FAQs

• C-SPAN
• Funding
• Online

C-SPAN

What is C-SPAN?

C-SPAN is a multi-platform public service with offerings on television, online, radio and social media. It is a private, nonprofit organization created in 1979 by the cable television industry to provide long-form, unfiltered and balanced public affairs programming. C-SPAN receives no government funding, funding comes through license fees paid by television providers — the cable and satellite companies that offer C-SPAN to their customers as a public service — and through advertisements on our digital platforms. C-SPAN's mission is to provide our audience with access to the live, gavel-to-gavel proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and to the other forums where public policy is discussed, debated and decided — all without editing, commentary or analysis, and with a balanced presentation of points of view.

With three television networks,

• C-SPAN covers the House of Representatives,
• C-SPAN2 covers the Senate and on Saturdays becomes American History TV and on Sundays becomes Book TV,
• and C-SPAN3 provides additional public affairs programming — including press briefings, congressional hearings and speeches.

Beyond the three television networks, platforms include C-SPAN.org, C‑SPAN Now, C-SPAN Radio, podcasts, email newsletters and a robust presence on social media.

How does C-SPAN decide what events to cover?

All programming decisions are made by C-SPAN's editorial team. Sponsoring organizations can submit events by calling 202-737-3220 or emailing [email protected].

Where can I find the C-SPAN schedule?

C-SPAN's schedule can be found on our schedule page, in the schedule section of C‑SPAN Now, by subscribing to or Program Guide email newsletter, through your television provider's program guide or by following @CSPANschedule.

Does C-SPAN have an app?

Yes! C‑SPAN Now is our free, mobile app featuring live and on-demand video coverage of the U.S. House and Senate, congressional hearings, White House events, the courts, campaigns and more from the world of politics. You'll also find C-SPAN Radio, all of our podcasts and schedule information. Download now — it's available for iOS and Android devices.

Why does C-SPAN take viewer calls?

One of C-SPAN's founding philosophies was focusing on the viewer and, through our call-in programs, viewers are able to interact directly with elected officials, policymakers and journalists. In addition to our daily call-in program, the Washington Journal, C-SPAN regularly incorporates viewer call-ins into the schedule to allow people to react to breaking news events. For more information on the details of the Washington Journal, visit www.c-span.org/washingtonjournal and click on FAQs.

How can I recommend an author for Book TV?

To recommend an author or event for Book TV to cover, please email [email protected].

Why doesn't my TV provider carry C-SPAN3 or C-SPAN in HD?

C-SPAN works hard to get all three networks in HD carried in HD on all television providers. If your provider does not provide a channel or does not carry C-SPAN in HD, please call your television provider and let them know that, as a customer, you would like it to be added to your lineup.

What are some C-SPAN highlights through the years?

To see highlights from the beginning of C-SPAN through today, please visit our Milestones page.

Does C-SPAN sell merchandise?

Yes! Show your pride as a C-SPAN viewer with a wide variety of merchandise — coffee mugs, apparel, bumper stickers and more — available at the C-SPAN Shop.

Does C-SPAN choose the advertisers that I see or endorse the products and services advertised on C-SPAN.org?

The ads that appear on C-SPAN.org are from a Google service that attempts to present ads relevant to your interests. C-SPAN is paid a fee when ads are viewed on the website, but does not endorse or recommend the companies, organizations, products and/or services presented in the ads. While we don't choose which ads you see, we are very mindful of C-SPAN's reputation as a neutral and trusted news source and for now restrict certain categories, including politics-, policy- or cause-related advertising on all platforms. You can learn more about the technology behind the ads and how you can control the information collected by Google here.

Why is my on-screen schedule guide inaccurate?

C-SPAN works hard to provide the most up-to-date schedule information to the companies who send schedule data to each television. Due to the nature of news programming, we aren't always able to schedule our programming far in advance. If there's a difference between the schedule on your set and the one published at C-SPAN.org/schedule, it is likely that C-SPAN didn't schedule the program until close to air time, thus not affording the system enough time to process the data.

Funding

How is C-SPAN funded?

At C-SPAN, we believe an informed citizenry is vital for democracy. For over 40 years, we've provided bipartisan, unfiltered political coverage, funded by cable and satellite partners without a dime of government funding.

Why is C-SPAN asking for donations?

As fewer people subscribe to cable and satellite, diversifying our funding becomes crucial to continue offering unfiltered coverage of Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court and more. Your support ensures C-SPAN remains your reliable source for government proceedings, accessible on both traditional TV and digital platforms, allowing you to access our content whenever and wherever you consume news.

What does my donation support?

Donations to C-SPAN support:

• Delivering extensive unfiltered coverage of government proceedings
• Enhancing and maintaining our acclaimed video library, which provides free, searchable access to nearly 300,000 hours of in-depth political, historical, and current nonfiction content.
• Broadening the reach of our content across all digital platforms.

Are donations to C-SPAN Tax-Deductible?

