The station is well known among anime fans for its close association with the anime studio Sunrise (now known as Bandai Namco Filmworks), including participating in the production of such works as Mobile Suit Gundam, Zambot 3 (and its successor Daitarn 3), and Yoroiden Samurai Troopers.

Information as of March 31, 2021:[2]: 371 On November 24, 1959, Shotaro Kamiya, the then-president of Toyota Motors Sales Division,[4] alongside ten other people, set up a license for Chūkyō Television Broadcasting,[a] for the license of the third television station in the Tokai area.

Afterwards, Chukyo TV held a founding meeting on August 30 of the same year, issued 400,000 shares, with a capital of 200 million yen.

These employees established a separate "Wakatake Association" in July 1969, and the Nagoya TV union split.

[5]: 87 In July 1966, Nagoya TV abolished the afternoon off-air period and realized uninterrupted broadcasting throughout the day.

[5]: 73  On September 26 of the same year, Nagoya TV launched its logo, a blue 11 in the hole of a red and green oval.

This was the first time since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution that a foreign TV station was qualified to conduct independent interviews in China.

[5]: 77  Nagoya TV's long-term coverage of China was recognized by the Japan Private Broadcasting Federation Award in 1975.

[5]: 89  In 1976, Nagoya TV's 6th China coverage was edited into a 13-episode documentary and broadcast nationwide through the ANN network.

This move aroused strong dissatisfaction with Nippon Television, and the two went to court, and finally settled with a compromise plan of adapting one hour of the two-hour NET TV program to be broadcast.

[5]: 90  In 1979, the success of "Mobile Suit Gundam" and the special program starring then Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ōhira greatly increased the national popularity of Nagoya TV.

[5]: 161  In 1996 and 1997, the 35th anniversary of its launch, Nagoya TV produced a series of special programs such as "Late Night Express '96 ~ Hot Wind Asia ~",[5]: 163  and won three Japan Private Broadcasting Association Awards.

[5]: 171 The current brand, Mētele (メーテレ Mētere, derived from the first character in the name Nagoya (名, on reading "めい" mei)), and hybrid sheep-wolf mascot (Wolfy) were introduced on April 1, 2003.

[5]: 209 In 2009 and 2010, affected by Japan's economic depression after the global financial crisis, Nagoya TV suffered losses for two consecutive years.

[5]: 79 On July 21, 2020, NBN became the first commercial television station in Japan to operate a satellite rebroadcast vehicle with 4K capabilities.

In addition, the studio space is small, so Nagoya TV decided to invest 1 billion yen in 1964.

[5]: 226 In 1998, in order to adapt to the needs of the digital television era, Nagoya TV began planning to build a new headquarters.

[5]: 97  On November 2 of the same year, the Central Park Underground Mall operated by a company affiliated with Nagoya TV opened for business.

[5]: 97  On November 1, 1986, Central Park Annex (セントラルパーク・アネックス), a clothing department store invested by Nagoya Television, opened.

[5]: 66  In the same year, Nagoya TV also broadcast a special program on the Hida River bus crash accident, establishing a reporting system for major incidents.

[5]: 126  In 1994, Nagoya TV began broadcasting a special program at 21:48 that night after the China Airlines Flight 140 crash.

After switching to the network, Nagoya TV produced a daily children's program "Bunbunbanban" that was broadcast nationwide.

[5]: 96  To commemorate the 35th anniversary of tis founding, Nagoya TV began broadcasting the "Late Night Express" series starring Osawa Takao and Matsushima Nanako in 1996.

[5]: 171 As early as 1969, the animated program "Six Laws of Crime" (六法やぶれクン) produced by Nagoya TV was broadcast nationwide in Japan.

[5]: 71  Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 broadcast from 1977 to 1978 created Nagoya TV's dominant position in the field of robot-themed animation.

[5]: 99  In July 2009, Nagoya TV held the 30th anniversary festival of Gundam, attracting more than 70,000 people to participate.