPAN first posts on
YouTube using the online video platform to highlight newsworthy clips from its event coverage and to promote long-form coverage available on C-SPAN.org.
July 14
C-SPAN covers the funeral service for former first lady, widow of Lyndon B. Johnson,
Lady Bird Johnson.
August
C‑SPAN unveils its online
Video Library, a website providing streaming video, along with tools for searching the archives. In 2008, an embeddable player is added to the site.
September
Bob Miron, chairman of Advance/Newhouse Communications, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
September-November
Presidential Libraries: History Uncovered premiers, a 12-part program in cooperation with the National Archives providing a view of the modern presidency from the men who held the office and those who served around them.
September
C‑SPAN wins a CTPAA Beacon Award for the documentary
The Capitol.
November 5
President George W. Bush presents the
Presidential Medal of Freedom to eight recipients, including C-SPAN's Brian Lamb for his dedication to a transparent political system and the free flow of ideas.
November 26
C-SPAN interviews former
President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas. President Clinton gave a tour of his private office and home and reflected on his two terms in office.
- 2008
January-November
C‑SPAN expands its Campaign 2008 television coverage by launching Convention Hub and Debate Hub — interactive websites tracking the conventions and debates through blogs, Twitter and video.
June 9
C-SPAN first posts on
Facebook, using the social engagement platform to highlight newsworthy clips from its event coverage and as a forum for daily discussions related to public affairs. Since then,
American History TV,
Book TV,
C-SPAN Classroom and
StudentCam all engage with their audiences on Facebook.
August 12
C-SPAN sends its first tweet, using the online news and information platform to promote its schedule, direct users to the network/website for event coverage and highlight newsworthy clips from its event coverage. C-SPAN currently has
16 Twitter accounts for a variety of programs and information about C-SPAN services.
October
December 18
C-SPAN interviews
President George W. Bush in the Oval Office. Topics include reflections on the presidency, his post-presidency and working with Congress and White House staff.
December
- 2009
March 5
The Washington Journal first solicits audience questions and comments via Twitter.
March 18
A survey by Hart Research Associates finds that 20 percent of cable TV households, an estimated 39 million Americans, watch C‑SPAN regularly — at least once or twice a week. The survey also illustrates an audience that is politically active, nearly equally liberal and conservative, and geographically diverse. Ninety percent of viewers say they voted in 2008, and 99 percent say that C-SPAN's coverage of Congress is very good or excellent.
May 22
C-SPAN interviews
President Barack Obama in the White House library. Topics include the auto industry, Supreme Court vacancies, healthcare and Guantanamo Bay.
July
C‑SPAN wins CTAM's Marketing Award for Convention Hub, a special interactive social-media focused website for the 2008 national political party conventions.
September 17
A
survey by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates finds that 65 percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that cameras should be allowed to cover oral arguments in the Supreme Court. Seventy-eight percent of participants would prefer 18-year terms as opposed to a lifetime appointment to the court.
September
C-SPAN wins an ACC Beacon Award for the Pennsylvania Primary Tour with the C-SPAN Bus.
October
C-SPAN presents
The Supreme Court, an unprecedented look at the traditions and history of America's highest court, including exclusive one-on-one interviews with nine current and retired justices — the first time so many justices have granted interviews for a television production.
November 7
C-SPAN becomes a trending topic on Twitter for the first time as the U.S. House of Representatives debates health care legislation.
December 8
C-SPAN Radio launches an iPhone app, which later becomes available on Android phones. The
free app allows people to listen to podcasts and live audio of C-SPAN Radio, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3.
December 30
C-SPAN sends a
letter to House and Senate leadership requesting that all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, about the health care bills be open to C-SPAN cameras.
- 2010
January 5
Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) sends a
letter to C-SPAN praising our request for full access to health care reform negotiations.
March 17
The
C-SPAN Video Library is completely digitized, offering free access to over 160,000 hours of C-SPAN's coverage of public events dating back to 1987.
May
June 24
A
survey by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates finds that 63 percent of American voters say they hear too little about the work of the Supreme Court rather than too much, and 64 percent of respondents say the gender of a Supreme Court nominee is not important.
June 28
C-SPAN begins HD transmission of all three channels.
June
Landel Hobbs, COO of Time Warner Cable, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
July 17
Book TV on C-SPAN2 wins the Harlem Book Fair Phyllis Wheatly Award for literacy, advocacy that transcends cultural boundaries and perception.
August 12
C-SPAN interviews
President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. Topics include remodeling aspects of the White House and the Oval Office and how people react when entering the White House.
August-November
C-SPAN airs 140 Senate, House and gubernatorial debates for the 2010 midterm election.
September 16
C‑SPAN wins an ACC Golden Beacon for the C-SPAN Video Library.
November 9
C‑SPAN sends a
letter to incoming House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) requesting that the House allow floor proceedings to also be covered by C‑SPAN cameras.
