Discovery Channel, known asThe Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simplyDiscovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for airing ongoingreality andeducational shows. It is owned byWarner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEODavid Zaslav.
It initially provided documentary television programming focused primarily onpopular science, nature, technology, and history, but by the 2010s it had become increasingly dominated by programs that focused onconspiracy theories or promotedpseudoscience.[3][4][5]
By June 2012, Discovery Channel was the third most widely distributed subscription channel in the United States, behind now-sibling channelTBS andthe Weather Channel;[6] it is available in 409 million households worldwide, through its U.S. flagship channel and its various owned or licensed television channels internationally.[7] As of November 2023[update], Discovery Channel is available to approximately 71,000,000 pay television households in the United States-down from its peak of 99,000,000 in 2011.[8]
History
John Hendricks founded the channel and its parent company, Cable Educational Network Inc., in 1982.[9] Several investors (including theBBC,Allen & Company, and Venture America) raised $5 million in start-up capital to launch the network.
The Discovery Channel began broadcasting on June 17, 1985. It was initially available to 156,000 households and broadcast for 12 hours each day between 3 p.m. and 3 a.m. About 75 percent of its program content had never been broadcast on U.S. television before.[10] In its early years, the channel's focus centered on educational programming in the form of cultural and wildlife documentaries, and science and historicalspecials. It also broadcast someSoviet programming during this time, including the news programVremya.[11] The channel also carried twoteletext services over itsVBI during this time, Infotext (offering news from theAssociated Press, as well as information aboutagribusiness and agriculture, including commodity prices from theChicago Mercantile Exchange on a 15-minute delay), and Datavizion (offering trivia, strange news stories, games and a satellite TV guide); both services originated fromWHA-TV inMadison, Wisconsin, and were run by theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison.[12][13]
During the late 90s to early 2000s, the channel began to attract a broader audience by incorporating morereality-based series focusing on automotive, occupations, and speculative investigation series; though the refocused programming strategy proved popular, Discovery Channel's ratings began to decline by the middle of the 2000s. Some critics[14] said such shows strayed from Discovery's intention of providing more educationally based shows aimed at helping viewers learn about the world around them. In 2005, Discovery changed its programming focus to include morepopular science and historical themes.[15] The network's ratings eventually recovered in 2006.[16]
On January 4, 2006, Discovery Communications announced that anchorTed Koppel, executive producer Tom Bettag, and eight other former staff members from theABC newsmagazineNightline were joining Discovery Channel. The network was nominated for sevenPrimetime Emmy Awards that year for shows includingThe Flight that Fought Back (a documentary about the hijacking ofUnited Airlines Flight 93 during theterrorist attacks of September 11, 2001) andDeadliest Catch (a reality series about a group of seafood fishermen).
On September 1, 2010,James Jay Lee entered the Discovery Communications headquarters inSilver Spring, Maryland, armed with a handgun. Lee fired at least one shot and held several employees hostage; he was later shot dead by police.[18][19] Lee had published criticisms of the network at Savetheplanetprotest.com.[19]
In December 2015, Discovery Communications launched itsTV Everywhere service, Discovery Go, which features live and video-on-demand content from Discovery Channel and eight of its sister networks.[20]
Programming on the flagship Discovery Channel in the U.S. is primarily focused on reality television series, such as speculative investigation (with shows such asMythBusters,Unsolved History, andBest Evidence), automobiles, and occupations (such asDirty Jobs andDeadliest Catch). A popular annual feature on the channel isShark Week, which airs on Discovery during the summer months.[21]
Discovery has also featured documentaries specifically aimed at families and younger audiences. Other popular programs have includedHow It's Made,Cash Cab, andMan vs. Wild.
