Discovery Channel Canada
Encyclopedia
Discovery Channel is a Canadian
English language
Category A specialty channel
devoted to nature, adventure, science and technology programming. Discovery Channel is currently owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. (Bell Media 80%/ESPN
20%) and Discovery Communications
(20%).
Inc.). CTV, thus renamed the company CTV Speciality Television Inc.
, the Canadian channel has separate ownership and produces much of its own programming as well. Most notably, the channel produces a daily science news program, Daily Planet. Some of the imported US Discovery Channel programs are presented differently than in the US, with different air dates for shows such as The Deadliest Catch (Canadian air dates for season 4 episodes are approximately one month after their US debut), and Dirty Jobs
(Discovery Channel Canada broadcasts are edited to remove appeals for submissions). Discovery Channel Canada also produces its own version of the Cash Cab game show, in lieu of broadcasting the American version
(although the host of the Canadian version has on one occasion hosted the US show, too).
Despite the inclusion of US programming, the Canadian programming lineup looks more like the American version of The Science Channel
than the United States
Discovery Channel. In fact, some shows from The Science Channel, such as How It's Made
, Building the Ultimate, and Ultimate Cars, were produced by Discovery Channel Canada.
The Canadian Discovery Channel rates their shows as "Exempt" (meriting no on-screen icon or advisory), except for shows like The Sex Files
, Forensic Factor
, A Haunting
and Criss Angel: Mindfreak which were rated '18+'; Guinea Pig, which was rated '14+' but changed to '18+'; and Destroyed in Seconds
, which was originally rated Exempt, but recently its rating changed to '14+'.
(HD) simulcast of the standard definition
feed. The channel launched two months later on August 18, 2011.
Discovery Channel HD was originally launched on August 15, 2003. On December 19, 2005, the channel was shut down and replaced by a separate channel called Discovery HD Theatre, a category 2
digital cable
HD specialty channel
similar to Discovery Channel. The channel is now known as Discovery World HD.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Category A specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
devoted to nature, adventure, science and technology programming. Discovery Channel is currently owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. (Bell Media 80%/ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
20%) and Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...
(20%).
History
Licensed in 1994, Discovery Channel began broadcasting on January 1, 1995 under the ownership of NetStar Communications Inc. On March 24, 2000, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved CTV Inc. to acquire an 80% voting interest in NetStar Communications Inc. (the remaining 20% owned by ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Inc.). CTV, thus renamed the company CTV Speciality Television Inc.
Programming
Although much of Discovery's programming is shared with its American counterpartDiscovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
, the Canadian channel has separate ownership and produces much of its own programming as well. Most notably, the channel produces a daily science news program, Daily Planet. Some of the imported US Discovery Channel programs are presented differently than in the US, with different air dates for shows such as The Deadliest Catch (Canadian air dates for season 4 episodes are approximately one month after their US debut), and Dirty Jobs
Dirty Jobs
Dirty Jobs is a program on the Discovery Channel, produced by Pilgrim Films & Television, in which host Mike Rowe is shown performing difficult, strange, disgusting, or messy occupational duties alongside the typical employees. The show premiered with two pilot episodes in November 2003...
(Discovery Channel Canada broadcasts are edited to remove appeals for submissions). Discovery Channel Canada also produces its own version of the Cash Cab game show, in lieu of broadcasting the American version
Cash Cab (U.S. game show)
Cash Cab is an American game show that began airing on the Discovery Channel on December 5, 2005. The program is hosted by stand-up comedian Ben Bailey. While Bailey's show takes place in New York City, some episodes of Season 6 take place in Las Vegas...
(although the host of the Canadian version has on one occasion hosted the US show, too).
Despite the inclusion of US programming, the Canadian programming lineup looks more like the American version of The Science Channel
The Science Channel
Science is a United States cable, satellite and IPTV Television Network produced by Discovery Communications. Science features programming in the fields of space, technology, prehistory and animals.-History:...
than the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Discovery Channel. In fact, some shows from The Science Channel, such as How It's Made
How It's Made
How It's Made is a documentary television series that premiered in 2001 on Science in the U.S., and Discovery Channel Canada in Canada. The program is produced in the Canadian province of Quebec by Productions MAJ, Inc...
, Building the Ultimate, and Ultimate Cars, were produced by Discovery Channel Canada.
The Canadian Discovery Channel rates their shows as "Exempt" (meriting no on-screen icon or advisory), except for shows like The Sex Files
The Sex Files
The Sex Files is a television program appearing on Discovery Channel Canada and shown on CTVglobemedia around midnight hours, because of content. It talks about several issues of sexuality, from genetics, reproduction, sexual orientation, puberty, etc...
, Forensic Factor
Forensic Factor
Forensic Factor is a Canadian television series, which airs on Discovery Channel Canada and Sun TV. The series is a documentary look at forensic techniques and their application in crime-solving....
, A Haunting
A Haunting
A Haunting is an American paranormal docudrama anthology television series that originally aired from October 28, 2005 to November 9, 2007 on the Discovery Channel. The program features narrations, interviews, and dramatic re-enactments based on various accounts of paranormal experiences at...
and Criss Angel: Mindfreak which were rated '18+'; Guinea Pig, which was rated '14+' but changed to '18+'; and Destroyed in Seconds
Destroyed In Seconds
Destroyed in Seconds is a half-hour American television series that airs on Discovery Channel. Hosted by Ron Pitts, it features video segments of various things being destroyed fairly quickly such as planes crashing, explosions, sinkholes, boats crashing, fires, race car incidents, floods, etc....
