In 1945, the NBC Blue network was sold to Edward John Noble, who later renamed it American Broadcasting Company (ABC). By the mid-1940s broadcasting had become a big Three television networks battle. ABC almost went bankrupt and in 1951 Leonard Goldenson and United Paramount Theaters bought the network for $25 million. In 1964, ABC won the ratings race in …

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