Discovery Channel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Discovery Channel | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | June 17, 1985 (USA) |
| Owned by | Discovery Communications, Inc. |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Slogan | "The world is just awesome." |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Silver Spring, MD |
| Sister channel(s) | Discovery Networks |
| Website | http://dsc.discovery.com/ |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | Channel 278 Channel 1278 (VOD) |
| Dish Network | Channel 182 |
| C-Band | AMC 10-Channel 21 |
| Bell | Channel 520 |
| Tata Sky | Channel 557 |
| Sky Mexico | Channel 251 |
| Dish Network Mexico | Channel 402 |
| Cable | |
| Time Warner Cable NY | Channel 66 |
| Comcast Cable CA | Channel 15 |
| StarHub TV (Singapore) | Channel 12 |
| SkyCable (Philippines) | Channel 39 |
| UPC Romania | Channel 301 (digital with DVR) Channel 41 (digital) |
| IPTV over ADSL | |
| Sky Angel | Channel 313 |
Discovery Channel (formerly The Discovery Channel) is an American satellite and cable TV channel (also delivered via IPTV, terrestrial television and internet television in other parts of the world), founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It provides documentary programming focused primarily on popular science, technology, and history. In the U.S., the programming for the main Discovery network is primarily focused on "reality-based" television themes, such as speculative investigation (with shows such as Mythbusters, Unsolved History, and Best Evidence), automobiles, and occupations (Dirty Jobs and Deadliest Catch); it also features documentaries specifically aimed at families and younger audiences. A popular annual feature is Shark Week.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Programming
Popular programming on the channel today includes Shark Week, an annual week of programming dedicated to facts about sharks; Deadliest Catch, about fishing for crab in the Bering Sea; the popular science shows MythBusters and How It's Made; Dirty Jobs about blue collar occupations; a quiz show Cash Cab, FutureWeapons, about cutting edge weapons technology and Man vs Wild, showing how a man can survive in the wild. Christopher Lowell won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2000 for The Christopher Lowell Show, which aired on the Discovery Channel from 1998-2001.
| Name | Launch | Country | Language | Content focus | Bias |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Channel | 1985 | USA | English | Technical | Cars / Woaw / USA |
| Appalachian Community Service Network | 1972 | USA | English | Education | Acquired by Discovery Networks in May 1991 |
| The Science Channel | 1999 | USA | English | Technical, Astronomy | USA |
| Discovery Knowledge | 1999 | UK | English | World War II | |
| Discovery Home & Health | 1999 | USA | English | Health and wellness | |
| Discovery Travel & Living | 1999 | USA | English | Traveling, how-to travel, hotel and cities touring | |
| Animal Planet | 1996 | USA | English | Wildlife, animals, relation between humans and animals | |
| Discovery Wings | 1998 | USA | English | Warfare | USA |
| Travel Channel | 1987 | USA | English | travel entertainment | |
| CBS Eye on People | 1996 | USA | English | Crime | |
| Discovery Home & Leisure | 1998 | USA | English | Living | |
| Discovery Shed | 2009 | UK | English | Lifestyle |
[edit] Non-television ventures
[edit] Pro Cycling Team
Shortly before the 2004 Tour de France, Discovery Channel announced it would become the primary sponsor of a professional bicycling team starting in 2005, featuring seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. However, after the 2007 victory with the Spaniard Alberto Contador Discovery Channel announced its retirement from cycling sponsorship. This sponsorship ended after the 2007 cycling season.
[edit] Discovery Channel Radio
Discovery Channel Radio was a channel on the both major Canada satellite radio services.
The programming consisted of audio versions of popular programs from its multitude of TV channels. Discovery was previously on XM Satellite Radio but was dropped in early September 2005. Sirius Satellite Radio dropped Discovery Radio from its slate on February 21, 2007.
[edit] Store
Discovery Channel also lent its branding to retail stores in malls and other locations across America, as well as an online store. Educational gifts were the store's specialty. On May 17, 2007, Discovery Communications announced it was closing its stand-alone and mall-based stores. Hudson Group will continue to operate the Discovery Channel Airport Stores, and the website remains in operation. [2]
[edit] Telescope
Discovery Channel is also funding the construction of the Discovery Channel Telescope, in partnership with Lowell Observatory.
