C-SPAN
A public affairs network offering live and archived coverage of Congress and politics.
C-SPAN at a glance
C-SPAN is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #361 in the country. It was founded in 1979 by Brian Lamb and is headquartered in Washington, DC, USA. Today C-SPAN is owned by National Cable Satellite Corporation. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 10 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through cable affiliate fees. Its closest rivals include congress.gov, pbs.org, politico.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 9.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 9.7 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 10 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 10.6 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| c-span | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- c-span.org
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- National Cable Satellite Corporation
- Owner type
- Nonprofit
- Founders
- Brian Lamb
- Founded
- 1979
- Headquarters
- Washington, DC, USA
- Employees
- 300+
- Ownership
- National Cable Satellite Corporation controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $70 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $70 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Nonprofit
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
C-SPAN operates a news and media publisher focused on United States. A public affairs network offering live and archived coverage of Congress and politics. Revenue comes mainly from cable affiliate fees, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Cable affiliate fees
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #361 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United States
- Global rank
- 6000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| congress.gov | ≈ 6 million / month | #362 class competitor | — |
| pbs.org | ≈ 4.5 million / month | #363 class competitor | — |
| politico.com | ≈ 3 million / month | #364 class competitor | — |
What is C-SPAN?
C-SPAN (c-span.org) is a news and media publisher serving users in United States. A public affairs network offering live and archived coverage of Congress and politics. It ranks #361 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns C-SPAN?
The site is operated by National Cable Satellite Corporation, founded by Brian Lamb. The company was established in 1979 and is headquartered in Washington, DC, USA. It employs around 300+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place C-SPAN at roughly 10 million visits per month, about 0.3 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How C-SPAN makes money
Revenue comes primarily from cable affiliate fees, alongside .
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include congress.gov, pbs.org, politico.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1979
C-SPAN is founded in Washington, DC, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #361 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns C-SPAN?
C-SPAN is operated by National Cable Satellite Corporation. Nonprofit structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is C-SPAN headquartered?
C-SPAN is headquartered in Washington, DC, USA.
When was C-SPAN founded?
C-SPAN was founded in 1979 by Brian Lamb.
How many employees does C-SPAN have?
C-SPAN employs approximately 300+ people.
What is C-SPAN's revenue?
C-SPAN's revenue: ≈ $70 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are C-SPAN's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include congress.gov, pbs.org, politico.com.
How does C-SPAN make money?
Mainly cable affiliate fees.
Is C-SPAN publicly traded?
No — C-SPAN is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by National Cable Satellite Corporation.
How many visitors does C-SPAN get?
Third-party estimates place C-SPAN at roughly 10 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is C-SPAN safe?
C-SPAN is an established news & media site founded in 1979 and ranked #361 in United States; use the official domain c-span.org and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsc-span.org
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos