"History" Channel?

Jim Brennan

Jim Brennan

VHS Member Old Skool
For years we resisted getting cable. The TV in our house was for PBS and watching videos. Then, a few years back, my Father-in-Law moved in (dying from my cooking 7 weeks later) and insisted on getting cable. I was instantly hooked on the history channel. Now I will watch Discovery and ESPN, as well at TCM.

But anyway, what has happened to the History Channel? Now they chase the Loch Ness monster, the chupacabra, and UFOs all the time. Which wouldn't be so bad without the reality TV shows like Ax Men and Ice Road Truckers that have taken in over.

From Wikipedia

HISTORY: is the study of the past, particularly the written record[1] of the human race, but more generally including scientific and archaeological discoveries about the past.

Whay happened to history on the history channel? I don't even put it on anymore.
 
They still have a lot of the cool stuff it just comes on at odd times. I just watched a good program on hitler and germany a few days ago. Ice Road Truckers gets great ratings for them so that is not going anywhere. Truthfullyl that is a good show. Most of the good stuff I have seen comes on the in the afternoon when most people are at work. UFO's can be considered a part of history based on the time when the investigation takes place. I saw the most amazing UFO footage from Russia on the History Channel.
 
Have you seen this thing called MTV? I think the M stands for MmmmmReality. And there's this related channel that the hypeman form Public Enemy started called VH1.

Edit: On the positive side of things, VH1 does take a lot of whores of the streets.
 
Yeah, The History channel used to be the Nazi Channel...not so much anymore. UFOs are big on there now.

And what happened to the Discovery Channel...A Haunting...Cash Cab...Deadliest Catch?
 
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Hmmmm. Aside from "Moden Marvels: The Butcher", it seems today is ENTIRELY UFOs. Sad.

Cities of The Underworld is one of the most fascinating shows ever.

Unless there is a specific network show I want to watch (maybe hidden in between CSI: Wherever), I usually switch between History, Discovery, and Military Channels.
 
The religious crap-programming they do is disgraceful, too.

It actually doesn't matter if you are faithful, or not; their 'sacred shroud' and 'tomb of Jesus,' etc programming is so lowbrow and dishonest and poorly-presented as to be embarrassing to anyone who is actually paying attention...
 
Our history channel is Canada is different then in the US. We don't have those reality shows you guys mentioined. Discovery has some Canadian content on it too.

I understand what your saying though what the hell happened to A&E? Arts and Entertainment my ass, that used to be a good channel, now it's got dog the bounty hunter running around trying to fight guys "skin on skin hawaiian style" and Corey Haim and Corey Feldman "Battling" it out.
 
troopercooper said:
I generally call it the Hitler channel, because the UK seemingly loves watching documentaries about Nazis...?
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i admit it, i love that stuff. i know it sounds kind of sick to have a "favorite" war to learn about, but it really do find it fascinating.
 
Our TV died 8 months ago (after over 30 years of service).

To be honest - I don´t miss it.

If I want to watch a film, I make one :laugh:

Frank
 
filthrich said:
They still have a lot of the cool stuff it just comes on at odd times. I just watched a good program on hitler and germany a few days ago. Ice Road Truckers gets great ratings for them so that is not going anywhere. Truthfullyl that is a good show. Most of the good stuff I have seen comes on the in the afternoon when most people are at work. UFO's can be considered a part of history based on the time when the investigation takes place. I saw the most amazing UFO footage from Russia on the History Channel.
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Indeed he is right UFOs are considered a part of history in most peoples eyes and certainly the governments eyes not just for the US with that said yes the History channel has a strange lineup? UFOs are fine on the history channel same with monster quest but ice road truckers.....ax man...I heard they almost passed a exterminator based reality show?

Like I said before I don't mind the UFO and Monster quest shows they are usually pretty well done (minus the extra reality TV feel to UFO hunters) but instead of ax man and etc.......I would expect to see some more documentary type shows like the Universe not reality TV.
 
History, just like many of the Discovery Channel nets, came off their core mandates years ago. Had to do with management ignoring what programming built them. Discovery did shows about ballistic motorcycle builders and History does ones about logging. :)

Yeah, you'd think they could color inside the lines, but everyone is trying to get viewers. That means, if you're a network executive, that you have to watch what everyone else is doing and then mimic same.

Discovery Channel has been coming around, but they still have some residue on the screen.

e
 
Erik Olson said:
History, just like many of the Discovery Channel nets, came off their core mandates years ago. Had to do with management ignoring what programming built them. Discovery did shows about ballistic motorcycle builders and History does ones about logging. :)

Yeah, you'd think they could color inside the lines, but everyone is trying to get viewers. That means, if you're a network executive, that you have to watch what everyone else is doing and then mimic same.

Discovery Channel has been coming around, but they still have some residue on the screen.

e
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Yep in the end its all about the ratings so lots of people must be watching!
 
It's all about the ratings... I guess covering just History wasn't getting enough viewers so they started injecting crap into the lineup...
 
What's that bit, about no one ever losing money by underestimating the sophistication of the audience...?
 
One of my favourite stations is OLN here in Canada, constantly find myself watching stuff on there. Isn't there an American Outdoor Living Network, called Versus or something?
 
Yeah, Outdoor Life is now Versus. Thing is, upstarts like PlanetGreen are starved for programming. A show I did for Discovery HDTheater in 2005 is still run in primetime and promoted as if it's brand new.

Someone should be selling these people new programming. Honestly.

e
 
Postmaster said:
Our TV died 8 months ago (after over 30 years of service).

To be honest - I don´t miss it.

If I want to watch a film, I make one :laugh:

Frank
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The only thing I do miss is grabbing a case of beer and watching Anthony Bourdain's show on Monday's. No real educational value, but, damn, me 'n Tony had some good trips together... Aside from that, I always found television programming to be a heart sinking experience, especially the History and Discovery channels gradually lowering the bar. All I could picture was the collective IQ of an entire civilization dropping with a big "woosh!" into the basement.

My mother died 8 months ago (after 62 years of love and infuriation.)

I miss her, but I'm blessed that I never have to see the Fox News channel again. I put a bullet through the television just to be sure.:beer:
 
idiocracy_2006_dvd.jpg
 
man, it looks like you guys are a little more high society than me. am the only one here that would tune in to history channel to watch a fight between a bigfoot and a skunk ape?
 
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