[edit] Marketing and branding
[edit] Taglines
Discovery Channel's previous taglines had been "Explore Your World" and "There's no thrill like discovery." However in view of its changing focus towards more reality-based programming and away from strictly educational programming, the slogan was changed to "Entertain Your Brain". The new tagline for the revamped Discovery Channel was "Let's All Discover...", with a continuing phrase or sentence that relates to a show. For example, when advertising for MythBusters, the commercial would end, "Let's All Discover, Why No Myth Is Safe". With the 2008 logo change came a new tagline: "The World is Just...Awesome." The newest commercials include the song "Wonders Never Cease" by Morcheeba, from the album entitled The Antidote and the song Typical by Mute Math. Their most recent commercial I Love the World, created by the 72andSunny agency, contains amended verses and the refrain from the traditional campfire song "I Love The Mountains".
[edit] Logos
 The first Discovery Channel logo from 1985-1995. |
 1995-2000 (NOTE: The network dropped the word "The" in the channel's name. |
 This logo was used until 2008. |
2008-current |
- The 2000-2008 Logo is still in use in several countries, although it is gradually being replaced by the present logo.
[edit] International
Discovery Channel reaches 431 million homes in 170 countries. Currently, Discovery Communications offers 29 network brands in 33 languages. In a number of countries, Discovery's channels are available on digital satellite platforms with multiple language soundtracks or subtitles including Spanish, German, Russian, Czech, Hindi, Tamil, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Turkish, Greek, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, Arabic, Slovenian, Indian, Japanese, Korean and Serbian. In Bulgaria, Discovery has since 2000–2001 been displayed with Bulgarian subtitles by all cable providers.
[edit] Canada
Discovery Channel Canada has an ownership structure different from Discovery Channel. Canadian viewers receive almost identical English-language programming to the channel that American viewers watch, but with some added Canadian content to suit the audience. Most notably, the Canadian channel carries the daily science news show Daily Planet, originally @discovery.ca, the first of its kind. Occasionally, several segments on similar topics are taken from various episodes and put together into one-hour specials that are broadcast on the original Discovery Channel. Canadian channels Discovery HD, Discovery Health, Discovery Kids, Discovery Civilization, and Animal Planet are also seen. All channels are under different ownership, with Discovery Communications having a 20% share in each.
[edit] Europe
In the United Kingdom, Discovery Channel UK has some programs in common with the US version, including MythBusters, American Chopper, How It's Made and Deadliest Catch. The channel is carried as a basic subscription channel on digital satellite (SKY) and digital cable. Discovery UK also operates many additional channels: Discovery HD, Discovery Knowledge, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, Discovery Wild (formerly Animal Planet), DMAX, Discovery Real Time, Discovery Home & Health, Discovery Travel & Leisure and Discovery Shed. Many of these channels also have timeshifted versions.
In the Republic of Ireland the UK edition is available on most cable/digital operators but with local advertisements on Discovery Channel.
In Germany, Austria and Switzerland Discovery Channel is part of the PREMIERE-digital-network and supplies specific programs to other networks like ZDF and Kabel 1. Discovery Communications is also owner of the documentary-channel XXP. The channel was bought in spring 2006 from its former shareholders Spiegel TV and "dctp". All programs are dubbed into German. The channel is now known as "DMAX", presumably to associate the channel with Discovery.
In the Netherlands, the Discovery Channel is included in most cable subscriptions. Nearly all of the programs are broadcast in their original language, but they are subtitled in Dutch as is the policy of all Dutch television stations.
In Poland, the Discovery Channel is included in most cable television offers. It is also available on satellite digital platforms (sometimes requiring an additional fee). Cyfra Plus makes it possible to see the programs in Polish as well as in English. Also on digital platform "n" there is an additional channel Discovery Historia produced in cooperation with one of the biggest Polish broadcaster - TVN.
In Slovenia, the Discovery Channel was one of the most popular channels, with a very wide audience, especially after subtitling in Slovene was introduced. However, the popularity - and rating - of the channel dropped sharply after 2005, when it dropped most of its history and popular science documentaries[citation needed], shifting to series about motoring and mechanics, the appeal of which seems to be very limited.[citation needed]
In Serbia, the Discovery Channel is distributed via cable television providers with Serbian subtitles. It enjoys moderate popularity, with shows like MythBusters and American Chopper being especially well received.