Shortly before the 2004Tour de France, Discovery Channel announced it would become the primary sponsor of a professional bicycling team starting in 2005, featuring the then-seven-timeTour de France winnerLance Armstrong, whose wins were voided after he was proven to have cheated via doping. After the 2007 victory with the SpaniardAlberto Contador, Discovery Channel discontinued the cycling sponsorship.[22][23]
Store
This article is about the US chain of stores. For the former gadget store chain in the United Kingdom, seeThe Discovery Store.
The Discovery Channel stores first opened in 1995. By 1997, the chain had 17 US and 1 UK stores. At that time, the chain was building a flagship store in Washington, DC, with three levels themed to various environments—sea and underground, land and outer space, aviation and science—to be opened in February 1998, with another flagship store in San Francisco to be opened in November 1998.[24]
On May 17, 2007, Discovery Communications announced it would close its standalone and mall-based stores. Hudson Group will continue to operate the Discovery Channel Airport Stores, and the website remains in operation.[25]
Discovery.com is the Discovery Channel's official website, which primarily provides information on the channel's programming and additional content, including articles, tied to those shows.[27][28]
Marketing and branding
The logo of Discovery Channel from 1987 to 1995.
The Discovery Channel's first logo was a television screen picturing a map of the world. For two decades, starting in 1987, the channel's logo incorporated the Discovery wordmark rendered in the Aurora Bold Condensed font with a circular shape in front of it. The circle usually took the form of a rising sun, or an animated version of theVitruvian Man. Discovery Channel's previousslogans had been "Explore Your World" and "There's No Thrill Like Discovery." Keeping with its changing focus away from strictly educational programming towardreality TV, the slogan was changed in the early 2000s to "Entertain Your Brain".[29]
In 1995, the channel's name was simplified to "Discovery Channel", dropping "The" from its name. A globe became a permanent part of the logo, and an underline was added to the bottom of the logo
On March 31, 2008, Discovery unveiled a new logo, which took effect on-air on April 15, 2008 (coinciding with the fourth season premiere ofDeadliest Catch). The new logo was designed by Viewpoint Creative, and integrated Discovery's long-time globe iconography into the "D" lettering of the wordmark, creating amonogram that was usable as a standalone icon. The launch was accompanied by a new advertising campaign, "The World is Just Awesome", which featured scenes of Discovery personalities singing an adapted version of the song "I Love the Mountains". Discovery Channel president John Ford explained that the campaign was intended to "showcase our earned place in the greater pop culture landscape".[30]
In August 2013 (coinciding withShark Week), the aforementioned monogram became the main on-air logo as part of a new imaging campaign, "Grab Life By the Globe", which was designed to emphasize the channel's current focus on personality-driven programming. The logo was portrayed in promos with visual effects relevant to their respective program.[31]
On April 1, 2019, Discovery unveiled a new logo, maintaining a refreshed version of the previous globe and D monogram. The new branding is accompanied by another new imaging campaign, "The World is Ours", which features scenes of Discovery personalities singing theBlue Swede version of "Hooked on a Feeling". The static version of the globe icon uses a non-standardprojection that shows all continents, reflecting Discovery's presence as an international brand.[32]
As of February 2015,[update] approximately 6,476,000 American households (5.6% of households with television) receive Discovery en Español.[33]
International
Discovery Channel reaches 431 million homes in 170 countries. Discovery Communications currently offers 29 network brands in 33 languages. In a number of countries, Discovery's channels are available ondigitalsatellite platforms with multiplelanguage soundtracks orsubtitles including Spanish, German, Russian, French,Czech,Hindi,Tamil,Telugu,Bengali,Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish,Turkish, Greek,Polish, Hungarian,Romanian, Latvian, Arabic,Slovene,Estonian, Japanese, Korean andSerbian. In 2011, a separateTamil-language channel was launched. InBulgaria, Discovery has, since 2000–2001, displayedBulgarian subtitles by all cable providers and since 2010 – with Bulgarian dubbing for some shows.
In Australia, the Discovery Channel is part of a six-channel package (not including timeshifts) on digital subscription television, available onFoxtel,Optus TV andAUSTAR.