Yes! As a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization under the National Cable Satellite Corporation dba C-SPAN, with Tax ID # 84-0751854, your donations are tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. All contributions will be acknowledged via email or letter, serving as your official tax receipt.

What are the ways I can give?

Online: Online donations can be made quickly and securely here. Payment options include credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo.

Donor Advised Funds: For those considering a donation through Donor Advised Funds (DAF), it's essential to include C-SPAN's legal name (National Cable Satellite Corporation dba C-SPAN) and our Tax ID # 84-0751854 to ensure your gift is properly directed to us. Using a Donor Advised Fund allows you to streamline your charitable giving, offering both flexibility and tax benefits. When directing a gift from your DAF, please indicate that the donation is intended for C-SPAN. For gifts intended to support a specific campaign, such as our Founders' Day campaign or other special initiatives, kindly include a note or instruction with your DAF distribution.

Mail: To donate by mail, please address your check to C-SPAN:

C-SPAN
PO Box 417321
Boston, MA 02241-7321

A Gift in Honor or Memory of Someone: You can make your gift even more meaningful by donating in honor or memory of someone special. The recipient (or their family, in the case of a memorial gift) will receive a notification of your generous contribution via email if an email address is provided, or C-SPAN will send a notification by mail if a postal address is provided. This is a thoughtful way to celebrate or remember someone while supporting C-SPAN's mission.

Why am I seeing advertising on C-SPAN platforms?

While cable and satellite companies will continue to be our primary funding source, we are also diversifying our revenue streams with limited advertising on our digital platforms, including YouTube, podcasts, C-SPAN.org, and C-SPAN Now.

Does C-SPAN choose the advertisers that I see or endorse the products and services advertised on C-SPAN.org?

The ads that appear on the site are from a Google service that uses algorithms to present ads relevant to your interests. C-SPAN is paid a small fee when ads are viewed on our website, but does not endorse or recommend the companies, organizations, products and/or services presented in the ads. You can learn more about the technology behind the ads and how you can control the information collected by Google here.

Online

What is the C-SPAN Video Library?

The C-SPAN Video Library is an archive of all programming that has aired on C-SPAN since 1987. Type into the search bar at the top of any page on C-SPAN.org to search for programs, dates, people and events to watch, clip and share.

What if I miss a program on TV?

All C-SPAN television programs are available on C-SPAN.org, archived in the C-SPAN Video Library for free on-demand viewing anytime.

How can I watch live events on C-SPAN.org?

For full details on our online access to C-SPAN programming click here.

Why am I having problems verifying my television credentials on the Live TV page with Safari?

To watch a live stream of any of the three C-SPAN Networks, you need to log in with the credentials provided by your television provider. If you are having trouble logging on, you need to make sure that cookies are enabled in your browser before you sign in. Safari (on both desktop and mobile devices) blocks cookies from some third-parties by default, which interferes with the sign-in process for some television providers. If you are having trouble signing in with your television provider when using Safari, you may need to change the 'Prevent cross-site tracking' and 'Block all cookies' settings in Safari. Be aware that making this change will impact other websites you visit. For desktops running Safari, open Safari Preferences, click the 'Privacy' tab, and confirm that the options for 'Prevent cross-site tracking' and 'Block all cookies' are unchecked. For iOS devices, navigate to the device settings menu, select 'Safari,' locate the 'Privacy & Security' section, and confirm that the options for 'Prevent cross-site tracking' and 'Block all cookies' are disabled.

How do I license C-SPAN footage?

Please visit the Copyright and Licensing Page to see the requirements for licensing C-SPAN footage.

How can I obtain transcripts of C-SPAN shows?

The C-SPAN Video Library uses closed captioning as an aid to searching the video, but does not provide copies of the transcripts. We recommend that you contact the speaker, organization sponsoring the event or committee directly to inquire about transcripts. We do attach official House and Senate floor and White House transcripts.

How can I flag a video as having an issue?

If you find an audio or visual issue with a program, click on the 'Report Video Issue' in the upper right-hand corner of the page and fill in the form. Flagged videos will be reviewed for issues by our technical staff. If you don't see an improvement, please contact us.

When will a program be available for ordering after my request?

Typically, you can expect the video to be ready in ten minutes plus the length of the requested program or clip. To inquire about the status of your request please contact us.

When will my video be available for download after ordering?

Your video will be available for download immediately after your order is complete.

What size are the downloadable videos?

The downloadable files use variable bitrate encoding. The average bitrate is around 590 kbps or 266 MB per hour.

How do I play my downloaded programs?

Program downloads from the Video Library are in MP4 format. In order to play these downloaded programs, you need to have video playback software on your computer that is compatible with the MP4 format, or you need a media device that can use the MP4 format.

Below is a list of common MP4-compatible software and devices:

1. VLC Media Player
2. QuickTime Player
3. Windows Media Player, with MP4 codecs installed
4. Apple's portable media devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad).

Keep in mind that this is not a complete list of MP4-compatibility. If your preferred media device or video software is not listed above, please check the specifications of your software or device for MP4 playback availability.