This is a list of the longest-running American television series, ordered by number of years the show has been aired. This list includes only first-run series originating in North America and available throughout the United States via national broadcast networks, American cable networks, syndication, IPTV, video on demand or streaming television. Series continuations (with name changes and/or changes in network) are noted. Series broadcast within the United States but produced in other countries, such as Coronation Street ( years) and Doctor Who ( years) are not included.
Series shaded in light blue are currently in production.
60+ years + 60 years or more Length Number of seasons Series Network First broadcast Last broadcast Number of episodes Notes years NFL on NBC NBC October 22, 1939 January 25, 1998 5,000+ GrandStand was the original name of the program. NBC originally carried many NFL games including the Pro Bowl. It later carried AFL/AFC games until 1997 when NBC lost its AFC contract to CBS. NBC later resumed its NFL coverage with NBC Sunday Night Football. It currently airs a Sunday night game every week and the NFL's kick-off games, along with the Super Bowl. August 6, 2006 present years Meet the Press(NBC News) NBC November 6, 1947 present Longest-running show. years CBS Evening News(CBS News) CBS May 3, 1948 present Longest-running network newscast. years Music & the Spoken Word Syndicated October 1949 present Longest-running non-news television program, the longest-running variety show, the longest-running religious television program, and the longest-running entertainment program in American television history. years Hallmark Hall of Fame NBC December 24, 1951 December 17, 1978 Longest-running television anthology program, though not broadcast on a regular schedule, with only a limited number of productions per year. CBS November 14, 1979 April 30, 1980 PBS February 9, 1981 May 6, 1981 CBS December 1, 1981 January 29, 1989 ABC April 30, 1989 April 23, 1995 CBS December 10, 1995 April 24, 2011 ABC November 27, 2011 April 20, 2014 Hallmark Channel November 30, 2014 present years Today (NBC News) NBC January 14, 1952 present Longest-running morning show. years 2The Victory HourWTVRJanuary 13, 19521966Longest-running Christian television programWWBT1966present years Backyard FarmerNebraska Educational TelecommunicationsJune 1, 1953presentLongest-running show for home lawn and gardening (The show claims to be "the longest-running locally produced program in television history.") years ABC World News Tonight ABC September 1953 present 15,722+ years The Tonight Show NBC September 27, 1954 January 25, 19572,000 (before Carson) ...Starring Steve Allen July 29, 1957 March 30, 1962 ...Starring Jack Paar October 1, 1962 May 22, 1992 ...Starring Johnny Carson May 25, 1992 May 29, 2009 3,775 ...with Jay Leno June 1, 2009 January 22, 2010 ...with Conan O'Brien March 1, 2010 February 6, 2014 835 ...with Jay Leno February 17, 2014 present ...Starring Jimmy Fallon years The Wonderful World of Disney ABC October 27, 1954 June 11, 1961 Anthology television series featuring wide variety of topics ranging from Disney animation to live-action and documentaries. Walt Disney was the original host from show's inception until his death in 1966. From 1991 to 1997 and since 2008, the series only airs sporadically as a special presentation a few times a year. NBC September 24, 1961 August 16, 1981 CBS September 26, 1981 September 24, 1983 ABC February 1, 1986 May 21, 1988 NBC October 8, 1988 August 26, 1990 CBS September 26, 1991 December 1, 1996ABC September 28, 1997 December 24, 2008 December 12, 2015 present Disney+ May 20, 2020 present years Face the Nation(CBS News) CBS November 7, 1954 present years It Is Written Syndicated March 1, 1956 present Longest-running religious television program to broadcast in color. years The Open Mind Syndicated May 1956 present Longest-running public television program. years NFL on CBS CBS September 30, 1956 January 23, 1994 CBS originally broadcast NFL games from 1956 to its merger with the AFL in 1970. It continued to broadcast NFC regular and playoff games 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. September 6, 1998 present years 12 To Tell the Truth CBS December 18, 1956 May 22, 1967 474 CBS Primetime June 18, 1962 September 6, 1968 1,625 CBS Daytime 9 Syndicated 1969 1978 1,715 1 1980 1981 195 NBC 1990 1991 190 2 Syndicated 2000 2002 3 ABC 2016 April 26, 2022 86 years Divorce Court Syndicated 1957 1962 Broadcast in black and white from 1957 to 1962. 