Discovery Channel is a Canadian English language cable television specialty channel devoted to nature, adventure, science and technology programming. Discovery Channel is currently owned by CTV Speciality Television Inc. (CTVglobemedia 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. 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.

Unlike the US channels, 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+'; and Guinea Pig, which was rated '14+', and Destroyed in Seconds 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 programmes

Against All Odds Acorn the Nature Nut Aerospace Beastly Countdown Beyond Invention Birth of a Sports Car Blueprint for Disaster 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 [62985] Guinea Pig How Do They Do It? (UK Wag TV coproduction) How It's Made I Shouldn't Be Alive

Insectia Jetstream 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.

Logos

1995 - 2000	2000 - 2009	2009 - present

Discovery HD

Discovery HD is a high definition channel associated with Discovery Channel. It features science, technology, nature, and adventure programming. It was Canada's first 24-hour all-HD network, featuring a mix of Discovery Channel favourites and original HD programming. Well known Discovery favourites including American Chopper, Forensic Factor and Monster Garage are mixed in with such programs as Ultimate HD and An Inside Look.

Discovery HD, originally known in regulatory documents as "Discovery HD Theatre", replaced Discovery Channel HD, which was a simulcast of Discovery Channel that was launched in 2003. On December 19, 2005, Discovery HD was launched with a separate, independent schedule under a new licence from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Since Discovery HD uses a different licence than was used for Discovery Channel HD, the two are considered separate channels, although Discovery Channel Canada regularly promotes its HD cousin.

See also

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

External links

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