tv: "Educational" Channels

Anyone else watch these channels religiously? Or am I the only loser here?


list of some "educational" channel:
-Discovery Channel
-TLC
-History Channel
-Animal Planet
-Discovery Times Channel
-Military Channel
-Science Channel
-Discovery Health
-BBC America
-HGTV
-Court TV
-Travel Channel



many more I am sure, but these are the ones we receive via digital cable here.


But what has happened to some of these? Like TLC & Discovery Channel ... they seem to be falling more and more into the ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX reality shows genre. Slipping further and further away from what was aired on these 5-6 years ago.
Not that I don't like some of these new reality shows, but I want my wild animal shows back! I hate having to wait 4 months to view a new episodes of such shows.

But still them all!

^
What? No National Geographic Channel? Savages!

Personally, I love these channels--and let's not forget some of the awesome science programs on PBS.

<<Like TLC & Discovery Channel ... they seem to be falling more and more into the ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX reality shows genre. Slipping further and further away from what was aired on these 5-6 years ago. >>

I totally agree. When I first started watching the Discovery Channel some 10 years ago, it was a pretty well-rounded channel, with lots of nature specials (I loved those), archaeology shows, technology shows (remember "Wings"?), and the like. Nowadays you can sum up the Discovery Channel with "American Chopper" and "Mythbusters" (that said, the latter is my favorite TV show now). And don't even get me started on TLC, though I think it's gotten a little better recently.

I used to love the Travel Channel as well, when it was all about visiting remote parts of the world that average Joes like me will probably never see. Now it's just more countdown crap like "The Ten Hottest Beaches!!", or "The Ten Biggest Roller Coasters!!"

However, I should be fair. I'm guessing the changes have come about for several reasons:

1.) There are more channels now, so it's become easier to "compartmentalize" them by interest.

2.) The reality shows are the "in" thing all over television, not just on the educational channels.

3.) I'm guessing that companies buying out each other has something to do with it, which forces more channels into single programming styles.

History and history international I watch all the time, digging for the truth is one of my favorite new show. Discovery Times is also quickly becomming one of my favoirte channels. The other discovery I just pretty much watch mythbusters.

I used to watch the travel channel quite often as well, lonley planet and what not

Ovature anyone?!

I love all the shows you listed Andi......I can watch Discovery (favorites are : Engineering the Impossible , Mega Machines, Mythbusters, Anatomy of Sex, Against the Law, etc. ) National Geographic and Animal Planet for HOURS But I'd like to stress that National Geographic (faves: Dog Whisperers, Hunter & Hunted et al) is my favorite among all three (just finished watching Geography of Crime and Punishment....so interesting)

I also like cooking shows , been especially loving Molto Mario recently (he was the Iron Chef sometime back i believe!)

i got hooked on PBS hardcore recently, i'm taking a break... frontline is like crack sometimes... but yeah, i can zone out and watch 8 solid hours of the history channel sometimes.

at the risk of being controvesial, the Discovery Channel has sold out to pop culture (imho). many of their shows are tailored to suck up to popular interest and short attention spans, resulting in a watered down nerd factor. on the other hand, the History Channel "keeps it real." i can watch a two-hour program on the Revolutionary War without having to worry about excessive jump cuts and commerical breaks.

i like the discovery channel high def version.

i agree that discovery has gone down hill. but i think its because they have moved most of their "in depth" programming to their other stations like discovery health, science, times and whatnot.

the travel channel annoys me to no end. its not until late night when you can see the more interesting shows. and then you have to put up with annoying infomercials.

food network is headed in the same direction as the travel channel. i hate their food countdown shows, and their food network challenge shows. i do really like ham on the streets tho.

Oh man... Discovery has made some really interesting shows like Mythbusters.

I watched the new documentary about the first emperor of china, it was really well made and I learned a bit from it. I think it was on Discovery.

I watched the National Geographic channel today, something about deadly snakes... pretty good shit. Now there is a show about the african congo.

history channel is good too... I like Modern Marvels sometimes. my bro likes shoot-out and the one's about guns... I don't go for the war one's or gun one's much, but you could learn a lot of shit about WWII if you wanted to.

I saw one about the panama canal recently, can't remember what channel... either history or discovery... it was really good. they are going to widen that fucker, and rebuild the locks! I used to live there, the locks are pretty cool to watch up close. I'd like to go back there, panama is a beautiful country.

And you can't forget the great R. Lee Ermy on Mail Call (history).

My father recently asked me about my facination with documentaries... I told him it made me feel like I was learning something, like a poor man's education. I guess I'm just curious... and they don't make really good books about this shit with pictures.

I saw this fantastic documentary on Fidel Castro on the National Geographic Channel a couple months back......it was fascinating and very well done.