List of documentary television channels

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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.

## List

[edit]

Name | Launch | Country | Language | Content focus | Change of content/bias | Examples of content in original focus (past and present) | Owner/parent company

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PBS America | 2011  | United Kingdom  | English  | History, Science, Current Affairs and Arts & Culture  | Available on Sky, Virgin Media, Freeview and Freesat |  | PBS
A&E | 1984 | United States | English | Documentaries, biographies and crime dramas (originally) | Reality shows, stereotypes (Southerners) | The First 48, Criminal Minds, CSI:Miami | A+E Networks
ABC | 1956 | Australia | English | Mass media, United States cable | Live broadcasts (sports), tv shows (television programs), reality shows |  |
Al Jazeera Documentary Channel | 2007 | Qatar | Arabic | Documentary films | Al 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 | 1999 | USA | English | World War II, U.S. war documentaries |  |  |
Animal Planet | 1996 | USA | English | 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 | 1992 | Canada | English | Programs and news about Aboriginal peoples in Canada | Some non-Aboriginal programming[6] | APTN National News, Blackstone, Cooking With the Wolfman |
Arte | 1992 | France, Germany | French, German | Arts, culture |  |  |
BBC | 1922 | UK | English | Mass media, public broadcasting |  |  |
BBC Four | 1999 | UK | English | Culture, current affairs |  |  | British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Earth | 2015 | UK | English | Nature and wildlife documentaries |  |  | BBC Studios
BBC Parliament | 1992 | UK | English | Parliamentary and legislative programs |  |  | British Broadcasting Corporation
beIN İZ | 2006 | Turkey | Turkish | History and society documentary |  |  | beIN Media Group
Bravo | 1995 | Canada | English | Television dramas, films, art-related programming | Film-dramas, non-art TV shows[7][8] | Inside the Actors Studio, Blue Bloods, 19-2, Dallas, Criminal Minds |
C-SPAN | 1979 | USA | English | Government proceedings and public affairs |  |  |
C-SPAN 2 | 1986 | USA | English | Government proceedings and public affairs |  |  |
C-SPAN 3 | 2001 | USA | English | Government proceedings and public affairs |  |  |
Canal D | 1995 | Canada | French | Crime, biographies, nature, and science |  |  | Bell Media
Canal+ Docs | 2021 | France | French | History and society documentary |  |  | Canal+ S.A.
Canal+ Dokument | 2019 | Poland | Polish |  |
Canal+ Discover | 2021 | Ethiopia | Oromo |  |
Amharic
Canal+ Su Sann | 2018 | Myanmar | Burmese |  |
CCTV-9 | 2011 | China | It has one editions: one in Chinese for mainland China. | Documentary shows |  |  | CCTV
CGTN Documentary | 2016 | China | It has one editions: one in English for international broadcasting. | Documentary shows |  |  | CGTN
CMT (Canada) | 1995 | Canada | English | Country music, country music videos |  | Blue Collar Comedy Tour, Canadian Country Music Awards, CMT Music Awards |
CNBC | 1989 | USA | English | Business news, stocks |  |  | NBCUniversal
CNN | 1980 | USA | English | United States cable news, documentaries | Accused of both conservative and liberal bias in news[9] | News covering both conservative and liberal topics  | Warner Bros. Discovery
Cosmote History | 2016 | Greece | Greek | Documentary and historical fiction series |  |  | OTE
Crime and Investigation Network | 2004 | USA | English | Crime-related |  |  | A+E Networks
ČT art | 2013 | Czech Republic | Czech | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |  | Czech Television
CTV Nature Channel | 2001 | Canada | English | Science, nature, and history documentary programs |  |  | Bell Media
CTV Speed Channel | 2005 | Automotive industry and transportation documentary programs |  |
CTV Wild Channel | 2001 | Wildlife, animals, relation between humans and animals documentary programs |  |
Da Vinci Learning | 2007 | Germany | English | History, sociology, biology, physics documentary |  |  |
Digi Animal World | 2012 | Romania | Romanian | Nature and wildlife documentary |  |  | Digi Communications
Digi World | History and society documentary |  |
Culturebox | 2021 | France | French | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |  | France Télévisions
DD National | 1957 | India | Hindi |  |  |  | Prasar Bharati
DD Bharati | 1985 | India | Hindi | History |  |  | Prasar Bharati
Destination America | 1996 | USA | English | Traveling, how-to travel, hotel and cities touring, lifestyle, history | Speculative fiction[10] | Hidden in America | Warner Bros. Discovery
Discovery Channel | 1985 | USA | English | Popular science, technology and history | Reality 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 | 1999 | UK | English | History |  |  | Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA
Discovery Life | 2011 | USA | English | Fitness and health |  |
