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| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Australia New Zealand |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 720pHDTV (downscaled to576i for the SD feed) |
Discovery is a television channel available oncable andsatellite television in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian version of the USDiscovery Channel was previously operated byXYZnetworks,[1] who also own the exclusive distribution rights for the channel.[2]
The channel was launched in July 1995, replacing the Quest documentary channel launched in April 1995 by XYZ.[3]
It initially provided documentary television programming focused primarily on popular science, technology, and history, but by the 2010s had expanded into reality television and pseudo-scientific entertainment.
Discovery's most popular content includesAussie Gold Hunters,Gold Rush,Deadliest Catch, andFast N' Loud and annual event Shark Week. Programming is primarily focused on reality television series geared towards the topics of science, extreme living, and motoring.
Both Discovery and Discovery Turbo have timeshift channels, which rebroadcast programming 2 hours later on Foxtel.
Shark Week is an annual, week-long TV programming block on Discovery, which features 24/7 shark-based programming around the first week of December. Not only is Shark Week the best week of the year, it's also one of the most important as it raises awareness about the increasing threat faced by our ocean's greatest predator at the hands of humans and the environment. Now in its 25th year in Australia,[needs update] the event also highlights recent developments in shark science and reveals remarkable new insight into these magnificent and misunderstood creatures.[9]