So what up with the Discovery Network?

Alright so, as a child-teen, the discovery channel had lots of science/survival based shows. Now all they play are reality shows that include but not limited to, The mining and selling of of Gold and gems, making and selling of guns, cars and Trucks, and Shows like Pot cops, Alaskan state troopers and things of that nature. Just wondering if anyone could help me solve the mystery of why such crap shows are on my beloved Network

Frexy frexmil2

reply to post by Frexmil2


That trend started with TLC. Then it devoured court tv, and it's slowly turning all of the discovery network channels into the worst type of programming ever.

I miss those epic shows that endowed some form of knowledge and intrigue.

reply to post by Frexmil2


Because the Discovery Channel has hired marketing firms, as all networks do, to run pilot shows to test audiences and rate the audience reactions.

Ratings is the name of the game. Whatever will get the producers the ratings they need, to sell to targeted advertisers, is the pablum we are offered as viewers.

The dumbing down of America is in full swing. All hail Honey Boo Boo and the *sang* harvesters of TV land.

Des

The Powers That Be don't want you to learn anything but dribble! You haven't figured that out yet?

Its all about dumbing down the populace.

reply to post by Frexmil2


I saw this coming four-five years ago and cut the cable. Sci-Fi became SCYFY along with the resultant crap they produce, History and Discovery start producing drivel as compared to educational material.

They can occasionally produce something good, but I'm not paying fat cash to hopefully just happen upon it. It'll always show up on NetFlix or Hulu before to long.

If you want to see where we are rapidly heading as a nation. Watch this cult classic movie about the dumbing down of of America.

It's hilarious in a scary kind of way....

Idiocracy

Idiocracy is a 2006 comedic film, directed by Mike Judge and starring Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph.

The film tells the story of two ordinary people who are taken into a top-secret military hibernation experiment that goes awry, and awaken 500 years in the future. They discover that the world has degenerated into a dystopia where advertising, commercialism, and cultural anti-intellectualism run rampant and dysgenic pressure has resulted in a uniformly stupid human society devoid of individual responsibility or consequences



Des

reply to post by Destinyone


Agreed... that movie was pretty funny

im sure I recognised a few people in it..

Brawndo the Thirst Mutilator: It's got what plants crave! It's got electrolytes.

TDawgRex
reply to post by Frexmil2

 

I saw this coming four-five years ago and cut the cable. Sci-Fi became SCYFY along with the resultant crap they produce, History and Discovery start producing drivel as compared to educational material.

Do they even show actual history on the History channel?

reply to post by Destinyone


I'll for sure take a watch! Thanks!

reply to post by Mapkar


I remember that! TruTv as it is now called

reply to post by Frexmil2


They are there cause people watch them, simple as that. If people didnt watch them, they would dry up and blow away and other programming would take their places.

reply to post by Frexmil2


Discovery Communications, the parent company of the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and etc, went through a change in corporate governance in 2005, which solidified in 2006 when David Zaslav (former NBCUniversal exec) became CEO. He ordered a restructuring and reevaluation of all of their channels at that time. Part of that transition was improving Discovery's "creative content" in Zaslav's words. In other words, reality programming, which is apparently more appealing than educational shows.

Frexmil2

TDawgRex
reply to post by Frexmil2

 

I saw this coming four-five years ago and cut the cable. Sci-Fi became SCYFY along with the resultant crap they produce, History and Discovery start producing drivel as compared to educational material.

Do they even show actual history on the History channel?

I'm not really sure anymore. But they do have the occasional show on the web that is entertaining. I used to like the Military Channel as well, but even that one has gone the pipes. The way of NBC,CBS, ABC and FOX. But those four have at least one thing going for them that the others don't. They're free. I can choose to watch whatever they air or not and it doesn't cost me a penny.

haven123
Its all about dumbing down the populace.

I have a different perspective. The populace is already dumbed down and the Cable networks just give the public what it wants to see.

The channels have rooms full of people trying to spot trends so the networks can stay ahead in ratings and sell advertising to companies seeking a large audience.

TV is a business; it would be foolish to make quality programming that few would watch.

Frexmil2
reply to post by Mapkar

 

I remember that! TruTv as it is now called

I thought TruTV used to be Spike? But now that I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering why I am even thinking about it. Stop it! OUCH! It hurts.

reply to post by Destinyone


Have seen it, and even though it was a comedy, it was crazy scary in too many ways.

Humanity is no longer touched by "survival of the fittest" but rather seems to have adopted a course of "survival of the unfittest". Those who are reproducing the fastest are the ... well... not the fittest. Genetic defects? no problem. IQ deficiencies? No problem. Physical or mental defects? No problem....

I feel ya brother!
TlC has "the little couple" on right now and history channel has "counting cars".
I have learned how to change the channel.

I have also noticed that kids channels like Nickelodeon have Katy perry and snoop dog as guest stars, just the kind of people I want entertaining my 11 year old.

There really isn't much on. I've even noticed that Syfy (I still can't see that without thinking syphilis) seems to be ending two of its scripted shows while launching a bevy of reality competition shows. Now I like Face Off (one about make-up artists), but do we need one about carving and one about making really big puppets at Jim Henson's Creature Shop to go with it? And, I guess they're also launching one about a guy who competed on Face Off and now has his own make-up effects studio. I'm guessing this is to compete with the show about this same thing they have on the Travel Channel that I have no real interest in. Oh, and I guess they're also starting a new reality show called My Big Fat Geek Wedding. I guess the title explains it all on that one.

When did Syfy because all about reality?

reply to post by Frexmil2

The marketing answers the best for you. In no way are stations and networks in the business of providing entertainment to the viewer. They are in BUSINESS to sell things successfully to you. And they better they sell the products, the more revenue that make doing it. And sadly, the more they put out crappy shows.

Not sure of your age group, but thats one of the saddest revelations we go through growing up. That shows are there not for us...but to sell TO us.!