In New Zealand, the Australian version of Discovery is broadcast onSKY Network Television.
The Canadian version of Discovery was established in 1995 by Labatt Communications, and before 2024 the channel was owned by joint venture ofBell Media and WBD.
The channel airs similar programming to its U.S. counterpart, but also airsdomestically produced programs to comply with local broadcasting regulations (which, in the past, included the daily science newsmagazineDaily Planet cancelled in 2018). Some of its original series (such as, most prominently,How It's Made) have been picked up in the U.S. by Discovery's sister networks (such asScience Channel), but others have not necessarily aired on Discovery's networks. Since 2018, the channel has increasingly aired blocks of fiction programming with science- or technology-oriented themes.
In June 2024,Rogers Sports & Media announced that it had acquired the Canadian rights to all WBD factual and lifestyle brands beginning January 1, 2025, including Discovery Channel. Bell subsequently announced that it would enter into a licensing agreement withNBCUniversal for two of its Discovery-branded channels, with Discovery being relaunched asUSA Network on January 1, 2025. Anew iteration of Discovery owned by Rogers concurrently launched the same day.
Discovery Channel was launched in 1995 in India broadcasting originally in English and Hindi. In June 2010, a Bengali audio track was added to the channel as well as a Telugu track in October 21 of that same year.[34][35] On August 15, 2011, a separate Tamil-language channel was launched[36] with an estimate audience of 10 million households.[37][38]Discovery recently launched Discovery Plus, a new streaming service for India priced at ₹300 per year, offering content in eight languages—English,Hindi,Tamil,Telugu,Malayalam,Kannada,Bengali andMarathi.[39]
In the United Kingdom, Discovery Channel UK airs some common programs as the U.S. version, includingMythBusters,American Chopper,How It's Made andDeadliest Catch. The channel is carried as a basic subscription channel on theSKYdigital satellite service and digital cable providerVirgin Media. Discovery UK also operates Discovery HD, Discovery Knowledge, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, Animal Planet, DMAX, Discovery Real Time, Discovery Home & Health, Discovery Travel & Leisure and Discovery Shed. Many of these channels also have timeshifted versions. In theRepublic of Ireland, the UK version of Discovery Channel is available on most cable providers in that country, but with local advertisements.
In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Discovery Channel is part of thePremiere digital network and supplies specific programs to other networks likeZDF andkabel eins.Discovery Communications is also owner of the documentary-channel XXP. The channel was bought in the spring of 2006 from its former shareholdersSpiegel 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 on most cable, IPTV and DVB-T providers. Nearly all of the programs are broadcast in their original language, but they are subtitled inDutch as is the policy of all Dutch television stations. Some programs and most promotions and program announcements have a Dutch voice-over. In Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, a Flemish Discovery Channel launched (previously the Dutch version was available for IPTV, DVB-C and DVB-S) on cable (and digital) television on October 1, 2009.
In Italy, the Discovery Channel (and HD) is distributed via satellite bySky Italia as part of the documentary pack. In addition, Italy has four Discovery-branded channels: Discovery Science, Discovery Real Time, Discovery Animal Planet and Discovery Travel and Living.
InBulgaria,Czech Republic,Croatia,Hungary,Poland,Romania,Slovakia,Serbia andSlovenia, Discovery Channel is carried by most cable television andIPTV providers with all the content subtitled in the respective languages. Additionally, it is also available on digital satellite platforms in Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia (sometimes requiring an additional fee). In Poland,nc+ broadcasts the programs dubbed in Polish and in original English. A few other channels from Discovery are also in offer, like Discovery Historia, launched in cooperation with Polish broadcasterTVN, which later ended.