1967 1969 1984 1993 September 15, 1999 present years CBS Sports Spectacular CBS January 3, 1960 present years The NFL Today CBS September 17, 1961 January 23, 1994 The pre-game show counterpart to NFL on CBS. Originally was 15 minutes long. September 6, 1998 present years It's Academic WRC-TVWJZ-TVWVIR-TVWETA-TV October 7, 1961 presentLongest-running game show of any type. Longest-running high school quiz show (broadcast in the Baltimore, Charlottesville, and Washington, D.C. areas only). years Professional Bowlers Tour ABC January 27, 1962 June 21, 1997 ESPN airs some of the tours on ABC. CBS 1998 1999 Fox Sports 1999 2000 ESPN 2000 present years General Hospital(ABC Daytime) ABC April 1, 1963 present Longest-running dramatic series (soap opera) still in production.Various citations concerning the 14,000th episode of General Hospital:
years 53 CBS Morning News CBS September 2, 1963 1979 This version of the program was replaced by CBS This Morning, and later by The Early Show. The program was on hiatus for two years, then retooled and reintroduced in 1982. October 4, 1982 present years 29Let's Make a Deal NBC December 30, 1963 December 27, 1968 3,200 Originally hosted by Monty Hall. Current host is Wayne Brady. ABC December 30, 1968 July 9, 1976 Syndicated 1971 1977 281 1980 1981 195 1984 1986 340 NBC 1990 1991 128 2003 2003 3 CBS 2009 present 1,500+ years 47 Jeopardy! NBC March 30, 1964 January 3, 1975 2,753 Originally presented by Art Fleming. Syndicated September 1974 September 1975 39 NBC October 2, 1978 March 2, 1979 108 Syndicated September 10, 1984 present 7,000+ Originally presented by Alex Trebek. Currently presented by Ken Jennings. years Days of Our Lives(NBC Daytime) NBC November 8, 1965 September 9, 2022 Peacock September 12, 2022 present years The 700 Club Syndicated April 1, 1966 present CBN & Freeform 1977 present
50–59 years + 50 to 59 years Length Number of seasons Series Network First broadcast Last broadcast Number of episodes Notes years Hollywood Squares NBC October 17, 1966 June 20, 1980 3,536 NBC Daytime January 12, 1968 September 13, 1968 NBC Primetime January 4, 1969 August 30, 1969 46 Saturday morning Syndicated September 9, 1972 April 10, 1981 NBC October 31, 1983 July 27, 1984 192 NBC Daytime Syndicated September 15, 1986 June 16, 1989 585 September 14, 1998 June 4, 2004 1,050 CBS January 16, 2025 Present 20 years Washington Week NET February 23, 1967 1970 Longest-running PBS public television show, having started on its predecessor NET and carrying over to PBS, along with Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Sesame Street, and others in 1970. PBS 1970 present 57 years 57 Guiding Light(CBS Daytime) CBS June 30, 1952 September 18, 200915,762 Longest-running dramatic series (soap opera) of any genre. Longest-running daytime drama.While its television debut was on June 30, 1952, The Guiding Lights first incarnation was as a radio show, which premiered on January 25, 1937, giving the production a total runtime of 72 total years. years NFL Films Presents Syndicated September 17, 1967 January 26, 1997 ESPN August 31, 1997 present NFL Network November 4, 2003 present years 60 Minutes(CBS News) CBS September 24, 1968 present yearsSesame Street NET November 10, 1969 May 8, 1970 Longest-running children's show. While Sesame Street remains on the PBS schedule, new episodes now premiere on HBO and become available to PBS nine months later. This also applied to (HBO) Max, starting from Season 51 when the show moved to (HBO) Max. Before season 55 aired, HBO announced its plans to terminate their partnership with Sesame Workshop, with Season 55 being the last to air on said streaming platform. Existing episodes will be available on HBO Max until 2027. Sesame Workshop found a new streaming platform for the deal, being Netflix. Starting with Season 56, new episodes will premiere on Netflix and air on PBS nine months later, just like with HBO. PBS (PBS Kids) November 9, 1970 present HBO January 16, 2016 November 1, 2020 (HBO) Max November 21, 2020 2025 (new episodes)