The History Channel

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:History channel.gif The History Channel is a mainstream cable television channel, which presents programming related to historical events and persons—often with observations and explanations by noted historians as well as reenactors and interviews with witnesses.

Programs cover a wide array of periods and topics, while similar topics are often organized into themed weeks or daily marathons. Subjects include military history (esp. World War II), medieval history, the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, modern engineering, and historical biographies. Many programs compare contemporary culture and technology with the past, while some programs have a more esoteric focus such as conspiracy theory or religious interpretation.

The channel is owned by A&E Television Networks and operates, in various forms, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Interestingly, the channel has consistently produced prime time ratings in the U.S. comparable to or higher than the A&E Network itself. The channel is not to be confused with a similar, independently-owned, Canadian service, History Television. Indeed, the phrase "Not available in Canada" was commonly heard during the earliest promotional ads for The History Channel, at least those aired on A&E (which is available in Canada), arguably becoming a de facto slogan.

The History Channel also maintains a non-profit fund called Save Our History, dedicated to the preservation of history and historical sites and artifacts, similar in spirit but not to be confused with the Society of Historical Preservation.