# tv channels that changed their formats from what they started as ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817 "2016-07-24T23:57:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/41 "2016-07-27T12:13:03Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > Like AMC most people who watched it in the past 10 years wouldn’t know it was supposed to be a “Classic” channel that wouldn’t air any movie made after 1980 when it began and didn’t have commercials and would have old Hollywood hosts give details about the movies (sometimes they were in the movies themselves ) I remember reading a drive-by snark in TV Guide within the past decade or so regarding AMC, though I probably have the details wrong. AMC was airing a British TV show or something, and the comment was something like “It’s not American, it’s definitely not a classic, and it isn’t even a movie.” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/42 "2016-07-27T12:35:29Z")
“Television is an advertising medium that occasionally shows less overtly commercial content.” To puzzle over why channels would slowly descend to least common denominator pap, no matter how high-style their launch, is to fail to understand that simple fact. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/43 "2016-07-27T14:26:39Z")
No shit. If they could get advertisers (and very secondarily, a decent number of viewers) for a channel called The Boating Channel that showed nothing but snowmobiling, or a channel called Brain Food that showed nothing but ads, they’d do it. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/44 "2016-07-27T14:56:12Z")
> [@ellis dee](#): > > i remember reading a drive-by snark in tv guide within the past decade or so regarding amc, though i probably have the details wrong. Amc was airing a british tv show or something, and the comment was something like “it’s not american, it’s definitely not a classic, and it isn’t even a movie.” Blah di blah di blah (making all caps work for the next line, ignore me) BUT IT CLEANS COUNTERS LIKE NO OTHER PRODUCT! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/45 "2016-07-27T15:34:06Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > There are about a dozen channels that show almost nothing but reality shows that were the best channels on cable in the 1990s—The Learning Channel, The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, A&E, … MTV, VH1, > > SciFi and TNT also fit the bill I remember when the Bloodhound Gang’s song “Bad Touch” came out, and how the song has the lyrics “You and me baby ain’t nothin’ but mammals/ So let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel.” Those lyrics sound amusingly dated now. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/46 "2016-07-27T21:51:33Z")
Spike TV started as a country channel called the Nashville Network. Then they went to TNN which had sports and pro wrestling before becoming Spike which is geared to men. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/47 "2016-07-28T04:23:53Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I remember when the Bloodhound Gang’s song “Bad Touch” came out, and how the song has the lyrics “You and me baby ain’t nothin’ but mammals/ So let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel.” Those lyrics sound amusingly dated now. Yeah, because in the meantime, they had “Sex Sent Me To The ER” which was probably not what they had in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/48 "2016-07-29T16:17:32Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Spike TV started as a country channel called the Nashville Network. Then they went to TNN which had sports and pro wrestling before becoming Spike which is geared to men. Never mind. I was misremembering something. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/49 "2016-07-29T16:38:13Z")
MTV now has MTV Live. Granted, it’s pretty much all concert footage rather than videos but at least it’s music. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > That’s what the History Channel used to be, before they went to a UFO’s and Pawn Stars format. The better history stuff has moved to H2 and, possibly, Military History. Not sure about the latter because it’s not part of our lineup. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/50 "2016-07-31T05:04:19Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > One good thing about Ted Turner: TCM (Turner Classic Movies) is still pretty much the same. Lots of movies rarely seen (they have a couple from the early 1930s on this afternoon) without commercial interruption. Not only that, in recent years they’ve begun airing films never seen on other cable networks from the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s. Just a few weeks ago I got to see _Looking For Mr. Goodbar_, for the first time. The network that changed their format that’s pissed me off the most is **BBC America**. When it began it was 24/7 TV shows from the BBC. Dramas, comedies, etc… shows I’d never get a chance to see in America. Now? The other day they aired nothing but _Star Trek The Next Generation_. How is this American show a BBC show? When they’re not showing STNG they’re airing… movies. **EVERY** cable network now airs, movies, movies & more movies. Oh, and here’s an odd one. My satellite has the **LOGO** Network. They air blocks of sitcoms. Now, I understand them airing _Will & Grace_, two of the main characters are gay. And I guess I can understand them airing blocks of _Three’s Company_, I mean, Jack tripper was pretending he was gay to live with the girls. But why do they air _I Dream of Jeanie_? or _Bewitched_? or _All In the Family_??? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/51 "2016-07-31T08:39:10Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > Animal Planet from 1996-2008 had shows like Breed All About It! (discussed a different breed of dog each episode), K-9 to 5 (about working dogs), Animal Cops: Houston/Detroit/Miami (about animal control officers) and other informative shows. > > From 2008 on it became just another reality/pseudo-documentary (bigfoot, ghosts, etc) channel. Now it inexplicably airs _Treehouse Masters_, which has nothing whatsoever to do with animals. I can’t imagine Animal Planet is reaching the target audience for this show either. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/52 "2016-07-31T13:59:19Z")
