An NTSC analog "channel" is called such because it is allocated to AM video and FM audio.
These channels will so> Along this line, and at the risk of perhaps being slightly OT, if anyone
knows why television uses channels while radio uses frequencies (for the
> most part, that is, the 88 channel) FM Marine Band in the 156 MHz range
> being an exception), I would be interested in hearing about it.
> Regards,
> Mike
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: On radio, there are also 'channels', as
> you point out for example in the FM Marine Band, also the Citizens
> Band has 'channels'. I think the difference is where 'frequencies'
> refers to a general range of spaces in the spectrum for general
> categories of service (radio or television), 'channels' further
> divides that group of frequencies into into specific allocations. For
> example, we say the 'eleven meter band' (of frequencies) is divided
> into forty channels. PAT]