Discovery Channel

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Discovery Channel
Owned by Discovery Communications, Inc.
Slogan The World is Just Awesome
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language 33 languages
Headquarters Silver Spring, MD
Sister channel(s) Discovery Networks
Website Discovery Channel USA
Availability
Terrestrial
Top Up TV (UK) Via Top Up TV Anytime
SKY UHF (New Zealand) Channel 8
Channel 8
Satellite
DirecTV Channel 278
Dish Network Channel 182
C-Band AMC 10-Channel 21
Sky Digital Channel 520
Channel 521 (+1)
SKY Network Television (New Zealand) Channel 70
Sky Italia Channel 401
Cyfra+ Channel 53
Now TV Hong Kong Channel 209
Astro Malaysia Channel 551[1]
Star Choice Channel 505
Foxtel Digital (AU) Channel 610
Tata Sky Channel 557
TrueVisions DSTV (Thailand) Channel 47[2]
Astro Indonesia Channel 21
Digital+ Spain Channel 62
DialogTV (Sri Lanka) Channel 29
SkyLife (South Korea) Channel 403
Dishtv (India) Channel 625
Bell ExpressVu (Southern Canada & ontario) Channel 520
Dream Satellite TV (Philippines) Channel 19
Boom TV (Romania) Channel 88
Digi TV (Central Europe) Channel
Dolce (Romania) Channel 201
Focus Sat (Romania) Channel
Max TV (Romania) Channel
UPC Direct (Central Europe) Channel
Orbit Network Channel 36
SKY Latin America Channel 251
DStv (South Africa) Channel 250
Cable
Multicanal and Cablevision (Argentina) Channel 52
Virgin Media (UK) Channel 212
Channel 213 (+1)
SkyCable (Philippines) Channel 39
UPC Ireland Analogue Channel 24
UPC Ireland Digital Channel 301
CogecoDigital (NL) Channel 58
Verizon FiOS Channel 100
Comcast Channels Vary
Time Warner Cable Channels Vary
Charter Channels Vary
Cox Cable Channels Vary
Cablevision Channel 27
Bright House Networks Channels Vary
Starhub Channel 12
FASTWEB (Italy) Channel
Rogers Cable Channel 42
Cogeco Channels Vary
Shaw Cable Channels Vary
Vidéotron (Canada) Channel 37
TelstraClear InHomeTV (New Zealand) Channel 70
IPTV over ADSL
FASTWEB (Italy) Channel
iNES (Romania) Channel
Tiscali TV
(UK)
Channel 105
Internet Television
i-TV (Romania) Channel

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.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

On June 17, 1985, Discovery Channel was launched as the flagship channel of Discovery Communications with $5 million in start-up capital from the BBC, the American investment firm Allen and Company, Venture America and several other investors.

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.

The network's ratings improved in 2006[4] 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[5]. 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 2007, Discovery Channel's top series include Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, the Emmy-award winning Planet Earth, MythBusters, and Deadliest Catch.

Discovery's announced plans for 2008 include a new series with Josh Bernstein, who left History Channel to join Discovery. Other announced series include Fight Quest, Smash Lab, and the fourth season of Deadliest Catch.

Discovery Channel is currently the most widely distributed cable network in the United States,[6] reaching more than 92 million households, part of its global audience of 431 million homes in 170 countries and territories.[7] Versions of the channel are seen in Latin America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, India,Malaysia and other countries.[8]

[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; popular science show MythBusters and How It's Made; Dirty Jobs about blue collar occupations; quiz show Cash Cab, FutureWeapons, about the weapon technology and Man vs Wild, showing how a man can survive in the wild.

[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] Radio

The Discovery Channel Radio logo
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 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. [9]

[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 an original song composed by Brian Chapman.

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.

[edit] Logos

[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, Czech, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Turkish, Greek, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, Arabic, Slovenian, Hindi, Tamil and Serbian. In Bulgaria, Discovery has since 20002001 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.

In the Republic of Ireland the UK edition is available on most cable/digital operators but with some local content for the Irish market.

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 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, it is included in most cable TV 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.

In Slovenia, it 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 DC dropped sharply after 2005, when it dropped most of its history[citation needed] and popular science documentaries, shifting to series about motoring and mechanics, the appeal of which seems to be very limited.[citation needed]

In Serbia, the channel is distributed via cable TV providers with Serbian subtitle. It enjoys moderate popularity, with shows like MythBusters and American Chopper being especially well received.

[edit] Australia & New Zealand

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 New Zealand, the Australian version of Discovery is broadcast on SKY Network Television.

[edit] South East Asia

In Malaysia, Singapore and the rest of South East Asia, the S.E. Asian version of Discovery Channel is available on digital subscription TV. The most popular programs include American Chopper, Man Vs. Wild, Mythbusters, How It's Made and Dirty Jobs. Discovery Channel Asia still show crime programs e.g Most Evil and The FBI Files. There also is a large number of programming featuring development and society in Asian countries, especially China and India.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Main

[edit] Other