I honestly can’t think of a network that didn’t do this except for the aforementioned TCM. Hell, even HBO (which stood for Home Box Office) and Netflix (which has Flicks right in the name) drifted from being movie outlets to TV networks that also show movies. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/53 "2016-07-31T17:07:24Z")
In a previous post I stated I believed the worst change a channel had made was BBC America. While I still believe it’s change from shows originally aired on BBC to American made shows (Star Trek the Next Generation) and American made movies has made that channel nearly unwatchable, this morning I remembered a worse one. **IFC** , the Independent Film Channel. Once a station that aired films (at first I believe uncut and without commercials, though that memory could be wrong) that were unique, small budget, independent films now air… regular, big budget films. Just like **EVERY** other cable network. Or blocks of older, canceled sitcoms (_Malcom in the Middle_, _Arrested Development_, etc… just like **EVERY** other cable network. IFC has become such an nonentity of a station, to me at least, my satellite provider moved it months ago and I never noticed until I punched in it’s new number by accident. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/54 "2016-07-31T19:35:37Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > _Bewitched_? Paul Lynde. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/55 "2016-07-31T19:51:07Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Paul Lynde. Okay, even though Lynde only appeared in 11 of the 254 episodes and I guess Dick Sargent would make an argument for being on LOGO, even though he was only in 84 episodes. But why _I Dream of Jeanie_ and _All In The Family_? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/56 "2016-07-31T20:27:58Z")
Hayden Rorke (Dr. Bellows) was gay and Rob Reiner is very active in defending LGBT rights. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/57 "2016-07-31T21:45:00Z")
CMT (Country Music Television) also used to be nothing but music videos. They now show a lot of movies that aren’t particularly “Country”. (Saturday Night Fever, for instance, was on last week.) ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/58 "2016-07-31T23:19:42Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I honestly can’t think of a network that didn’t do this except for the aforementioned TCM. Hell, even HBO (which stood for Home Box Office) and Netflix (which has Flicks right in the name) drifted from being movie outlets to TV networks that also show movies. I don’t know that Netflix really changed as much as how people use it has changed.For as long as I’ve had Netflix (back when it was DVDs only) they had DVD collections of TV shows available to rent. But renting the DVDs didn’t lend itself to watching a whole season over the weekend - a season might have been 4 or more DVD’s. And back then you wouldn’t have gotten rid of cable to watch a series a year or two behind- because the DVDs didn’t always come out that quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Crusinforabrusin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Crusinforabrusin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusinforabrusin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/59 "2016-08-01T00:05:18Z")
The History Channel - A channel that once showed interesting programs about World War 2 and other interesting documentaries is now a channel that shows American Pickers And Pawn Stars all the time Tv land- Need I explain? Nickelodeon - Was once a channel I use to watch growing up. Nickelodeon made great Nick Toons including: Doug, Rugrats, Ahhhhhhhh Real Monsters! And some great live action shows like All That and Kenan And Kel. Now Nickelodeon has experienced the worst television decay I have ever seen. Their Live-Action shows are just awful shows filled with a laugh track that comes on after every spoken line. And their animated short aren’t much better. The only redeeming quality this channel has is that SpongeBob is still on, but even I’m starting to get a little tired of that sponge. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817/60 "2016-08-01T02:46:21Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > At this point MTV has existed as a channel that didn’t play music videos for much much longer than one that did. > As far as the OPs question, it’s probably harder to come up with channels that _didn’t_ abandon their original mission statement. The economies of TV usually force it. I think they’ve been around less than 35 years and they played music videos for at least 25 of those. I remember regularly watching music there from the 80s to early/mid- 2000s. Around 2008 I definitely remember watching music videos because there was an artist from a small independent label in a genre that I was a big fan of. They had always been banned or rejected by MTV and they finally got a video that had a premiere and got played on the main station (not M2, MU, or whatever) for awhile. I remember it being mostly “The Hills” at that point but they still had music programming. So, strange math. Even the TRL heyday was around the midpoint of the channel’s history and they played videos way after that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-channels-that-changed-their-formats-from-what-they-started-as/760817.md?page=4)