, which was originally rated Exempt, but recently its rating changed to '14+'.
Discovery Channel programming blocks
- Disaster Detectives - about disasters, and as of 2006, supernaturalSupernaturalThe supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
encounters - Discovery Sunday Showcase - an 8-11 p.m. Sunday block that usually features a 2 to 3 hour programmes, usually followed by a theme week. In 2006, it was renamed to Discovery Presents.
- Monster Monday - former Monday block about monstrous projects, including Monster GarageMonster GarageMonster Garage is a television show for the Discovery Channel hosted by Jesse G. James. Each episode is an hour in length and was conceived and produced by Thom Beers.The show aired the series finale on June 12, 2006. Jesse G...
, Monster House, and Frontiers of Construction. - Supercharged Saturday - 'explosive' programming that airs on Saturday night.
- Ultimate - shows that deal with engineering projects, or showcasing machinery.
- Wild Discovery - shows about wildlife, or animals in general.
- World's Greatest Mysteries - shows about mysteries, ancient civilizations.
List of Canadian-made Discovery Channel programs
|
Insectia Insectia is a nature documentary program on the Discovery Channel. The show's host, Georges Brossard, explains the life of insects by traveling around the world and introducing specimens in their natural habitat.-Episodes - Season 1:... Jetstream (TV series) Jetstream is a 2008 documentary television series produced by Paperny Films for the network Discovery Channel Canada. The series totals 8 episodes and premiered on January 8, 2008. The series was narrated by Canadian Actor Kavan Smith.... Mayday (TV series) Mayday, also known as Air Crash Investigation in the United Kingdom, Australia and Asia and Air Emergency and Air Disasters in the United States, is a Canadian documentary television programme produced by Cineflix investigating air crashes, near-crashes and other disasters... Mighty Ships Mighty Ships is a documentary television program produced by Exploration Production Inc. in Canada. It is aired on Discovery Channel Canada and also broadcast around the world... Naked Science Naked Science is an American documentary television series that premiered in 2004 on the National Geographic Channel. The program features various subjects related to science and technology.-External links: ***... (UK Pioneer Productions Pioneer Productions Pioneer Productions is an independent British television production company based in London, United Kingdom. The company has produced over 500 hours of science and technology, docudrama, lifestyle, current affairs and history programming for both the US and International markets... coproduction) Patent Bending Patent Bending is a Canadian reality television series that premiered August 22, 2006, on the Discovery Channel. The series is based on building some of the weird, fantastical ideas inventors have patented over the last century. Once physically realised, the flaws in these ideas tend to be... Qubit (game show) Qubit is a Canadian game show that premiered July 4, 2009, on the Discovery Channel. Hosted by Andrew Anthony, the half-hour series is filmed in Toronto, Ontario. The show is produced by Exploration Production and CTVglobemedia.-Gameplay:... Risk Takers Risk Takers is a Canadian television documentary series which profiles people in dangerous professions, produced by CMJ Productions of Montreal.... Rocket Science (miniseries) Rocket Science is a miniseries first released in 2002-2003, chronicling the major events in the American/Soviet space race, starting from the first hypersonic rocket planes to human space flight. It focuses mainly on the American side of the race, briefly mentioning major Soviet achievements... Star Racer Star Racer is a reality-genre TV show which originally aired on Discovery Channel Canada in 2006. It has been airing from October 2008 on Discovery's HD Theater, partly filmed from Circuit Mont-Tremblant. Star Racer chronicles the discovery and episode-by-episode elimination of some of the top... The Sex Files The Sex Files is a television program appearing on Discovery Channel Canada and shown on CTVglobemedia around midnight hours, because of content. It talks about several issues of sexuality, from genetics, reproduction, sexual orientation, puberty, etc... |
Production studios
Exploration Production Inc., a producer and distributor of factual content, primarily in the form of episodic series and science magazines for television, was opened in 1993. NetStar Communications Inc. owned the company under Discovery Channel Canada, and it was acquired by CTV during the CTV-NetStar acquisition. EPI has produced many shows found in Discovery Channel and other affiliated Canadian channels.Discovery Channel HD
On June 17, 2011 Bell Media announced that it will launch, for a second time, Discovery Channel HD, a high definitionHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
(HD) simulcast of the standard definition
Standard-definition television
Sorete-definition television is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either enhanced-definition television or high-definition television . The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same resolution as...
feed. The channel launched two months later on August 18, 2011.
Discovery Channel HD was originally launched on August 15, 2003. On December 19, 2005, the channel was shut down and replaced by a separate channel called Discovery HD Theatre, a category 2
Category 2 specialty channel
A Category B service is a Canadian specialty television channel which, as defined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, may be carried, optionally, by all digital cable television and direct broadcast satellite providers.Unlike Category A services, Category B services...
digital cable
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
HD specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
similar to Discovery Channel. The channel is now known as Discovery World HD.
Logos
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