[TV] History Channel no longer about... History?

[Daginni]

To those of you who don't know me, I am a person who likes to learn new things constantly, and will spend more times browsing random Wikipedia Articles than I do anything else when I have free-time.

So, with that said, recently, I noticed that the History Channel has changed its image, to follow in the trail of the Discovery Channel. In other words, they ditched the meaning of their name-sake, and their focus on history, and is now focusing on Modern, unrelated things.

You would think a channel called the "HISTORY CHANNEL" would focus on the Past, at least every once in a while. I personally preferred it that way, but now when I turn on the History Channel, it is playing something about loggers, or a bunch of people building cars. And a new show coming up about chopping things in half (stupid show sounds stupid), this sure it History alright.

Hell, at least make a cheap knock-off of Cash-Cab that makes trivia about past events, so your once educational channel can have some educational value...

[Elementium]

I noticed this too. It would seem many channels have said "Screw our name we're pulling an MTV".


Music Television - Reality shows about celebrities no one cares about, and teenagers.
Cartoon Network- wtf is CNreal? how does that make any sense? stupid game shows and reality shows..
G4 (tech TV)- Literally COPS all day long.

It's sad. So glad we have internet these days.

[Carousel]

History Channel is succumbing to the idiotic reality TV craze.

Madhouse, Pawn Stars, American Pickers. All stupid reality and they all suck.

[Vulon'Nah]

Pawn Stars is a good show in my opinion...and it usually does have to deal with History, in that the items they show usually have historical value.

But the whole Madhouse logger crap really does get old, though.

Monster Quest is also awesome.

[david58]

I think History's new motto is something like "Making History every day" which refers to how their shows are less interesting specials on the past and more angry bald people buying antique shit and calling it a TV show. Seriously, I hate that show.

[Coous]

I can stand Pawn Stars but every show on there now is about people making money.
If you have the extra cable channels like 100+, I recommend the military history channel.
It's the history channel basically but with most of the good shows they use to show on history channel.

One thing I can't wait to see is the program America:the story of us on the 25th looks interesting.

[Masnailia]

"Making history every day"
The history of the terrible programing.

[Elementium]

"Making history every day"
The history of the terrible programing.

lol.. It's sad too cause I usually sit down and watch the history channel with my dad when we have lunch. Although I do have to say.. I am glad the history channel is more popular these days.. When I was a kid I walked into my living room when the History channel was showing something about Vietnam I saw 2 dudes and a Vietnamese man in handcuffs a few seconds later they shot him.. and the history channel showed it! the image is still burned into my brain.. so as I said with more viewers these days I don't think they'll show stuff like that anymore.

[Carousel]

Gangland is really all I watch on History any more. Maybe Modern Marvels now and then. Their Hooked: Illegal Drugs series are were pretty good as well.

[Coous]

lol.. It's sad too cause I usually sit down and watch the history channel with my dad when we have lunch. Although I do have to say.. I am glad the history channel is more popular these days.. When I was a kid I walked into my living room when the History channel was showing something about Vietnam I saw 2 dudes and a Vietnamese man in handcuffs a few seconds later they shot him.. and the history channel showed it! the image is still burned into my brain.. so as I said with more viewers these days I don't think they'll show stuff like that anymore.

Oddly enough it was my dad who got me into watching the History Channel and started a long lived passion for military history and some history in general. I remember when I was younger my favorite show for awhile was Wild West Tech. But, when they started showing Ice Road Truckers like 3 years back I knew the channel was going down hill. Luckily History has an offshoot channel of their military stuff.

[ksfrogman]

The HISTORY CHANNEL used to be my favorite channel, when the shows were actually about history. I loved watching the B&W documentaries about WWII, and past events. Then a shift toward replacing this with Axemen, Ice Road Truckers, and a slew of reality TV shows with the excuse that this was "history in the making" occurred. Excuse me, but "history in the making" is called current news. Reality shows such as Pawn Stars or American Pickers are entertaining for a few episodes, but get boring, because the history I am more interested about is not from discoveries in pawn shops or garage sales.

History Channel, you used to have a unique niche, but your new focus is unappealing to a lot of us.

