# WHAT has happened to the History Channel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588 "2009-05-25T18:05:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/21 "2009-05-25T22:46:04Z")
They had a show on the other day about [Battle of Leyte Gulf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf), and sometimes they’ll show “Wild West Tech”. But that’s it. History International is still good, but I can only watch that in the living room. (That’s the only place we have digital.) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/22 "2009-05-26T00:54:49Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > It’s going to get worse. During the pre-show at an AMC theater, they had a block of ads for the next season, and it was all kid-oriented live action. Game shows, some moronic pre-teen version of “Ghost Hunters”, etc. Somebody remind me to go all medieval on those gormless twits. Um, what is Ghost Hunters? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/23 "2009-05-26T01:07:43Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > History International is still good, but I can only watch that in the living room. (That’s the only place we have digital.) There ya go. Many of these outlets have shoved off much of their content-driven material up to the Digital-Cable channels, leaving their Basic-Cable flagships to join the race to the bottom. So you can still find WW2… in Discovery’s “Military Channel”; and you can still find music… in “VH1 Classics”, and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/24 "2009-05-26T01:17:04Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Y’know, I _like_ that word, rebuttle. I think I’m going to keep it. > > Rebuttle. > > Rebuttle. > > Rebuttle, rebuttle, rebuttle. > > It’s like a little song. You might want to spell it right, then. **Rebuttal**. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/25 "2009-05-26T01:57:48Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Battlebots, anyone? It was a funny show. They had at least one comedian who hosted it. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/26 "2009-05-26T02:29:18Z")
Almost all of the history documentaries I record on my Tivo come from either History International or the Military Channel. Ax Men can kiss my ass. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/27 "2009-05-26T02:35:23Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > Well, they had a _Band of Brothers_ marathon the other day. That’s historical after a fashion. Just gotta say I loves me some Band of Brothers and watched most of it.😃 ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/28 "2009-05-26T03:18:41Z")
I spent part of my holiday afternoon watching some interesting “real history” British produced stuff on History Channel International. Was fun. Haven’t tuned my cable box to History Channel in a long while… ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/29 "2009-05-26T03:25:20Z")
Back in the 80s, MTV used to play music videos. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/30 "2009-05-26T04:30:48Z")
The channels need marketers to keep running. Nowadays marketers mostly market to each other, not to any actual consumer - by the time any product reaches the consumer, most of his freedom of choice has been taken away. He can only choose from the options marketers deem most profitable, meaning those most like what other marketers choose. Amazing, isn’t it? After all this revolution in communications, market research and data gathering, there is still only one way to keep the lights on and the paychecks coming through: keep selling the same old shit in a different bag. Try anything else and the industry instantly moves to crush the threat. ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/31 "2009-05-26T04:53:10Z")
Don’t forget Bravo, another channel that used to be about something. And Headline News. And now, SciFi. That’s the real reason for the name change to SyFy. ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/32 "2009-05-26T05:02:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Somebody remind me to go all medieval on those gormless twits. > > Um, what is Ghost Hunters? [IMDB link](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426697/). It’s a “reality” show on SciFi or whatever they call the channel today, where people investigate ghosts. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/33 "2009-05-26T05:33:49Z")
> [@dbuzman](#): > > It’s a “reality” show on SciFi or whatever they call the channel today SYFY :rolleyes: > **[NBCUniversal Media Village](https://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/interactive/2929fed4187b40648b79a9839e70e91fproduct169208/index.html#/redirect/programming/syfy)** > [@](#): > > On July 7th, Sci Fi Channel becomes Syfy and, when it does, your adventure begins. The first step will be easy: Imagine Greater. It means that at Syfy anything is possible. Everything you love will come along for the ride. And everything else will be exciting and new - including the look of the place! > > Starting this summer, new shows like Warehouse 13, SGU: Stargate Universe and Caprica will join our rich slate of returning favorites like Eureka, Ghost Hunters and many more, to bring you bolder science fiction, stronger drama, faster action, bigger adventure, deeper mystery, louder laughs and…well, you get the idea. Of course I get the idea, now you will not only have the chance to show “Chariots of the gods” :mad: but also be able to show “Chariots of fire” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/34 "2009-05-26T05:52:59Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Y’know, I _like_ that word, rebuttle. I think I’m going to keep it. > > Rebuttle. > > Rebuttle. > > Rebuttle, rebuttle, rebuttle. > > It’s like a little song. Try ta make me give rebuttle I say No, No, NO… And… RE: Buttle: Better check your receipt ---
**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:** [May 26, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/35 "2009-05-26T16:54:24Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Um, what is Ghost Hunters? Have you ever posted a photo online, only to have someone post a comment that what you thought were dust specks illuminated by the flash are really “orbs”, and then a dozen people show up to point out all the reflections and shadows and such lurking in your photo? Ghost Hunters is 30 minutes (or is it an hour?) of that, on-location with video cameras, infrared, tape recorders, and laptops. On the plus side, they do visit a lot of older/abandoned locations; I’ll admit that I’ve watched a few times due to my interest in urban/abandoned exploration. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/36 "2009-05-26T17:50:15Z")
I miss the show ‘Military Blunders’. It was really cool to see strategies in history that went awry, either through bad luck, incompetence, or ego. And one of my favorite things about it was the suspensful music they’d play in the background. Presently I do like Man/Moment/Machine (is that on history channel? I flip between history channel and TLC) and Dogfights. The series on the USS Enterprise was also cool. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/37 "2009-05-26T18:46:02Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > _Mail Call_ was a pretty neat show that used to answer viewers questions on military matters. It didn’t even have to be U.S. military or modern military questions. > Odesio _Mail Call_!!! I loved that show! R. Lee Ermey rocks. _History’s Mysteries_ was often a good one – such as what happened to Jimmy Hoffa, or the Princes in the Tower (Edward V and his brother, Richard, Duke of York). ---
**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:** [May 26, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/38 "2009-05-26T19:04:48Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > _Mail Call_!!! I loved that show! R. Lee Ermey rocks. Fun show, but R. Lee’s career was kinda over once they humanized him and had him answering letters and joking around. I liked him better as the dark priest of the warrior culture. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/39 "2009-05-26T19:30:44Z")
Turner Classic Movies showed war movies yesterday. Every time. Every time I say I’m only going to watch _Sargeant York_ until the turkey shoot scene. Then it’s the rifle range scene. Before you know it he’s getting every medal known to man. StG ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588/40 "2009-05-26T19:43:24Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > It’s going to get worse. During the pre-show at an AMC theater, they had a block of ads for the next season, and it was all kid-oriented live action. Game shows, some moronic pre-teen version of “Ghost Hunters”, etc. There was a new cartoon announced in Cartoon Network’s new lineup. Not surprisingly, it is yet another incarnation of Scooby-Doo. (I think there might be something involving the NBA, but I forget if it was a cartoon or live-action.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-has-happened-to-the-history-channel/497588.md?page=3)