November 29
- 2011
January 5
For the first time, C‑SPAN provides live video on its
Facebook page, showing proceedings from the House floor on the opening day of the 112th Congress.
January 6
American History TV, an all-weekend programming block dedicated to the people and events that help chronicle the American story, launches on C-SPAN3.
January 24
Former President George W. Bush is interviewed on
Q & A from the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where his presidential library was being built. Students ask questions about his administration, programs and future plans.
February-March
During the Arab Spring, C‑SPAN simulcasts
Al Jazeera's coverage of events in the Middle East.
March 31
C-SPAN wins a
Peabody Award for the C-SPAN Video Library and its contribution to history, scholarship and public life.
April 8
C‑SPAN2 adds real-time tweets from members of Congress to its television presentation during Senate quorum calls.
May 9
C-SPAN's traveling Local Content Vehicles embark on their
Cities Tour to bring the history and literary life of cities to C-SPAN2's Book TV and C-SPAN3's American History TV. Working with local cable providers, producers spend a week in each city visiting literary and historic sites and interviewing local historians, authors and civic leaders.
July
C-SPAN presents
The Library of Congress, a behind-the-scenes look at the Library of Congress, exploring the institution's history and touring through the library's rare books, photos and maps.
July 14
C-SPAN televises the funeral service for former
First Lady Betty Ford, widow of President Gerald R. Ford, at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
September 21
September-December
The Contenders premiers, a 14-week series on presidential candidates who lost, but changed history.
October
Glenn Britt, chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable Inc., is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
November 15
C-SPAN sends a
letter to Chief Justice Roberts requesting camera coverage of the oral arguments regarding challenges to the health care law in front of the Supreme Court.
- 2012
March 19
C-SPAN Board of Directors announces executive
leadership transition, naming Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain co-CEOs. Brian Lamb becomes Executive Chairman.
March 23
A
survey by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates finds that 75 percent of respondents agree that television coverage of oral arguments should be allowed, and 95 percent agree that the Supreme Court should be more open and transparent.
March 26-28
C‑SPAN airs three days of
Supreme Court same-day audio of oral arguments for and against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
May
C-SPAN wins the NCTA Special Vanguard Award for 'Outstanding Contributions.'
August 23
C-SPAN enhances its interactive
Convention Hub to augment gavel-to-gavel Campaign 2012 coverage with digital, video and social media audience engagement.
October
C-SPAN wins a CTAM Bronze Mark Award for its brand image and positioning during the 2012 New Hampshire Primary.
- 2013
January 18
First Ladies: Influence and Image premiers, a two-season, 43-episode series in cooperation with the White House Historical Association examining the private lives and public roles of the women who served in the role of first lady.
January
C-SPAN Classroom launches the Senior Fellowship program; each year, two returning C-SPAN fellow collaborate on developing
in-depth, deliberative lesson plans for timely topics.
C-SPAN collaborates with the White House Historical Association for a special edition of their book, The First Ladies of the United States of America, to complement our The First Ladies: Influence and Image series.
C-SPAN doubles its fleet of Local Content Vehicles for the C-SPAN Cities Tour, adding three new LCVs and an additional 12 cities visited per year.
February 15
A
survey by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates finds that 65 percent of respondents say that it would be acceptable for the first lady to have a job outside the White House, and 40 percent of respondents say that the first lady should receive a government salary.
March 19
A
survey by Hart Research Associates finds a C-SPAN user base that continues to grow, trends younger and, while politically diverse, is actively interested in politics. Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of people with cable or satellite subscriptions — an estimated 47 million adults — report watching C-SPAN at least once a week, a four-point increase since Hart Research’s last quadrennial survey of the C-SPAN audience. The survey also finds that 59 percent of viewers say that C-SPAN has improved the way they view politics and current events.
July 11
C-SPAN joins
Instagram. C-SPAN uses Instagram to showcase behind-the-scenes and scenic photos/videos from its coverage and community events.
August 27
September
C-SPAN wins an ACC Beacon Award for its reputation and brand management during the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa.
October 8
Pat Esser, president of Cox Communications, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
- 2014
March 14
March
C-SPAN doubles the prizes awarded and prize money in its annual
StudentCam documentary competition — a total of $100,000 in prize money to 150 winning student groups and 53 teachers.
April
September 2
In partnership with its affiliates, C‑SPAN launches TV Everywhere, offering authenticated live streams of the
three C‑SPAN TV networks to cable and satellite customers on any device, anywhere, at any time.
September
C-SPAN wins an ACC Beacon Award for their coverage and presence at Gettysburg 150th anniversary events.
- 2015
April 19
July 15
C-SPAN joins
SnapChat. C-SPAN uses SnapChat (@cspantv) to display behind-the-scenes sights and sounds at significant political events.
July 21
A
survey by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates finds that 76 percent of people say that the Supreme Court should allow TV coverage of its oral arguments, and 60 percent of Americans say that Supreme Court justices should not have lifetime appointments.
