NAICS Code 516 — Broadcasting and Content Providers

Subsector in the official 2022 North American Industry Classification System (U.S. Census Bureau). It contains 2 direct sub-codes.

Code	516
Title	Broadcasting and Content Providers
Level	Subsector (3-digit)
Edition	NAICS 2022 edition

Official definition (2022 NAICS)

Industries in the Broadcasting and Content Providers subsector include establishments that create content or acquire the right to distribute content and subsequently broadcast or distribute that content. The industry groups (Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations and Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers) are based on differences in the methods of communication and the nature of services provided. The Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations industry group includes establishments that operate radio or television broadcasting stations for the programming and transmission of programs to the public. Programming may originate in their own studio, from an affiliated network, or from external sources. The Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers industry group includes establishments providing media streaming distribution services, operating social network sites, operating media broadcasting and cable television networks, and supplying information, such as news reports, articles, pictures, and features, to the news media. The establishments classified in this subsector are often engaged in the production and purchase of programs and other textual, audio, and/or video content, and they typically generate revenues from the sale of advertising space and air time, subscriptions, donations, subsidies, and/or the sale of programs.

Establishments operating telecommunications facilities and infrastructure and distributing audio and video programming, including cable and satellite television subscription programming, are included in Subsector 517, Telecommunications. Establishments primarily engaged as independent contractors in the installation and maintenance of broadcasting systems are classified in Sector 23, Construction. Establishments primarily engaged in the production, or production and distribution, of motion pictures and sound recordings are included in Subsector 512, Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries.

Where 516 sits in the hierarchy

Level	Code	Title
Sector	51	Information
Subsector	516	Broadcasting and Content Providers

Codes under 516

Code	Title
5161	Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations
5162	Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers

Related Subsector codes

• 512 — Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
• 513 — Publishing Industries
• 517 — Telecommunications
• 518 — Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
• 519 — Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services

Data: official 2022 NAICS structure, descriptions and Census concordances, U.S. Census Bureau — U.S. government works in the public domain (17 U.S.C. §105). Suggested reference, not an official determination.