Bloomberg Television first launched in the United States in mid-1994 under the name Bloomberg Direct and was first carried on the then new satellite television service DirecTV.[5] Within a year it was renamed Bloomberg Information TV, before it was shortened to its current name in 1998. The network has took over the channel space of the-defunct Financial News Network, as well as hiring most of the former FNN workforce. Shortly after Bloomberg's launch, the now-defunct American Independent Network carried a simulcast of the channel at various times each weekday from 1995 to 1997, which was picked up by some broadcast stations in early morning periods to provide a de facto morning business show. Starting on July 1, 1995 the network's morning pre-opening bell programming (from 5:30 AM to 7 AM) was also aired on the USA Network, simulcast in a paid programming arrangement with the channel until 2004, when that network dropped the simulcast months before the NBCUniversal merger was consummated, due to concerns that USA would then air the coverage of a competitor to future sister network CNBC.[6] The simulcast then moved to E! (which also became NBCUniversal-owned and sister network of CNBC in January 2011 due to that company's purchase by Comcast), where it remained until the simulcast ended in January 2009, when the network had expanded its reach on digital cable systems enough to discontinue the simulcast. During its time on E!, the 5-8 a.m. block was the most watched period for the network, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Bloomberg Television's U.S. network debuted a new graphics package in January 2009. This current scheme was first used on the network's now-defunct pre-market program, Starting Bell, before the new graphics expanded to all of the network's programs on February 17, 2009. Also on that date, Bloomberg U.S. revamped its weekday programming lineup (see "Programs on Bloomberg" below).

In October 2009, Bloomberg Television debuted another new graphics package.[clarification needed] In 2011, Bloomberg Television announced a strategic relationship with Gas Station TV (GSTV) to deliver personal finance and business news to more than 27 million viewers each month at GSTV pumps.

Bloomberg launched a high definition simulcast feed on May 9, 2011, with Time Warner Cable as the first provider to carry it.[7] In mid-April 2013, DirecTV started carrying Bloomberg HD.

As of July 2014, Bloomberg Television's standard-definition feed now shows a down-scaled version of its native HD feed, with the 16:9 letterbox picture on its 4:3 SD feed.