In Spain, the channel shares a schedule and programs with Portugal and is available on most satellite and cable platforms, making it possible to broadcast both in Spanish and Portuguese. In Spain, all programs are dubbed; whereas in Portugal, most of them are subtitled. In addition, Portugal has three Discovery-branded channels:Discovery Turbo (focusing on motorsports),Discovery Science (focusing on science and technology) andDiscovery Civilization (focusing on historical events). These channels follow the same model as the original Discovery Channel, except for the absence of advertising. Spanish advertisements are broadcast on the Portuguese feed, non-subtitled or dubbed.
InSoutheast Asia, Discovery Channel is available on digital subscription television. Discovery Channel Asia still shows crime programs (such asMost Evil andThe FBI Files). Many programs feature development and society in Asian countries, especially in India and China. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have other channels branched from the main Discovery Channel, including Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, Discovery Home & Health andDiscovery Travel & Living.
ThePhilippines has its own semifeed derived from the Southeast Asian channel, in which offersregional variations with local advertisements during the commercial breaks.
South Africa
In South Africa, Discovery Channel shares a schedule and programming with all of Africa, the Middle East and Turkey. Discovery Channel and sibling channelsDiscovery World,TLC,[40]Investigation Discovery and Animal Planet are available on the DStv/Multichoice platform.
Controversies
RFID
In August 2008, it was reported byThe Consumerist that Discovery Channel had preempted an episode ofMythBusters examiningRFID security in regard to its implementation incredit cards before its original broadcast because the episode would upset credit card companies, who are major advertisers on Discovery Channel.[41] It was later determined that the decision not to investigate the issue was made byBeyond Productions, theMythBusters production company, and was not made by Discovery Channel or their advertising department.[42]
An ad promotingEnigmatic Malaysia, a special series on the network meant to highlight the cultural heritages ofMalaysia, mistakenly featuredBalinesePendet dancers. This prompted outrage from Balinese dancers, who posted messages demanding that Malaysia apologize over the misinformation, which then sparked a series of street protests.[43] Further demands were made from the local governments, cultural historians and the tourism ministry inIndonesia for Malaysia to clarify the situation.[44] The Malaysian government reportedly offered an apology, which was rejected by the Indonesian tourism minister, since the apology was given informally by phone; the Indonesian tourism minister demanded a written apology to make it more accountable.[45]
Shark Week, Discovery's annual shark-themed programming block, has been criticized for sensationalism and the promotion ofjunk science.[46][47]
Romanian RCS&RDS
In November 2012, the RomanianRCS&RDS, the largest company of its kind on the internal market, interrupted its carriage of Discovery Communications channels, including Discovery Channel. The CEO of Discovery Communications Mark Hollinger sent an open letter in his attempt to counteract the action of RCS&RDS, attracting the attention to the negation of the alleged right of the viewer to choose the viewed channels.[48] In turn, RCS&RDS issued a press statement accusing of hypocrisy Hollinger's discourse attentive at the needs of viewers and attracted attention to the fact that, during negotiations, the main preoccupations of the Discovery representatives was maintaining as high as possible tariffs and monetary gains".[49]
After four years of absence, on December 30, 2016, the Discovery Channel and its sister channel TLC returned to the RCS&RDS CATV, IPTV and DTH networks.[50]
Eaten Alive
Eaten Alive was a television program in which wildlife filmmaker Paul Rosolie was purportedly going to be "eaten alive" by ananaconda. It aired on December 7, 2014.[51] When the special aired, the anaconda attacked Rosolie but did not swallow him, as its title had implied, prompting numerous complaints of abait and switch.[52][53]
In February 2024, a group of US congressmen sent a letter to the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery criticizingWorld's Ultimate Frontier, a joint production between Discovery and Chinesestate media outletChina Global Television Network (CGTN), for "whitewashing genocide" of theUyghurs inXinjiang. They called on Discovery to "suspend this partnership with CGTN immediately and to abstain from entering into any similar partnership with any other agent ofCCP influence."[54]
^White, George (September 16, 1997)."New Theme Player".Los Angeles Times. p. 2. Archived fromthe original on February 8, 2017. RetrievedFebruary 7, 2017.
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