History Anyone else thinks that History channel's name should be changed?

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers on the perceived decline in the quality of programming on the History Channel, which has shifted from credible historical content to reality television and pseudoscience. Users express dissatisfaction with shows like "Ancient Aliens" and "Pawn Stars," arguing that they misrepresent history and science. Many participants suggest that the channel's name is misleading and propose a rebranding to reflect its current entertainment-focused content. The consensus is that the History Channel no longer serves its original purpose of educating viewers about historical events.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of television programming genres, particularly documentary vs. reality TV.
  • Familiarity with the History Channel's programming history and evolution.
  • Knowledge of pseudoscience and its impact on public perception of history.
  • Awareness of alternative educational channels like the Military Channel and Science Channel.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the programming history of the History Channel and its transition since 2008.
  • Explore the impact of reality television on educational content in media.
  • Investigate the role of pseudoscience in popular media and its effects on public understanding of history.
  • Analyze viewer reception and criticism of specific shows like "Ancient Aliens" and "Pawn Stars."
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for media analysts, educators, historians, and anyone interested in the evolution of educational programming on television, particularly those concerned with the integrity of historical representation in media.

Julio R
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I ask this because of the lack of actual credible History programming, a lot of the programming now is either reality television or pseudoscience nonsense.

http://www.history.com/schedule
 
Science news on Phys.org
Possibly the BS channel. I have stopped watching anything from that venue.
 
Ancient aliens is probably the cherry on the crackpot pie. Also the whole 2012 programming. That was too far even for them. I can't believe how those shows are so popular.
 
I can't stand it, it used to be on of my favourite channels when it first came out.

Now I watch Military channel a lot, since it's basically the history channel.
 
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Julio R said:
I can't believe how those shows are so popular.
They aren't exactly catered to the scientific community / science students though. I don't know if Through the Wormhole with the holy one Morgan Freeman is on history channel or not but that show is a good example. The stuff they say is just outright ridiculous (there was one where they just brutally butcher the equivalence principle - one of the most beautiful concepts in physics) but I'm sure to the general public it serves as very interesting stuff.
 
WannabeNewton said:
They aren't exactly catered to the scientific community / science students though. I don't know if Through the Wormhole with the holy one Morgan Freeman is on history channel or not but that show is a good example. The stuff they say is just outright ridiculous (there was one where they just brutally butcher the equivalence principle - one of the most beautiful concepts in physics) but I'm sure to the general public it serves as very interesting stuff.

I believe Through the Wormhole is on the "Science Channel" (another channel with a misleading title.) And although I'm only in high school with a strong interest for science, I have no interest in those types of fringe science/history shows. So I guess some part of the general public sees through the "interesting stuff."
 
Ya, it should be changed. It's gotten pretty horrible.

I don't think I would mind 'swamp people' or 'pawn stars' as much if they were placed on a channel that basically admitted by its name it was for pure entertainment, like maybe A&E (although the shows themselves are pretty horrible in and of themselves).

I have yet to find any show with a two worded title consisting of 1 noun and 1 adjective that is actually worth watching now that I think of it...
 
mrspudgun said:
I don't think I would mind 'swamp people' or 'pawn stars' as much if they were placed on a channel that basically admitted by its name it was for pure entertainment, like maybe A&E (although the shows themselves are pretty horrible in and of themselves).

Well A&E and History channel are sister channels, they might as well merge and just like turbo said change the name from History and A&E to B&S.
 
  • #10
You people just keep giving me excuses to show this.
 
  • #11
The "History Channel", as history, is history.
 
  • #12
AnTiFreeze3 said:
You people just keep giving me excuses to show this.

One of the comments on the video is the same as this thread. He beat me to it. Well at least others agree that the name of such channels in definitely misleading. I'll point out a few just so other students don't get misleading information. The History Channel/H2, The science channel, Nat Geo had a few 2012 programming, and PBS's NOVA is close to going down that line, I wasn't too fond on the Brian Greene documentary on string theory.
 
  • #13
A&E was originally the arts and entertainment channel for classics. It now is the Absolute & Excrutiatingly disgusting channel with such classics as

American Hoggers

Barter Kings

Gene Simmons Family Jewels

Shippng Wars

Storage Wars

Parking Wars

Hideous Houses

They used to have original movies such as

Lorna Doone

Pride and Predjudice

They were exquisite.
 
