Discovery Channel
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Discovery Channel is a property of Discovery Communications primarily packaged as a network entertainment brand distributed in virtually every pay-television market in the world.
The network brand is primarily known for its variety of science programming, particularly documentaries and nature shows. The Discovery Channel network brand launched on June 17, 1985 in the United States.
The Discovery Channel also is the branding for a multitude of stores in malls across America and also an online store. Educational gifts are its specialty.
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[edit] United States
[edit] Discovery Channel (Television)
The Discovery Channel has added programs on mechanics and popular science including American Chopper, MythBusters, Dirty Jobs, and Monster Garage that widen the network's scope beyond its initial focus on science and because of it, have put it under scrutiny of presenting infotainment instead of educational television.
Discovery Networks U.S. has decided to return The Discovery Channel to its founding agenda after dropping out of the Top 10 of watched channels and ratings for two-year span have been low. Chris Moseley, Discovery Networks U.S.' Executive Vice President, has said that the channel will return programming to the channel's original intent, interesting science programming that educates. [1]
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.
[edit] Discovery Channel Radio
Discovery Channel Radio is a channel on the major United States satellite radio service, Sirius Satellite Radio. Discovery was previously on XM Satellite Radio but was dropped in early September 2005. The programming consists of audio versions of popular programs from its multitude of TV channels.
[edit] Around the world
The Discovery Channel reaches over 450 million homes in over 160 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, Greek, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian and Hindi). For example, subscribers of Cyfra+ in Poland, at an extra $2 per month, can now switch between four Discovery channels with two language soundtracks: the original English or the native Polish soundtrack. In Bulgaria, Discovery has since 2001–2002 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 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.
In the United Kingdom, Discovery Channel UK has some programmes in common with the US version, including Mythbusters, American Chopper and How It's Made.
In Germany, Discovery Channel is part of the PREMIERE-digital-network and supplies specific programmes 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 programmes 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.
In the Middle East, North Africa, and the Levant territories broadcasting via satellite, exclusively from the Showtime Arabia pay-TV network.
In the Netherlands, The Discovery Channel is included in most cable subscriptions. All of the programmes are broadcast in their original language, but they are subtitled in Dutch as is the policy of all Dutch television stations.
In New Zealand, Discovery is broadcast on SKY Network Television.
[edit] Marketing and branding
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.
They are also funding the construction of the Discovery Channel Telescope, in partnership with Lowell Observatory.
The Discovery Channel has also used a variety of guerrilla techniques to promote their shows.
[edit] Taglines
Discovery Channel's previous tagline had been "There's no thrill like discovery." However in view of its changing attitude toward more reality-based programming and away from strictly educational programming the slogan was changed to "Entertain Your Brain". This change coincided with the creation of The Science Channel and was likely due to Discovery Channel's desire for more entertaining television, leaving the more informative shows for its sister channel. After 2 years of dropped ratings, an attempt has been made to return Discovery Channel to its initial agenda for educational programming. The new tagline for the revamped Discovery Channel is "Let's All Discover...", with a continuing phrase or sentence that relates to a show.
They previously used the tagline, "Explore Your World", which went on to become a pop culture phenomenon, and had been synonymous with the channel for many years.
[edit] See also
- Discovery HD Theater
- List of Discovery Channel programs - list of television programs formerly or currently broadcast by Discovery Channel.
- Discovery Channel Canada - a Canadian cable television service devoted to science and nature programming.
- Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team - a US-based professional road bicycle racing team. It is the continuation of the 2004 US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team.
- Conspiracy of Silence- a 56 minute documentary set to be aired on May 3, 1994, that was canceled after being listed in TV Guide, an unprecedented or since repeated anomaly.[citation needed]
- The Bad Touch - a song by the Bloodhound Gang, which makes humorous references to the Discovery Channel.
- List of DirecTV channels
- List of Dish Network channels
[edit] References
- ^ "Discovery Network looks back to move ahead". United Press International, Inc.
