List of documentary television channels

See also: Category:Documentary television channels

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

Name Launch Country Language Content focus Change of content/bias Examples of content in original focus (past and present) Owner/parent company
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
Da Vinci Learning 2007 Germany English History, sociology, biology, physics
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
HGTV 1994 USA English How-to shows with a focus on home improvement, gardening, remodeling and crafts Warner Bros. Discovery
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 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 Groupe Canal+
2021 Poland Polish
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 Arts 2007 UK English Arts including, theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music Sky Group
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
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

References

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