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Discovery Channel

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Discovery Channel
HeadquartersUnited States Silver Spring, MD
Ownership
OwnerDiscovery Communications, Inc.

Discovery Channel is a cable and satellite TV channel founded by John Hendricks which is distributed by Discovery Communications. It provides non-fiction variety programming focused primarily on the themes of popular science, history, and knowledge about the world, which are usually showcased as documentaries globally. In the US, the programming for the main Discovery network is primarily focused on "reality-based" television themes such as speculative investigation (Unsolved History, Best evidence), automotives, and occupational duties (Dirty Jobs and Deadliest Catch); it also features documentaries specifically aimed at families and younger audiences.[2]

Discovery Channel is the most widely distributed cable network in the United States,[3] reaching more than 92 million households, part of its global audience of 431 million homes in 170 countries and territories.[4] Versions of the channel are seen in Latin America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, India and other countries.[5]

Discovery Channel was launched in 1985 as the flagship channel of Discovery Communications, which today offers 29 network brands in 33 languages. 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; popular science show MythBusters; Dirty Jobs about blue collar occupations; quiz show Cash Cab, FutureWeapons, about the weapon technology of the future and Man vs Wild, depicting survival techniques.

The Discovery Channel also is the branding retail stores in malls and other locations across America, and also an online store. Educational gifts are its 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. [6]

The Discovery Channel sponsored a professional bicycling team that included seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. This sponsorship ended after the 2007 cycling season.


United States

Discovery Channel (Television)

The Discovery Channel's ratings improved in 2006[7] after a drop widely attributed to an over-reliance on a few hit series such as Monster Garage and American Chopper. Some critics said such series strayed from Discovery's mold of helping viewers learn about the world around them. Beginning in 2005, Discovery revamped its lineup to focus more closely on its traditional themes of popular science, history, and geography[8]. The network garnered a total of seven primetime Emmy award nominations in 2006 for shows including The Flight that Fought Back (about United Airlines Flight 93) and Deadliest Catch.

In the past few years, Discovery Channel has begun producing made-for-television films inspired by or based upon scientific discoveries and theories. Examples include Supervolcano, a film about a hypothetical volcanic eruption in the United States. Some Discovery Channel productions are of a hard science fiction nature, such as one production that followed a hypothetical robot exploration mission of an alien world.

On January 4, 2006, Discovery Communications announced that Ted Koppel, longtime Executive Producer Tom Bettag, and eight former Nightline staff members were joining the Discovery Channel.

Discovery Channel Radio

File:Discovery Channel Radio.jpg
The Discovery Channel Radio logo

Discovery Channel Radio was a channel on the both major United States 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 line up on February 21 2007.

Around the world

The Discovery Channel reaches 431 million homes in 170 countries. In a number of countries, Discovery's channels are available on digital satellite platforms with multiple language soundtracks or subtitles (including Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Danish, Turkish, Greek, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, Arabic, Slovenian, Hindi and Serbian. In Bulgaria, Discovery has since 2000–2001 been displayed with Bulgarian subtitles by all cable providers.

Discovery Channel (Canada) has an ownership structure different from Discovery Channel. Canadian viewers receive almost identical English-language programming to the chanel 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.

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.

In Germany, 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 will from September be known as "DMAX", presumably to associate the channel with Discovery.

In Australia, Discovery is part of a 6 channel bouquet (not including timeshifts) on digital subscription TV, available on Foxtel, Optus TV and Austar. See Discovery Channel Australia.

In the Middle East, North Africa, and the Levant territories broadcasting via satellite, exclusively from the Showtime Arabia pay-TV network. However, from January the 1st 2007 Discovery is exclusively broadcasted by Orbit network for this region.

In the Netherlands, The Discovery Channel is included in most cable subscriptions. 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 New Zealand, the Australian version of Discovery is broadcast on SKY Network Television.

In Sub-Saharan Africa it is broadcast on DSTV satellite pay-tv service by Multichoice on Panamsat7/10.

Marketing and branding

File:Discovery85.jpg
Discovery Channel logo used from 1985 to 1995.

Shortly before the 2004 Tour de France, the Discovery Channel company announced it would become the primary sponsor of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team starting in 2005, featuring seven-time champion Lance Armstrong. However, after the 2007 victory with the Spaniard Alberto Contador Discovery Channel anounced its retirement from cycling sponsorship.

They are also funding the construction of the Discovery Channel Telescope, in partnership with Lowell Observatory.

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 is "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". The newest commercials include the song "Wonders Never Cease" by Morcheeba, from the album entitled The Antidote.

The previously-used tagline, "Explore Your World", went on to become a pop culture phenomenon, and had been synonymous with the channel for many years.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.truevisionstv.com/thai/channelindex/ubc_channel.aspx
  2. ^ http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=64477
  3. ^ http://www.ncta.com/ContentView.aspx?contentId=74
  4. ^ http://corporate.discovery.com/brands/discoverychannel.html
  5. ^ http://corporate.discovery.com/news/press/06q1/011806.html
  6. ^ http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/17/news/companies/discovery/?postversion=2007051717
  7. ^ http://corporate.discovery.com/news/press/06q2/083006.html
  8. ^ http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6361880.html
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