In Spain, the channel shares a schedule and programs with Portugal and is available through most satellite and cable platforms, making it possible to broadcast both in Spanish and Portuguese. All programs are dubbed into Spanish, and some in Portuguese.
[edit] Australia and New Zealand
In Australia, the Discovery Channel is part of a six channel bouquet (not including timeshifts) on digital subscription television, available on Foxtel, Optus TV and AUSTAR.
In New Zealand, the Australian version of Discovery is broadcast on SKY Network Television.
[edit] South East Asia
In India, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the rest of South East Asia, the S.E. Asian version of the Discovery Channel is available on digital subscription television. Discovery Channel Asia still shows crime programs e.g. Most Evil, The FBI Files, etc. There also is a large number of programming featuring development and society in Asian countries, especially in India and China. For example, Malaysia has a number of other channels branched from the main Discovery Channel; Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, etc.
The Philippines on the other hand, has their own version of the said channel, it will separate from S.E Asian feed. But recently the Philippine feed share the program schedule both from the S.E Asian feed, except for the inclusion of the Philippine Advertisement during commercial breaks.
[edit] South Africa
In South Africa, the Discovery Channel is the same as the Discovery Channel in Europe.
[edit] Controversy
[edit] RFID
In August 2008 it was reported[3] that the Discovery Channel had stopped their popular MythBusters program from airing an episode examining RFID security in regard to its implementation in credit cards because the episode would upset the credit card companies, who are major advertisers on the Discovery Channel. It was later determined that the decision not to investigate the issue was made by Beyond Productions, the Mythbusters production company, and was not made by Discovery or their advertising department.[4]
[edit] List of shows
- A Haunting
- American Loggers
- Cash Cab
- Deadliest Catch
- Destroyed In Seconds
- Dirty Jobs
- Fight Quest
- Factory Made
- How It's Made
- Man vs. Wild
- Mythbusters
- Pitchmen
- Planet Earth
- One Way Out
- Out of the Wild
- Survivorman
- Time Warp
- Treasure Quest
- Wreckreation Nation
[edit] See also
- Discovery HD
- Discovery Channel Magazine [5]
- HD Theater
- List of channels on Virgin Television
- List of DirecTV channels
- List of Dish Network channels
- List of documentary channels
[edit] References
- ^ MediaPost Publications - Discovery Rebrands, Upgrades Marketing Efforts - 07/24/2007
- ^ Discovery to close 103 stand-alone, mall locations - May. 17, 2007
- ^ "Mythbusters Gagged: Credit Card Companies Kill Episode Exposing RFID Security Flaws". http://consumerist.com/5043831/mythbusters-gagged-credit-card-companies-kill-episode-exposing-rfid-security-flaws. Retrieved on 2008-12-12.
- ^ "Mythbusters Host Retracts RFID Censorship Comments". http://consumerist.com/5045633/mythbusters-host-retracts-rfid-censorship-comments. Retrieved on 2008-12-12.
- ^ http://www.readersdigest.com.au/discovery-channel-mag
[edit] External links
[edit] Main
- Discovery Channel Official Website
- Discovery Channel's Official YouTube
- Discovery Communications Inc.
[edit] Other
- Discovery Education
- Discovery Schools
- Cosmeo (Discovery Education's online homework help service)
- Discovery Channel Japan
- Discovery Channel Germany
- Discovery Channel Finland
- Discovery Channel Romania
- Discovery Channel India
- Discovery Channel China
- Discovery Channel Brazil
- Discovery Channel Canada
- Discovery Channel United Kingdom, Ireland and Iceland,
- Discovery Channel Taiwan
- Discovery Channel Italy
- Discovery Channel Poland
- Discovery Channel Russia
- Discovery Channel Asia
- Discovery Channel Korea
- Discovery Channel Europe (sub links to local sites)
- Discovery Channel Middle East
- Discovery Channel South Africa
- Discovery Channel Turkey
- Discovery Channel Latin America
- Discovery Channel at TV Ark
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