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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.

United States

Discovery Channel (Television)

The Discovery Channel has added programs on mechanics and popular science including American Chopper, MythBusters, 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. "Discovery Network looks back to move ahead". United Press International, Inc.

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:

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, 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 similar English-language programming to the channel that American viewers watch, but with content modified 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.

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 Netherlands, The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet are included in most cable subscribtions. 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.

See also

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Discovery Channel".

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