[edit] External links
- Main
- Other
- Discovery Channel USA
- Discovery Channel UK
- Discovery Channel India
- Discovery Channel Europe
- Discovery Channel Canada
- Discovery Channel Poland
- Discovery Channel Asia
- Discovery Channel Brazil
- Discovery Schools
- Discovery Education
- Cosmeo (Discovery Education's online homework help service)
| Discovery Communications |
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Discovery Holding Company (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB) Cox Communications, Inc. Advance/Newhouse Communications, affiliated with Advance Publications John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman |
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Discovery Networks in the United States: Animal Planet | Discovery Channel | Discovery Health Channel | Discovery Home | Discovery Kids | Discovery Times | FitTV | Military Channel | TLC | Travel Channel | The Science Channel | Discovery en Español | Discovery HD Theater Discovery Networks International: ASIA/INDIA: Discovery Channel Southeast Asia, Discovery Channel Taiwan, Discovery Channel New Zealand, Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Japan, Discovery Channel Korea, Discovery Channel India, Animal Planet Southeast Asia, Animal Planet Taiwan, Animal Planet Australia/New Zealand, Animal Planet Japan, Animal Planet India, Discovery Travel & Living Southeast Asia, Discovery Travel & Living Taiwan, Discovery Travel & Living Australia/New Zealand, Discovery Travel & Living India, Discovery Science Southeast Asia, Discovery Home and Health Southeast Asia, Discovery Real Time Asia, Discovery HD Japan UK: Discovery Channel | Discovery Home & Health | Animal Planet | Discovery Real Time | Discovery Real Time Extra | Discovery Science | Discovery Civilisation | Discovery Travel & Living | Discovery Kids | Discovery Wings EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA (EMEA): Discovery Channel Benelux, Discovery Channel Europe, Discovery Channel Poland, Discovery Channel ME/Africa, Discovery Channel Turkey, Discovery Channel Nordic, Discovery Channel Sweden, Discovery Channel Denmark, Discovery Channel Italy, Discovery Channel France, Discovery Channel Germany, Discovery Channel Hungary, Animal Planet Benelux, Animal Planet Nordic, Animal Planet Europe, Animal Planet Poland, Animal Planet ME/Africa, Animal Planet Germany, Animal Planet Italy, Discovery Science Europe/ME, Discovery Science Italy, Discovery Civilisation Europe, Discovery Civilisation Italy, Discovery Civilisation ME, Discovery Real Time Italy, Discovery Real Time France, Discovery Travel & Living Europe, Discovery Travel & Living Italy, Discovery Geschichte LATIN AMERICAN/IBERIA: Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Venezuela, Discovery Channel Mexico, Discovery Channel Brazil, Discovery Channel Argentina, Discovery Channel Iberia (Spain/Portugal), Animal Planet Latin America/Brazil, Discovery Kids Latin America, Discovery Kids Brazil, Discovery Kids Mexico, People+Arts Argentina, People+Arts Latin America, People+Arts Iberia (Spain/Portugal), People+Arts Mexico, People+Arts Brazil, Discovery Travel & Living Latin America/Brazil, Discovery Home & Health Latin America, Discovery Science, Discovery Civilization, Discovery Turbo CANADA: Discovery Channel (Canada), Animal Planet (Canada), Discovery Civilization Channel, Discovery Health Channel (Canada), Discovery Kids (Canada), Discovery HD (Canada) Discovery Communications internet services: Cosmeo: Cosmeo Discovery Commerce, Education & Other: Discovery commerce and Discovery education Discovery Channel Radio:United States:satellite radio:Sirius Satellite Radio Discovery Channel USA Discovery Channel UK Discovery Channel India Discovery Channel Europe Discovery Channel Canada Discovery Channel Asia Discovery Channel Brazil Discovery Schools Discovery Education |
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Annual Revenue: $631M (2004)USD ( |