  • #14
The problem is not only the content of the channel, but the misleading title. How are fringe and plain out ridiculous interpretations of texts, artifacts, and symbols anything close to credible and provable history or science?
 
  • #15
phoenix77 said:
OH PLEASE

Where does the History Channel originate?

Bet you, it's not in the USA!

gotcha STRING THEORY FOREVER

It is Us based.

History, formerly known as The History Channel, is a US-based international satellite and cable TV channel owned by A&E Television Networks. It originally broadcast documentary programs and historical fiction series. However since 2008, it has mostly broadcast a variety of scripted "reality" television series and other nonhistory-related content.
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_(TV_channel)"

]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_(TV_channel)[/URL]
 
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  • #16
They had a show in which it was claimed that Einstein's Unified Field theory was used to make a destroyer ship disappear. That was the last time I ever watched the History Channel.
 
  • #17
Yes, the history channel is garbage programming. However, I still rank "the learning channel" as the worst station ever. Yes, I mean you honey boo boo.

Thanks
Matt
 
  • #18
Julio R said:
Ancient aliens is probably the cherry on the crackpot pie.

But discussion of modern aliens would violate the history theme. :confused:

They did just run a good show about Lincoln.
 
  • #19
CFDFEAGURU said:
Yes, the history channel is garbage programming. However, I still rank "the learning channel" as the worst station ever. Yes, I mean you honey boo boo.

Thanks
Matt
Oh TLC is the slime on the rocks that make the "rock bottom".
 
  • #20
Evo said:
Oh TLC is the slime on the rocks that make the "rock bottom".
Why was it called the learning channel anyways lol...well it did make me learn to appreciate my parents infinitely more for not raising me up like that poor girl
 
  • #21
Evo said:
Oh TLC is the slime on the rocks that make the "rock bottom".

At least History is sort of entertaining (I watch it for Pawn Stars, it's actually a funny program), but TLC is way too much.

History couldn't be called another way, because all the names that describe it are already used (except for maybe BS channel, I liked that)
 
  • #22
TLC was a good channel way back. They jumped the shark when they aired the show about the family with all the kids. The Goslins, I think their name was. Downhill ever since ...
 
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  • #23
Evo said:
Oh TLC is the slime on the rocks that make the "rock bottom".

I could not agree more, Evo.
 
  • #24
Julio R said:
The problem is not only the content of the channel, but the misleading title. How are fringe and plain out ridiculous interpretations of texts, artifacts, and symbols anything close to credible and provable history or science?

Please ... you DO realize do you not that Fox "news" is called "fair and balanced" ? Clearly TV is about entertainment, not truth.
 
  • #25
phinds said:
Please ... you DO realize do you not that Fox "news" is called "fair and balanced" ? Clearly TV is about entertainment, not truth.

Well that's true, but at least some integrity would be nice. Especially for a channel that claims to be about History and another one that claims to provide "fair" news, I avoid Fox especially the O'Riley Factor.

Ivan Seeking said:
But discussion of modern aliens would violate the history theme. :confused:

Doesn't going against well known history, and adding alternative events based on speculation by vague assumptions on texts, images and other symbols violate the history theme? Well, that's just my opinion though.
 
  • #26
I've pretty much stopped watching TV altogether except for hockey. Most of it either makes me cringe or gives me a headache.
 
  • #27
Julio R said:
Doesn't going against well known history, and adding alternative events based on speculation by vague assumptions on texts, images and other symbols violate the history theme? Well, that's just my opinion though.

Would this face lie to you:

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQCoRr0PIzQXhhhLD7lJZ0Yf3b0aj5cgFoXjcdFDTcEczQhqFT3Fg
 
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  • #28
micromass said:
Would this face lie to you:

He has a scary face, but the picture he's holding made me laugh.
 
  • #29
Julio R said:
Doesn't going against well known history, and adding alternative events based on speculation by vague assumptions on texts, images and other symbols violate the history theme? Well, that's just my opinion though.

That comment was intended as sarcastic humor. :biggrin:
 
  • #30
FreeMitya said:
I've pretty much stopped watching TV altogether except for hockey. Most of it either makes me cringe or gives me a headache.

I have done the same. Other than hockey, I only watch movies.
 

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