C-SPAN, cable’s public affairs network, is expanding its programming offerings with a new history-based service airing weekends on C-SPAN3. Launching the weekend of January 8-9, 2011, American History TV (AHTV), a “network in a network,” features programming geared toward history lovers with 48 hours every weekend of people and events that document the American story.

The C-SPAN Networks last launched a “network within a network” in 1998 with Book TV, which airs weekends on C-SPAN2. C-SPAN began C-SPAN3 operations ten years ago this month (January 22, 2001) as a digital service. C-SPAN3 is currently available in 41 million digital cable TV households and is streamed live online at C-SPAN.org.

American History TV offers history lovers these experience-for-yourself programs: