List of documentary television channels

Last updated

This is a list of documentary channels, including channels that have been affected by "channel drift". [1] It also contains channels accused of a biased point of view.

Contents

List

NameLaunchCountryLanguageContent focusChange of content/biasExamples of content in original focus (past and present)Owner/parent company
PBS America 2011United KingdomEnglishHistory, Science, Current Affairs and Arts & CultureAvailable on Sky, Virgin Media, Freeview and Freesat PBS
A&E 1984United StatesEnglish Documentaries, biographies and crime dramas (originally) Reality shows, stereotypes (Southerners) The First 48 , Criminal Minds , CSI:Miami A+E Networks
ABC 1956AustraliaEnglish Mass media, United States cable Live broadcasts (sports), tv shows (television programs), reality shows
Al Jazeera Documentary Channel 2007 Qatar Arabic Documentary filmsAl Jazeera has been criticized for being state media owned by Qatar and assailed as anti-Semitic, anti-American bias. Al Jazeera Media Network
American Heroes Channel 1999USAEnglishWorld War II, U.S. war documentaries
Animal Planet 1996USAEnglish Wildlife, animals, relation between humans and animals Speculative fiction and pseudo-documentaries (mermaids, dragons), non-animal shows [2] [3] [4] [5] Cats 101 , Dogs 101 Warner Bros. Discovery
APTN 1992CanadaEnglishPrograms and news about Aboriginal peoples in Canada Some non-Aboriginal programming [6] APTN National News , Blackstone , Cooking With the Wolfman
Arte 1992France, GermanyFrench, German Arts, culture
BBC 1922 UK EnglishMass media, public broadcasting
BBC Four 1999UKEnglishCulture, current affairs British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Earth 2015UKEnglishNature and wildlife documentaries BBC Studios
BBC Parliament 1992UKEnglish Parliamentary and legislative programs British Broadcasting Corporation
Bravo 1995CanadaEnglishTelevision dramas, films, art-related programmingFilm-dramas, non-art TV shows [7] [8] Inside the Actors Studio , Blue Bloods , 19-2 , Dallas , Criminal Minds
C-SPAN 1979USAEnglish Government proceedings and public affairs
C-SPAN 2 1986USAEnglishGovernment proceedings and public affairs
C-SPAN 3 2001USAEnglishGovernment proceedings and public affairs
Canal D 1995CanadaFrench Crime, biographies, nature, and science
Canal+ Docs 2021FranceFrenchHistory and society documentary Groupe Canal+
Canal+ Dokument 2019PolandPolish
Canal+ Discover2021EthiopiaOromo
Amharic
Canal+ Su Sann2018MyanmarBurmese
CCTV-9 2011ChinaIt has one editions: one in Chinese for mainland China.Documentary shows CCTV
CGTN Documentary 2016ChinaIt has one editions: one in English for international broadcasting.Documentary shows CGTN
CMT (Canada) 1995CanadaEnglishCountry music, country music videos Blue Collar Comedy Tour , Canadian Country Music Awards , CMT Music Awards
CNBC 1989USAEnglish Business news, stocks NBCUniversal
CNN 1980USAEnglishUnited States cable news, documentariesAccused of both conservative and liberal bias in news [9] News covering both conservative and liberal topics Warner Bros. Discovery
Cosmote History 2016GreeceGreekDocumentary and historical fiction series OTE
Crime and Investigation Network 2004USAEnglishCrime-related A+E Networks
ČT art 2013Czech RepublicCzechDocumentary, Culture, Arts, Music Czech Television
Da Vinci Learning 2007GermanyEnglishHistory, sociology, biology, physics
Digi Animal World 2012RomaniaRomanianNature and wildlife documentary Digi Communications
Digi World History and society documentary
Culturebox 2021FranceFrenchDocumentary, Culture, Arts, Music France Télévisions
DD National 1957India Hindi Prasar Bharati
DD Bharati 1985 India Hindi History Prasar Bharati
Destination America 1996USAEnglish Traveling, how-to travel, hotel and cities touring, lifestyle, history Speculative fiction [10] Hidden in America Warner Bros. Discovery
Discovery Channel 1985USAEnglish Popular science, technology and historyReality shows, speculative fiction (time-travel, alternate universes, the paranormal, etc.), speculative fiction [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] MythBusters , Daily Planet , Curiosity , The Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius , Frozen Planet , Life
Discovery Historia 2006 Poland Polish History TVN Warner Bros. Discovery
Discovery History 1999UKEnglishHistory Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA
Discovery Life 2011USAEnglish Fitness and health
Discovery World 1998USAEnglishTravel, culture and historyReplaced by DTX in Europe Warner Bros. Discovery
Documentales por Movistar Plus+ 2023SpainSpanishHistory and society documentary Telefónica
Documentary Channel 2001CanadaEnglishDocumentary films CBC
DTour 1997CanadaEnglishTravel, lifestyle Corus Entertainment
Encore 1991USAEnglishTheatrically released feature films (older to more recent), TV shows (on some channels)
Encuentro 2007 Argentina SpanishHistory, science and general culture
Epic 2014 India Hindi, English Infotainment, Travel
Food Food 2006 India Hindi Food, Cooking
Food Network 1993USAEnglishFood, cooking, cuisine, the food industry Warner Bros. Discovery
Food Network (Canada) 2000CanadaEnglishFood, cooking, cuisine, the food industry Corus Entertainment
Fox News Channel 1996USAEnglish United States cable news Accused of conservative bias [16] [17] [18] in news although this has been stated as unsubstantiated by members of Fox News [19] [20] [21] [17] [22] [23] The Walt Disney Company
France 5 1994FranceFrenchDocumentaries, educational programming France Télévisions
Focus 2012ItalyItalianDocumentaries, programming Mediaset
FYI 1999USAEnglishBiographical showsReality shows, speculative fiction (curses, alien and ghost encounters) [24] Biography A+E Networks
HGTV 1994USAEnglish How-to shows with a focus on home improvement, gardening, remodeling and crafts Warner Bros. Discovery
Historia 2000CanadaFrenchHistoric dramas, documentaries, movies, human interests programs A+E Networks
History 1995USAEnglishDocumentary and historical fiction seriesReality shows, speculative documentaries ( Ancient Aliens ), apocalypse shows, US history, non-historic reality shows, fairly homogeneous viewpoint, concentrated program topics (World War II, [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [15] Museum Secrets , Ancients Behaving Badly A+E Networks
History (Canada) 1997CanadaEnglishDocumentary and historical fiction seriesReality shows, apocalypse shows, speculative fiction [30] A+E Networks
HLN 1984USAEnglish30-minute newscast Tabloid, Crime, opinion, [31] [32] and entertainment news-related programming [33] Morning Express with Robin Meade Warner Bros. Discovery
Investigation Discovery 1996USAEnglishCrime-related
JOJ Svet2023SlovakiaSlovakDocumentary, science, history, nature J&T Enterprise
Kabel Eins Doku 2016GermanyGermanDocumentary, science, history, nature ProSiebenSat.1 Media
Knowledge Network 1981CanadaEnglish Politics, culture, history, arts, music, health, parenting, and science
Kunskapskanalen 2004Sweden Swedish Government proceedings, Educational SVT
M52016HungaryHungarianDocumentary, Culture, Arts, Music MTVA
MCM 1989FranceFrenchMusic videos (popular music, French music)Reality shows, horror series, anime shows [34] Top 50 hebdo , MCM sur le dancefloor , Top 50 quotidien
Military History 1999USAEnglishWorld War II, wars, generals A+E Networks
IRIB Mostanad 2011 Iran Persian Culture, arts, society, politics, history, wilderness, nature and the Iran–Iraq War IRIB
MSNBC 1996USAEnglishDocumentary in current affairs NBCUniversal
MTV India (previously MTV3 Fakta)2006India Hindi Documentaries, Music Paramount Networks EMEAA
N24 Doku 2016GermanyGermanDocumentary, science, history, natureWeltN24
Nat Geo 1997USAEnglishNature, culture, science, engineering & technology, history & societyReality shows/stereotypes (Navajo, Southerners shows, the Amish and other minority groups) and apocalypse shows [35] [15] [36] Explorer , Taboo The Walt Disney Company
Nat Geo Music 2007Italy, IndiaEnglishDocumentaries about cultures and music around the world
Nat Geo Wild 2010 Hong Kong, IndiaEnglishWildlife, natural history
National Geographic Adventure 1994SingaporeEnglish Outdoor, travel and exploration
OLN 1997CanadaEnglishFact-based outdoor adventure showsSpeculative fiction (aliens, ghosts, monsters, paranormal), reality shows, conspiracy theories [37] Departures , Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan , Descending , Duck Commander , Python Hunters , Survivorman , Mantracker
Paramount Network 1983USAEnglishA movie channel focusing primarily on theatrical and original made-for-TV films.Originally founded as TNN, rebranded as Spike TV, now Paramount Paramount Global
PBS 1970USAEnglish Non-profit television, fine arts, drama, science, history, music, public affairs, independent films, home improvement, interviews Accused of anti-Communist and liberal point-of-view [38] [39]
Phoenix 1997GermanyGermanDocumentaries, news broadcasts, special events, discussion programmes ARD, ZDF
Planète+ 1988FranceFrenchDocumentaries Groupe Canal+
2021PolandPolish
Polsat Doku 2017PolandPolishDocumentaries Telewizja Polsat
Prima History2023RomaniaRomanianDocumentary focuses in History Clever Group
Prima Zoom 2013Czech RepublicCzechDocumentary, science, history, nature FTV Prima
Rai Scuola 2009Italy Italian Educational RAI
Rai Storia 2009ItalyItalianHistorical events, occasionally with current relevance RAI
RMC Découverte 2012FranceFrenchDocumentary, men's interest Altice Média
RMC Story 2012FranceFrenchDocumentary, science, history, nature
RT Documentary 2011RussiaEnglish, Russian RussiaANO TV-Novosti
RTS Nauka2020SerbiaSerbianDocumentary, Nature, Science RTS
RTS Trezor2016Documentary, History
Russian Travel Guide 2009RussiaEnglish, Russian, Turkish Nature, science, culture, and history of the Russian Federation
Science 1996USAEnglish Space, technology and scienceSpeculative fiction, non- science shows [40] [15] The Challenger Disaster , How Do They Do It? , How It's Made , Futurescape , What Is That? , How The Universe Works , Wonders of Life Warner Bros. Discovery
Showcase 1995CanadaEnglishCanadian and worldwide independent films, drama, comedy, mini-series American shows and movies
Sky Arts 2007UKEnglishArts including, theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music Sky Group
Sky Arte 2012ItalyItalian
Sky Documentaries 2020UKEnglishHistory and society documentary
2021GermanyGerman
ItalyItalian
Sky Crime 2019UKEnglishInvestigation and justice documentary
2021GermanyGerman
2023ItalyItalian
Sky History 2020UKEnglishDocumentary and historical fiction seriesMuseum Secrets, Ancients Behaving Badly
Sky Nature 2020UKEnglishNature and wildlife documentary
2021GermanyGerman
ItalyItalian
Space 1997CanadaEnglish Science fiction, space-related programmingReality shows, fantasy, horror, paranormal [41] InnerSPACE , Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Voyager , Stargate Universe , Stargate Atlantis , Stargate SG-1 , Doctor Who
Travel Channel 1987USAEnglishTraveling, how-to travel, hotel and cities touringParanormal (haunted places, ghosts) [42] Marianela's Best Beaches , Edge of America , No Reservations , Samantha Brown , Best of the Road , Off Limits , Top 5 Warner Bros. Discovery
TruTV 1991USAEnglish Legal programmingReality shows [43] Sony Pictures Entertainment
TRT Belgesel 2009TurkeyTurkishDocumentary Türkiye Radyo ve Televizyon Kurumu
TV4 Fakta 2005SwedenSwedishScience TV4 AB
TVP Historia 2005PolandPolishDocumentary, History Telewizja Polska
TVP Kultura 2007Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music
TVP Dokument 2020Documentary
TVP Nauka 2022Documentary, Nature, Science
Viasat Explorer 2002SwedenEnglishWild animals, extreme sports, adventure, travel and technology Viasat World LTD
Viasat History 2004SwedenEnglishHistory, culture and society
Viasat Nature 1994SwedenSwedish, Danish, Norwegian Nature and wildlife
ViJu Explorer2023RussiaRussianWild animals, extreme sports, adventure, travel and technologyViasat Russia
ViJu HistoryHistory, culture and society
ViJu NatureNature and wildlife
W Network 1995CanadaEnglish Women-oriented feminist programming [44] Primetime movies
The Weather Channel 1982USAEnglish Weather news and informationDocumentary programs [45]
The Weather Network 1988CanadaEnglishWeather news and information
TVR Cultural 2002 (original)
2022 (relaunch)
Romania Romanian Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music Televiziunea Română
YLE Teema Fem 2017 Finland Finnish Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music YLE
ZDFinfo 1997GermanyGerman ZDF
Zee Documentary 2001IndiaEnglish, HindiLearning, culture and sciences Zee Entertainment
National Documentary Channel 2019SomaliaSomaliCulture and Sciences National Documentary Channel
Zing 2006 India Hindi Indian Music Zee Entertainment

See also

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