Why doesn’t the History Channel just change its name

[ixnay]

(T)he American Association of Retired Persons thought an adjustment was in order because people aren't retiring as young as they used to, and that organization really wanted to be seen as representing all older Americans. So it became just "AARP" - just letters without a meaning, but retaining the brand known to most people.

A brand probably known to more people than "BNSF" - unless you're a railroader or railfan. Oh, that's the railroad that was once Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

ixnay

 

[Mark Giardina]

History is just a word, a name that has high viewer recognition. If their WWI documentaries and Hitler infomercials had gotten ratings, then we wouldn't see the shift to hillbilly chic programming, a tactic which has gotten them to be a Top Five cable channel.

Using your hypothesis if there was such a entity as ‘The Sex Channel’ it wouldn’t matter that instead of featuring people engaging in sex, most of the programming centered on either cooking classes or documentaries featuring scenic sites in Europe.

 

[Kenny Atkinson]

American Restoration is Hidstory based on items,Pawn Stars focases on the history of the item.Thier shows do have a HISTORY theme.Not sure about ICE ROAD TRUCKERS.LOve the show but is more of a Discovery Channel program or even (i cannt believe going to say this) ICE ROAD TRUCKERS would be a nice fit for THE WEATHER CHANNEL with its current theme.

 

[Morgan Wick]

At least a while ago, their slogan was "History: Made every day." Which basically justifies all the reality shows they could want. Now they have scripted series in historical timeframes. They're stretching the name as far as it can possibly go.

 

[TheBigA]

They're stretching the name as far as it can possibly go.

So? I don't get what all the fuss is about.

Their biggest hit of the year was The Bible. That could have aired on PBS, Bravo, or A&E. But it didn't. It aired on History.

 

[ixnay]

"You'll be his... You'll be his... You'll be His-tor-ee!"

Never in the Munchkins' wildest nightmares...

ixnay

 

[Corky Marlowe]

I can look at Pawn Stars/Pickers/Restoration and see some history-related content. Larry The Cable Guy giving a guy 300 dollars to eat armadillo droppings...Not so much. That said, there is a very interesting show on History called "How The States Got Their Shapes", which is a lot closer to the original spirit of the channel than any of the aforementioned shows.

 

[secondchoice]

Their biggest hit of the year was The Bible.

I sorry for the lack of PC:

The Bible is to me and millions is the history of God's love for mankind.

IMHO Christians and Jews are responsible for a lot of history (good and bad).

I would have been very disappointed if the History Channel would have had the chance to air it and passed it up.

 

[LKellerIII]

Their biggest hit of the year was The Bible.

I sorry for the lack of PC:

The Bible is to me and millions is the history of God's love for mankind.

IMHO Christians and Jews are responsible for a lot of history (good and bad).

I would have been very disappointed if the History Channel would have had the chance to air it and passed it up.

Don't apologize. I'm the least religious person you'll ever meet, but I think The Bible was totally appropriate for the History Channel. Even those who don't take The Bible literally can agree that it's a historic document. In the context of history, where no film exists (i.e.: most of history), I think it's perfectly OK to do it as a scripted drama.

 

[landtuna]

Don't apologize. I'm the least religious person you'll ever meet, but I think The Bible was totally appropriate for the History Channel. Even those who don't take The Bible literally can agree that it's a historic document. In the context of history, where no film exists (i.e.: most of history), I think it's perfectly OK to do it as a scripted drama.

The Bible is historic (long life) but not necessarily historical (authenticated). I know it is a nit to pick but I would like to see historical events presented with authentication and those that cannot be presented as fiction. TV shows used to do this, movies almost never did but airing fiction on something called The History Channel seems wrong.

 

[arnoldevns]

The name is not important when reality (?) is the programing. How many music videos on MTV lately?

IMHO Ice Road Truckers makes Pawn Stars look cerebral . At least on Pawn Stars occasionally there is a "historical" item.

