▁the ▁major ▁commercial ▁broadcast ▁networks ▁often ▁have ▁relatively ▁higher ▁view ership ▁than ▁those ▁seen ▁on ▁cable ▁channels . ▁ ▁The ▁oldest - ex isting ▁cable - origin ated ▁television ▁channel ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁prem ium ▁cable ▁( or ▁" pay - c able ") ▁service ▁is ▁Home ▁Box ▁Office ▁( H BO ), ▁which ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁television ▁network ▁intended ▁for ▁cable ▁distribution ▁on ▁a ▁regional ▁or ▁national ▁basis . ▁H BO ▁launched ▁on ▁November ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁to ▁ 3 6 5 ▁Service ▁Electric ▁C able ▁subscri bers ▁in ▁Wil kes - Bar re , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁with ▁a ▁mix ▁of ▁mov ies , ▁sports , ▁and ▁comedy ▁and ▁music ▁spe ci als . ▁For ▁its ▁first ▁three ▁years ▁of ▁operation , ▁it ▁used ▁mic row ave ▁technology ▁to ▁transmit ▁its ▁programming ▁to ▁C AT V ▁and ▁M MD S ▁prov iders ▁in ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁New ▁York . ▁On ▁September ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁beginning ▁with ▁its ▁tele cast ▁of ▁the ▁" T hr illa ▁in ▁Man ila " ▁box ing ▁match ▁between ▁Muhammad ▁Ali ▁and ▁Joe ▁Fra z ier , ▁H BO ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁television ▁network ▁to ▁util ize ▁communic ations ▁sat ell ites ▁to ▁transmit ▁its ▁programming , ▁immediately ▁expand ing ▁its ▁distribution ▁to ▁U A ▁Columbia ▁C able vision ' s ▁Fort ▁Pier ce ▁and ▁V ero ▁Beach , ▁Florida , ▁systems ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁Television ▁and ▁Communic ations ▁Corporation ▁system ▁in ▁Jackson