Discovery Channel (Canada)

Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel logo
Launched	January 1, 1995
Owned by	CTV Specialty Television Inc. (80% and managing partner) Discovery Communications (20%)
Picture format	HDTV (2011-present) 480i (SDTV) (1995-present)
Slogan	The world is just awesome.
Country	Canada
Broadcast area	National
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Sister channel(s)	Animal Planet Discovery Science Discovery World HD Investigation Discovery
Website	Discovery Channel Canada
Availability
Satellite
Bell TV	Channel 520 (SD) Channel 1602 (HD)
Shaw Direct	Channel 505 (SD)
Cable
Available on most Canadian cable systems	Check local listings, channels may vary
IPTV
Bell Aliant TV	Channel 286 (SD)
Bell Fibe TV	Channel 520 (SD) Channel 1520 (HD)
MTS	Channel 104 (SD)
Optik TV (BC, AB)	Channel 200 (SD)
Optik TV (QC)	Channel 175 (SD)
SaskTel	Channel 51 (SD)

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%).

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 ESPN Inc.). CTV, thus renamed the company CTV Speciality Television Inc.

Programming

Although much of Discovery's programming is shared with its American counterpart, 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.^{[original research?]} 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+'.

Discovery Channel programming blocks

• Disaster Detectives - about disasters, and as of 2006, supernatural 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 Garage, 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

Against All Odds Acorn the Nature Nut Aerospace Beastly Countdown Beyond Invention Birth of a Sports Car Blueprint for Disaster Breaking Point (2010 TV series) Break It Down Building the Biggest Building the Ultimate (UK: Five coproduction) Canadian Geographic Presents Canada's Worst Driver Canada's Worst Handyman Cash Cab Combat School Connections Creepy Canada Daily Planet (formerly @discovery.ca) Doctor*Ology Eco-Challenge Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science Factory Made Flightpath Frontiers of Construction Forensic Factor Great Canadian Parks [1] Guinea Pig How Do They Do It? (UK Wag TV coproduction) How It's Made I Shouldn't Be Alive

Insectia Jetstream Junk Raiders Junk Raiders 2 Mayday Mega Builders Mega World Mean Machines (UK IWC Media coproduction) Mean Green Machines Mighty Ships Naked Science (UK Pioneer Productions coproduction) Nature of the Beast On the Run Out in the Cold Patent Bending Qubit Risk Takers Rocket Science Sci Q Science To Go Star Racer Superships The Body Machine The Exodus Decoded The Sex Files The World's Strangest UFO Stories Ultimate Cars (UK IWC Media coproduction) Ultimate White Hot Winter What's That About? You Asked For It

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 definition (HD) simulcast of the standard definition feed. The channel launched two months later on August 18, 2011.^[1]

Discovery Channel HD was originally launched on August 15, 2003.^[2] 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.

Logos

1995–2000	2000–2009	2009–present

References

1. ^ Discovery Channel and Bell Media Factual Networks Announce Fall 2011 "Must See" Highlights CNW 2011-06-17
2. ^ Over-the-Air Transmitters Now Broadcasting CTV High-Definition Signals in Toronto and Vancouver CTV 2005-08-17

See also

• Discovery Channel (US)
• HD Theater (US)

External links

• Discovery Channel Canada
• CRTC approval of CTV-NetStar acquisition
• Exploration Production Inc. Official Site