The name is important. If you're going to call it The History Channel, it should show programming about history.
Failing to do so means it has failed to live up to its mission.

This is the same problem The Weather Channel has. It no longer provides 24/7 weather, but provides "weather-related" programming. It's misleading. At least they were forced to ditch the movies.

 

[TheBigA]

The name is important. If you're going to call it The History Channel, it should show programming about history.
Failing to do so means it has failed to live up to its mission.

Mission? This isn't religion, it's a business. The mission is to make money.

Mission may have been important when they started, but not any more. The station is a hit with reality shows, and that's what they'll be doing regardless of the channel name.

 

[Tom Wells]

Or Oxygen showing only colorless, odorless reactive gas?

Yes! Take a loop of tower cameras across the country. 15 minutes in Portland, ME, 15 minutes in Burlington, VT, and so on through the country. The perfect antidote to trash talk.

I'd watch that!

The name is important. If you're going to call it The History Channel, it should show programming about history.
Failing to do so means it has failed to live up to its mission.

Mission? This isn't religion, it's a business. The mission is to make money.

Mission may have been important when they started, but not any more. The station is a hit with reality shows, and that's what they'll be doing regardless of the channel name.

No one wants to be hindered by having a "mission" anymore.
EVERYthing has be about servicing the debt load.
Nothing's about what it's about, 'cause it all has to be about the money.

I'm impressed by those who are true to their "mission" and retain their integrity.

As good as gambling is for schools ( :), it's just no good if it doesn't come along with prostitution, like in Las Vegas.

Who was it that died searching for an honest man?

At one time, back when we hadn't sold our souls, corporations could only be licensed for one purpose.
If you did not follow the terms of your charter, your corporation could lose its charter.
So why should anything "mean" anything?
Let's all just avoid honest honest business and do something like sell crystal meth that really moves money.

I'll stop before we go "outside".

 

[TheBigA]

Let's all just avoid honest honest business and do something like sell crystal meth that really moves money.

It ain't the 19th century any more.

Speaking of the History Channel, they ran a wonderful series on the men who built America. Folks like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan. Their mission was money too.

 

[sandiegoinexile]

The name is important. If you're going to call it The History Channel, it should show programming about history. Failing to do so means it has failed to live up to its mission.

That somewhat proves the point. On March 20, 2008, The History Channel dropped the "The" and "Channel" parts of its name to become simply "History". That was over 5 years ago. Some folks still refer to CBS as the Columbia Broadcasting System, so I suspect others will continue to use the old, outdated, incorrect channel name. History can refer to something that happened 5000 years ago or 20 minutes ago. Namewise, History is no different than Logo, Spike, Oxygen, We, Hallmark, Sprout or most other one-word monikers.

 

[Tom Wells]

CBS can never "not be" the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Just like the CW is the...uhh..Country and Western....

 

[landtuna]

On March 20, 2008, The History Channel dropped the "The" and "Channel" parts of its name to become simply "History". That was over 5 years ago.

Actually, the full name is still being used in AP news stories as of tonight so apparently someone didn't get the memo.

 

[TheBigA]

Actually, the full name is still being used in AP news stories as of tonight so apparently someone didn't get the memo.

Ha! What memo?

My first thought was perhaps legally, they still need to include the word "Channel" for trademark reasons.

Then I saw that they have actually registered "History" as a trademark: HISTORY®

So there you go. Didn't think it was possible to register a single common word. But now I know.

 

[Mario500]

Re: Why doesn’t the History Channel just change its name

CBS can never "not be" the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Just like the CW is the...uhh..Country and Western....

The letters "CW" in the name of the broadcasting company stand for CBS and Warner Bros.

 

[dhett]

CBS can never "not be" the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Just like the CW is the...uhh..Country and Western....

The letters "CW" in the name of the broadcasting company stand for CBS and Warner Bros.

Humor. It is a difficult concept. It is not logical.