Discovery World | 1998 | USA | English | Travel, culture and history | Replaced by DTX in Europe |  | Warner Bros. Discovery
Documentales por Movistar Plus+ | 2023 | Spain | Spanish | History and society documentary |  |  | Telefónica
Documentary Channel | 2001 | Canada | English | Documentary films |  |  | CBC
DTour | 1997 | Canada | English | Travel, lifestyle |  |  | Corus Entertainment
Encore | 1991 | USA | English | Theatrically released feature films (older to more recent), TV shows (on some channels) |  |  |
Encuentro | 2007 | Argentina | Spanish | History, science and general culture |  |  |
Epic | 2014 | India | Hindi, English | Infotainment, Travel |  |  |
Food Food | 2006 | India | Hindi | Food, Cooking |  |  |
Food Network | 1993 | USA | English | Food, cooking, cuisine, the food industry |  |  | Warner Bros. Discovery
Food Network (Canada) | 2000 | Canada | English | Food, cooking, cuisine, the food industry |  |  | Corus Entertainment
Fox News Channel | 1996 | USA | English | 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] |  | Fox Corporation
France 5 | 1994 | France | French | Documentaries, educational programming |  |  | France Télévisions
France.tv Docs | 2024 | France | French | Documentary |  |
Focus | 2012 | Italy | Italian | Documentaries, programming |  |  | Mediaset
FYI | 1999 | USA | English | Biographical shows | Reality shows, speculative fiction (curses, alien and ghost encounters)[24] | Biography | A+E Networks
Geo Television | 2014 | Germany | German | Documentary, science, history, nature |  |  | RTL Group
HGTV | 1994 | USA | English | How-to shows with a focus on home improvement, gardening, remodeling and crafts |  |  | Warner Bros. Discovery
Histoire TV | 1997 | France | French | Documentary programming about history |  |  | Groupe TF1
Historia | 2000 | Canada | French | Historic dramas, documentaries, movies, human interests programs |  |  | A+E Networks
History | 1995 | USA | English | Documentary and historical fiction series | Reality 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) | 1997 | Canada | English | Documentary and historical fiction series | Reality shows, apocalypse shows, speculative fiction[30] |  | A+E Networks
HLN | 1984 | USA | English | 30-minute newscast | Tabloid, Crime, opinion,[31][32] and entertainment news-related programming[33] | Morning Express with Robin Meade | Warner Bros. Discovery
ICI ARTV | 2001 | Canada | French | Documentary, culture, arts and music |  |  | CBC
ICI Explora | 2012 | Canada | French | Science, environment, nature and health |  |
Investigation | 2013 | Canada | French | Investigation and justice documentary |  |  | Bell Media
Investigation Discovery | 1996 | USA | English | Crime-related |  |  | Warner Bros. Discovery
JOJ Svet | 2023 | Slovakia | Slovak | Documentary, science, history, nature |  |  | J&T Enterprise
Kabel Eins Doku | 2016 | Germany | German | Documentary, science, history, nature |  |  | ProSiebenSat.1 Media
Knowledge Network | 1981 | Canada | English | Politics, culture, history, arts, music, health, parenting, and science |  |  |
Kunskapskanalen | 2004 | Sweden | Swedish | Government proceedings, Educational |  |  | SVT
M5 | 2016 | Hungary | Hungarian | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |  | MTVA
MCM | 1989 | France | French | Music videos (popular music, French music) | Reality shows, horror series, anime shows[34] | Top 50 hebdo, MCM sur le dancefloor, Top 50 quotidien |
Military History | 1999 | USA | English | World 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 | 1996 | USA | English | Documentary in current affairs |  |  | NBCUniversal
MTV India (previously MTV3 Fakta) | 2006 | India | Hindi | Documentaries, Music |  |  | Paramount Networks EMEAA
N24 Doku | 2016 | Germany | German | Documentary, science, history, nature |  |  | WeltN24
Nat Geo | 1997 | USA | English | Nature, culture, science, engineering & technology, history & society | Reality 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 | 2007 | Italy, India | English | Documentaries about cultures and music around the world |  |
Nat Geo Wild | 2010 | Hong Kong, India | English | Wildlife, natural history |  |
National Geographic Adventure | 1994 | Singapore | English | Outdoor, travel and exploration |  |
OLN | 1997 | Canada | English | Fact-based outdoor adventure shows | Speculative 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 | 1983 | USA | English | A 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 | 1970 | USA | English | 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 | 1997 | Germany | German | Documentaries, news broadcasts, special events, discussion programmes |  |  | ARD, ZDF
Planète+ | 1988 | France | French | Documentaries |  |  | Canal+ S.A.
2021 | Poland | Polish |  |
Planète+ Aventure | 1998 | France | French | Documentaries programming about adventures |  |
