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.

United States

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.

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.

Affiliated US Discovery TV channels

Discovery Channel is a property of Discovery Communications whose Discovery Networks U.S. properties include:

• TLC - (The Learning Channel).
• Animal Planet - Animals.
• Discovery Health Channel - Health & medical stories.
• Travel Channel - Vacation and travel.
• Discovery Times - History and current events.
• Discovery Kids - Discovery Channel for kids.
• BBC America - Americanized BBC.
• The Science Channel - Exclusively science-related shows.
• Discovery Home - Home renovation and decorating.
• Military Channel (previously Discovery Wings) - War.
• Discovery en Español - Discovery Channel in Spanish.
• Discovery HD Theater - Discovery Channel in high definition.
• FitTV - Feature exercising and fitness programming.

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.

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, Discovery Channel Canada 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 broadcasts a bouquet of 14 channels (including timeshifts) on digital television, with a new HD channel also announced for Spring 2006.

In Germany Discovery is part of the PREMIERE-digital-network and supplies specific programmes to other networks like ZDF and Kabel-1. Discovery 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 and Animal Planet are 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.

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.

Taglines

Discovery Channel's previous tagline had been "There's no thrill like discovery." However in lieu 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.

In an earlier pont in time, they 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.

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

References

1. ^ "Discovery Network looks back to move ahead". United Press International, Inc.

External links

Main

• Discovery Communications Inc.

Other

• 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
• Cosmeo (Discovery Education's online homework help service)