Discovery Sheds Wings, Deploys Military Channel

[Khephra]

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Discovery Wings Channel has been drafted. The six-year-old channel will be relaunched next month as the Military Channel, focusing on all aspects of the armed forces, military strategies and personnel throughout the ages.

"By covering all aspects of the military and the people who define it, we will extend the Discovery brand, create a service that appeals to our existing viewers and attract new viewers and sponsors," said Billy Campbell, president of Discovery Networks U.S., who called military-related issues "a topic of fascination and relevance in our world."

Discovery Wings, launched in July 1998, has focused exclusively on aviation and related subjects. As part of its Military makeover, Discovery has formed partnerships with the USO, the National D-Day Museum and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation to develop programing for the channel as well as educational campaigns and public service announcements.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=televisionNews&storyID=6962087

[soleft]

1. Heil to one of the 14 characteristics of fascism

Can't wait to see our nukes on parade next fourth of July

[saigon68]

11. Ah Yes lets not forget the 14 CHARACTERISTICS

Like the 9th Crusade currently paying in "Camel Jockey and Rag-Head Land" (The Troops slang for Iraq)

[maddezmom]

2. another propaganda tool for the Pentagon

:eyes:

edited to add the ownership of DCI

DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders: Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L - News), Cox Communications, Inc. (NYSE: COX - News), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman.



http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041130/dctu036_1.html

[ewagner]

3. Too bad...

I enjoy Wings Channel and some of the regular features like Birds of a Feather which talked about groups like the Tuskegee Airman, the 8th Air Force, the Black Sheep Squadron. I'm a military aviation buff because I was raised around Naval Aviation.

funny thing....for a long time Wings Channel was the only digital channel we got in our package and most of the clips they showed were old, grainy black & white WWII pics....digital didn't do much for those pics.....

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

14. Wings...

... seemed to run out of "wings" programming. I opted for the package that include Wings, History International and Discovery Science channels, but was disappointed that all but History International had no closed captioning and considered it a waste, save for the one channel. I guess hearing impaired folks "just aren't smart enough" to appreciate such programming. :shrug:

[northzax]

19. nah, I think it's cause if someone actually READ the stuff they say

that person would be physically ill from laughing so much. it's really a public service.

[tanyev]

4. Somewhere in hell,

Joseph Goebbels is wiping away a few discreet tears of pride and joy.

[peacebird]

5. the true test will be

is it an in depth look at the military and current practices, or is it a cheerleading job designed to keep the hyper-nationalistic ferver going? the military is going to need some serious (and i do mean SERIOUS) p/r in the coming months as enlistments are down and so are re-ups. If not for stop-loss we would have a draft already in place.

Pity if discovery has joined the evil ones. Because this year they are sponsoring the former USPostal pro cycling squad.

[Wisc Badger]

6. If I want Military History I will

Watch the History channel.

[AP]

7. I won't hold my breath for the Discovery Labor Rights Channel...

...or a channel devoted to that historical artificact, the middle class.

[George_S]

8. The OSI Channel.

Has a nice ring to it.

[hatrack]

20. How about the Blowing Shit Up Channel?

I mean, that's pretty much what it comes down to. :eyes:

[SoCalDem]

9. MOST of the cable channels are propaganda these days

Ages ago when we first got cable it was for the "specialty" channels like National Geographic, Animal Planet, Comedy Central, The Learning Channel, A & E, Discovery, etc. Not long afterwards, these channels were gobbled up and "added to the stable" of mainstream media corporations.

Lots of you are young, but there was a time when paying for cable, meant better reception, but it also meant Few, if ANY interrupting commercials..

It also meant that at almost ANY time of day or night, you could find something interesting to watch. Now, 99% of the "non premium" channels are "paid programming/infomercials" from midnight on..


The discovery channels are into religion in a big way too..The Learning Channel has mostly old re-runs of old tv shows..

There is little roiginal programming or even unique programming..

The networks just bought the channels all up so they could have another outlet for their crap..and to prevent them from producing informative shows that might distract you from their other drivel..

They "clearChanneled" it..Now there is no real competition, so they will show you wnat THEY want you to see...and you will happily PAY them for that "service"...:(

[Kolesar]

13. TLC, A & E, Discovery had wonderful documentaries in past years

I could watch all night. Now what do they have? Some cameras in a garage taping some guys welding motorcycles together. Boring! I am sure it is a lot cheaper to produce than flying scientists to the rain forests with expensive cameras, though.

[daleo]

15. I saw a bit of a "biography" of Noah the other day

I forget which channel - A and E maybe. But the voice-over was talking about the pairs of animals spontaneously showing up for the ark trip, as if the whole event was an indisputable historical fact.

[Khephra]

16. However, if you watch those religious docs like I do

You'll find out that quite a few of them debunk a lot of common held beliefs and ideas about those religions. I've been really surprised by a lot of them this year. The series hosted by Avery Brooks (sp?) is VERY anti-fundie and talks about Gnosticism and the forgotten/banned books of the Bible quite a bit.

Just because it's a religious show that doesn't mean that it's a fundie religious show.

[daleo]

25. That could have been the case in the Noah episode, I suppose

To be honest, I only saw a few minutes, and turned the channel. Maybe it was like Orson Wells' "War of the Worlds" - if you didn't catch enough of it, you thought it was intended as news.

[sandnsea]

23. It is pathetic

You know things are bad when you turn on a learning program and it's a rerun.

[Magleetis]

10. TV is evil

who needs it.

I'm The Slime by Zappa says it all.

I am gross and perverted
I'm obsessed 'n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little had changed
I am the tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you
I may be vile and pernicious
But you can't look away
I make you think I'm delicious
With the stuff that I say
I am the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I am the slime oozin' out
From your TV set
You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need you
Don't go for help...no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold
That's right, folks.. Don't touch that dial
Well, I am the slime from your video
Oozin' along on your livingroom floor
I am the slime from your video
Can't stop the slime, people, lookit me go

[MaineDem]

12. This is a shame

We enjoy the aviation stuff. What's going to be the difference between this new channel and the current History Channel? :shrug:

[HereSince1628]

17. I love all things that fly...overcoming gravity IS spiritual for me

But while war certainly produced many innovatoins and various generations of aircraft I am sad to see this.

I find the differences in airplanes built for crop-dusting, heavy lifting, and gliding fascinating,

I may be something of a "tech-head" but I have already recoiled from the crappy documentaries on military technology shown on NOVA.

I would rather watch (if it were only available) a documentary on the evolution of the "Wakefield" rubber powered model.

I find thermal-busting ever so much more fun than bunker-busting.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. This is Fascism!

We now have a channel devoted to promoting war and violence.

[meegbear]

21. Never had interest in the Wings Channel ...

so I won't be watching this either.

[Bridget Burke]

22. Does this mean less military programming on Discovery Times Channel?

The balance might work. I get DTC with my digital cable package.

It is true that Basic Cable used to offer better programming. I like many of the "Reality / Fixit" shows, but they're everywhere nowadays.

However, there's still plenty of non-Creationist programming to be found. Dinosaurs, big mammals, early humans--these programs probably give certain people conniptions!

[pa28]

24. Damn. I like "wings".

[rinsd]

26. Makes sense....DC Wings mostly dealt with military aircraft anyway (nt)

[MGKrebs]

27. Right. Therefore it's just a PR move.

Cashing in on the war mongering blood lust out there on Main Street in Anytown, USA.

One more step towards fascism.

[Gyre]

28. Der Fuehrer commith to a tube near you!

Heil Bushler and his legions of doom!

Gyre