Planète+ Crime | 2007 | France | French | Documentaries programming about investigation and justice |  |
Polsat Doku | 2017 | Poland | Polish | Documentaries |  |  | Telewizja Polsat
Prima History | 2023 | Romania | Romanian | Documentary focuses in History |  |  | Clever Group
Prima Zoom | 2013 | Czech Republic | Czech | Documentary, science, history, nature |  |  | FTV Prima
Rai 5 | 2010 | Italy | Italian | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |  | RAI
Rai Scuola | 2009 | Italy | Italian | Educational |  |
Rai Storia | 2009 | Italy | Italian | Historical events, occasionally with current relevance |  |
RMC Découverte | 2012 | France | French | Documentary, men's interest |  |  | RMC BFM
RMC Story | 2012 | France | French | Documentary, science, history, nature |  |
RT Documentary | 2011 | Russia | English, Russian | Russia |  |  | ANO TV-Novosti
RTS Nauka | 2020 | Serbia | Serbian | Documentary, Nature, Science |  |  | RTS
RTS Trezor | 2016 | Documentary, History |  |
Russian Travel Guide | 2009 | Russia | English, Russian, Turkish | Nature, science, culture, and history of the Russian Federation |  |  |
Science | 1996 | USA | English | Space, technology and science | Speculative 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 | 1995 | Canada | English | Canadian and worldwide independent films, drama, comedy, mini-series | American shows and movies |  |
Sky Adventure | 2025 | Italy | Italian | Adventures and extreme sport documentary |  |  | Sky Group
Sky Arts | 2007 | UK | English | Arts including, theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music |  |
Sky Arte | 2012 | Italy | Italian |
Sky Documentaries | 2020 | UK | English | History and society documentary |  |
2021 | Germany | German |
Italy | Italian |
Sky Crime | 2019 | UK | English | Investigation and justice documentary |  |
2021 | Germany | German |
2023 | Italy | Italian |
Sky History | 2020 | UK | English | Documentary and historical fiction series |  | Museum Secrets, Ancients Behaving Badly
Sky Nature | 2020 | UK | English | Nature and wildlife documentary |  |
2021 | Germany | German |
Italy | Italian |
Space | 1997 | Canada | English | Science fiction, space-related programming | Reality shows, fantasy, horror, paranormal[41] | InnerSPACE, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, Stargate Universe, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, Doctor Who |
TGRT Belgesel | 2010 | Turkey | Turkish | Documentary |  |  | İhlas Yayın Holding
Travel Channel | 1987 | USA | English | Traveling, how-to travel, hotel and cities touring | Paranormal (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 | 1991 | USA | English | Legal programming | Reality shows[43] |  | Sony Pictures Entertainment
TRT Belgesel | 2009 | Turkey | Turkish | Documentary |  |  | Türkiye Radyo ve Televizyon Kurumu
TV4 Fakta | 2005 | Sweden | Swedish | Science |  |  | TV4 AB
TVP Historia | 2005 | Poland | Polish | Documentary, History |  |  | Telewizja Polska
TVP Kultura | 2007 | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |
TVP Dokument | 2020 | Documentary |  |
TVP Nauka | 2022 | Documentary, Nature, Science |  |
U&Eden | 2004 | UK | English | Documentary, Nature |  |  | UKTV (BBC Studios)
U&Yesterday | 2004 | UK | English | Documentary, History |  |
Viasat Explorer | 2002 | Sweden | English | Wild animals, extreme sports, adventure, travel and technology |  |  | Viasat World LTD
Viasat History | 2004 | Sweden | English | History, culture and society |  |
Viasat Nature | 1994 | Sweden | Swedish, Danish, Norwegian | Nature and wildlife |  |
ViJu Explorer | 2023 | Russia | Russian | Wild animals, extreme sports, adventure, travel and technology |  |  | Viasat Russia
ViJu History | History, culture and society |  |
ViJu Nature | Nature and wildlife |  |
W Network | 1995 | Canada | English | Women-oriented feminist programming[44] | Primetime movies |  |
The Weather Channel | 1982 | USA | English | Weather news and information | Documentary programs[45] |  |
The Weather Network | 1988 | Canada | English | Weather news and information |  |  |
TVR Cultural | 2002 (original)
2022 (relaunch) | Romania | Romanian | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |  | Televiziunea Română
Ushuaïa TV | 2005 | France | French | Documentary programming about nature |  |  | Groupe TF1
YLE Teema Fem | 2017 | Finland | Finnish | Documentary, Culture, Arts, Music |  |  | YLE
ZDFinfo | 1997 | Germany | German |  |  |  | ZDF
Zee Documentary | 2001 | India | English, Hindi | Learning, culture and sciences |  |  | Zee Entertainment
National Documentary Channel | 2019 | Somalia | Somali | Culture and Sciences |  |  | National Documentary Channel
Zing | 2006 | India | Hindi | Indian Music |  |  | Zee Entertainment

## See also

[edit]

* Category:Documentary television channels
* Channel drift

## References

[edit]

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2. ^ "Are mermaids real?".
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