The number of TV channels has varied considerably over time. In the early days of television, there were often only a few channels, typically operated by the government. As technology improved and the demand for television grew, more channels were added. In the United States, for example, there were only seven TV channels in 1946, but by 2021 there were over 1,700. In other parts of the world, the number of TV channels can vary significantly, with some countries having only a handful of channels and others having hundreds or even thousands.