[Deleted]

http://i.imgur.com/p13kR.jpg
If the channel presents anything historic, you shouldn't take it seriously.

[Shinzai]

The History Channel shows Ancient Aliens. The most legit show ever. Clearly they know more than we do.

*dons tinfoil hat*

[Fuzzzie]

There are many problems associated with why channels do stuff like this.

Channels like this are fooled into purchasing advertising based mostly off a system that was developed 60 years ago, The Nielson Ratings system. This system uses a very small sample size to apply a rating to the amount of people watching a particular show at any given time. These numbers are then extrapolated to give an indication of what everyone is watching at a given time. The system uses 25,000 boxes to record the viewing habits of over 200 million people between the ages of 15 and 65. That's around 0.000125% of the potential viewing audience at best.

The sample size is tainted by the fact that they know they're being judged on what they watch. Tests have shown that Nielson box homes viewing patterns are sometimes drastically altered when the individuals know their viewing habits are being monitored. This includes watching programming that was never watched before and an increase in overall television viewing time.

Now channels take this suspect information and use it to draw in advertisers for programming that they themselves are unsure if people actually watch. A television channel is going to also look at the programming that is successful elsewhere and try to emulate it. Perfect example is Pawn Stars. With it's success breed a number of knock off on competing channels. This happens in frequently with reality programming.

The technology exists in almost every home (particularly after the discontinuation of over-the-air) broadcasting for the most part where televisions can be monitored for exactly what people watch. The reason it isn't is because cable companies don't want to be responsible for the information and people don't want to feel like their being monitored.

When all is said and done, you're right. History Channel has taking a big crappy bite out of the reality TV apple. You can put the blame squarely on the ratings system developed over 60 years ago.

[bals]

I noticed this too. It would seem many channels have said "Screw our name we're pulling an MTV".


Music Television - Reality shows about celebrities no one cares about, and teenagers.
Cartoon Network- wtf is CNreal? how does that make any sense? stupid game shows and reality shows..
G4 (tech TV)- Literally COPS all day long.

It's sad. So glad we have internet these days.

you forgot scifi channel!
I remember when the name change to syfy was announced some guy on digg commented something along of the lines of "oh great now they're going to start showing wrestling". A few months after the name change, they started showing wrestling.

[dim]

i like History channel, but lately i think i have seen everything worth watching on History Channel thats actual history, all this reality crap they show every day i maybe take a look at few episodes of Pawn Shop but everything else not history enough. Unfortunatly i dont have Military History channel......so when theres nothing interesting on HC, i switch to Discovery Science or even some of National Geographic channels.

[Hedleyazg]

I can't be the only one tired of them only showing things about WW2 constantly. H2 has some pretty good stuff on it.

[Perkunas]

The History Channel shows Ancient Aliens. The most legit show ever. Clearly they know more than we do.

*dons tinfoil hat*

I'm not saying it was aliens..... BUT IT WAS ALIENS!

My avatar is a tribute to coolest fake professor on the planet. The show is absolutely hilarious and it's mostly because of Giorgio. Everybody on that show presents the information as possible scenarios with phrases like "One possible explanation" or "This could mean X", but not Giorgio. In Giorgio's world this stuff is fact and disputing it makes you a moron. I love that guy.

[Hedleyazg]

I'm not saying it was aliens..... BUT IT WAS ALIENS!

My avatar is a tribute to coolest fake professor on the planet. The show is absolutely hilarious and it's mostly because of Giorgio. Everybody on that show present the information as possible scenarios with phrases like "One possible explanation" or "This could mean X", but not Giorgio. In Giorgio's world this stuff is fact and disputing it makes you a moron. I love that guy.

I don't think they say he is a professor.

[Gothicshark]

The History Channel shows Ancient Aliens. The most legit show ever. Clearly they know more than we do.

*dons tinfoil hat*

You know the world is doomed when actual history on the History channel is on Ancient Aliens, and Pawn Stars.

I miss the days when the History Channel did 24 hour Hitler Marathons, or when the would have Terry Jones talking about the History of the Crusades.

http://www.amazon.com/Crusades-Terry...s=The+Crusades