August 4
As part of Campaign 2016, C‑SPAN partners with the
New Hampshire Union Leader and regional newspapers in early primary and caucus states on the
Voters First Forum — allowing viewers to see 14 Republican presidential candidates answer questions.
September
September-December
Landmark Cases: 12 Historic Supreme Court Decisions presents a weekly series, in cooperation with the National Constitution Center, exploring the human stories and constitutional dramas behind some of the most significant and frequently cited decisions in the Supreme Court's history.
September
C-SPAN wins an ACC Beacon Award in multicultural marketing for the Historically Black Colleges and University Bus Tour.
- 2016
March 11
C-SPAN televises the funeral service for
First Lady Nancy Reagan from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
June 22-23
C‑SPAN covers the House of Representatives unexpected
25-hour 'sit-in' by House Democrats over gun control legislation in the House Chamber using live video shot by members of Congress and posted to the social media sites Facebook and Periscope, unleashing a deluge of social and
traditional media coverage about the changing media landscape.
August 3
Bob Rosencrans, C-SPAN's first board chairman, who continued as C-SPAN's Chairman Emeritus, dies.
August 21
September
Neil Smit, president and CEO of Comcast Cable, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
- 2017
March 17
A
survey by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates finds that 76 percent of people say that the Supreme Court should allow TV coverage of its oral arguments, 90 percent say the Supreme Court decisions affect their lives and 82 percent say the Supreme Court nominees were important in their presidential vote.
March 30
A
survey by Ipsos finds an estimated 70 million U.S. adults accessed C-SPAN content in the past six months, 48 million in the past month, and 9.5 million do so several times a week. Platform usage overlaps between TV viewers and Internet/App users. Ipsos also found that 90 percent of C-SPAN viewers say that C-SPAN content is valuable.
September
Dave Watson, president and CEO of Comcast Cable, is elected chairman of the C-SPAN Executive Committee.
C-SPAN launches a new customized bus, its fourth, and kicks-off the
50 Capitals Tour, a 14-month journey to visit all 50 state capitals focusing on issues pertinent to each state and welcoming visitors.
- 2018
January - December
In Depth begins a full year of featuring 12 best-selling fiction writers, focusing on writers of historical fiction, science and national security thrillers, and social commentary.
February 26
Landmark Cases Season 2 premiers, continuing as a 12-part, weekly series in cooperation with the National Constitution Center exploring some of the most significant decisions in the Supreme Court's history.
February
April 21
C-SPAN televises the funeral service for
First Lady Barbara Bush, wife of George H.W. Bush, from St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas.
August-November
December 5
- 2019
January 2
January
C-SPAN presents a new book,
The Senate: An Enduring Foundation of Democracy. With over 130 color photographs, the book transports you inside the Senate wing of the Capitol, revealing architectural details of the Senate chamber, its ornate hallways, private workspaces and historic meeting rooms.
April 23
December 18
- 2020
January 16-February 5
January 31
C-SPAN's full coverage of the government's response to the
COVID-19 pandemic begins with the White House briefing declaring the outbreak a public health emergency. The networks' ongoing programming includes all White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings, remarks from the House and Senate leadership, floor statements, Congressional hearings, state and international responses, and interviews with experts on the
Washington Journal and the new
Washington Journal Primetime.
May
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Supreme Court allows audio coverage of oral arguments which were held by teleconference with C-SPAN airing each of the 10 arguments
live.
May 20
For the first time, the host for the
Washington Journal is live from their own home due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the crew directing from a remote ___location.
- 2021
January 13
C-SPAN provides live coverage of the second
House impeachment vote of President Trump.
February 13
March
A
survey by Ipsos finds that C-SPAN’s audience has grown 21% since 2017, continues to be ideologically balanced and is attracting more younger users than ever before.
April
After 26 years, 1.6 million visitors, 1.3 million miles traveled, 50 states visited and 8,500 events, C-SPAN retires the Bus program.
April 6
C-SPAN launches a new podcast,
Booknotes . Taking the concept from Brian Lamb’s long-running Booknotes TV program, the podcast offers listeners more books and authors featuring a mix of new interviews along with some old favorites from the archives.
July 30
The Communicators, half-hour conversations with the leaders who shape our digital future, comes to an end after 15 years.
July/August
January 6th: Views from the House airs as a five-part series with House lawmakers recounting their first-hand experiences on January 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
September
C-SPAN launches a new mobile app,
C-SPAN Now. The free app features the day’s biggest political events live and on demand, and offers on the go access to C-SPAN Radio and podcasts.
- 2022
March 15
A survey by Pierrepont Consulting and Analytics, LLC finds that 48 percent of respondents who have listened to live audio of an oral argument have a more positive view of the Supreme Court. Eighty-four percent agree that decisions made by the Supreme Court have an impact on their everyday life and 79 percent think it's important that the Court is gender and ethnically diverse. Sixty five percent agree that the Court should allow TV coverage with 70 percent saying it would build trust in the court's process and rulings.
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