NETWORK OVERVIEW
(FULL DISCLOSURE: CableU SISTER COMPANY CABLEready REPRESENTS PROGRAMS COMMISSIONED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL)
NETWORK: National Geographic Channel
NETWORK TAGLINE: None at this time.
DESCRIPTION OF NETWORK: Exploration programming of all kinds (former tagline was “Dare to Explore”)…into the past, the future, space, jungles, science, big things, jails, soldiers, recently, big events and topical stories, too. Key phrase on the website: “your destination for animals, nature, science, history and cultures.”
GENRE(S) OF PROGRAMMING: DOCUMENTARY, REALITY, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL, ANTHROPOLOGY, HISTORY, SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY, CRIME, WILDLIFE
NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS: 67 Million
PARENT COMPANY: Fox Cable Networks Group/National Geographic Ventures
SISTER NETWORKS:
Nat Geo HD, National Geographic Channels International
CONTACT INFO:
Main Address: 1145 17th Street NW, Washington DC 20036
Main Phone: 202-912-6500
President: David Haslingden (CEO of National Geographic Channels International and Fox International Channels)
GM & EVP: Steve Schiffman
EVP, Programming: Steve Burns
SVP, Development: Juliet Blake
SVP, Production: Michael Cascio
VP, Programming and Strategic Development: Heather Moran
Executive Director/Development: Bridget Whalen
Director/Development and Co-Productions: Whit Higgins
NETWORK URL:http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/
COMPETITION: Discovery, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, History Channel, A&E, truTV, MSNBC, CNN
WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUE:
The brand. The National Geographic blessing for a program raises the luster….no question about it. That’s why the channel is so high in the consciousness of producers, programmers and audiences alike. But programming wise, they’re in a somewhat crowded field.
CURRENT PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
THE SHORT LIST:
AFTERMATH: What the world would be like if humans suddenly disappeared.
DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS WITH BRADY BARR: Brady is the Nat Geo reptile expert…dare we say their Steve Irwin? He’s all over the slimy creatures, and even disguises himself as one of them. DENS OF DANGER; SUPER SNAKE; AUSTRALIA’S DEADLY DOZEN; ASIA-PACIFIC DEADLIEST DOZEN.ran this month.
DOG DAYS: Cute idea for a stunt….LIVES CHANGED; DOGTOWN: CRISIS DOGS; SCIENCE OF DOGS.
THE DOG WHISPERER: Nat Geo’s breakout hit, a dog-trainer-to-the-stars can train even the toughest dog. This series follows him
ENGINEERING INNOVATIONS: New strand that is really WHO KNEW?, what you didn’t know about everyday stuff: SPEEDBALL; GOLF; GUN; BIKE; AIRBAG; MONEY.
EXPLORER: Signature series that migrated from CNBC and PBS, world-wide adventure and exploration, cultural and natural history from National Geographic Television. This month: INSIDE SUMO; TESTOSTERONE FACTOR; INSIDE THE BODY TRADE.
THE HUMAN APE: Scientific research and 4D technology to examine human's relationship with apes.
INSIDE….Up close and inside governments, monuments, institutions, groups or adventurous places, such as LOCKDOWN: GANGLAND; OUTLAW BIKERS: MASTERS OF MAYHEM, though this month, it was all episodes of LOCKDOWN: INMATE U (no relation to CableU); FIRST TIMERS; COUNTY JAIL. AMERICAN SKINHEADS played outside of the LOCKDOWN strand, but in the same slot.
MAN MADE: A journey through the history of this everyday item, all of ‘em pretty large this month: ULTIMATE FACTORIES: FERRARI (another ep – CORVETTE – ran next under NGC SCI-TECH); SUPER ROADS; IMPOSSIBLE ISLANDSL TOKYO: LIVING SMALL IN BIG CITY; SUPER SEWER.
MYSTERIES OF THE BIBLE – Right around Easter, a two night mini-stunt of Biblical history: THE REAL MARY MAGDALENE; JESUS: THE MAN; CAIN AND ABEL; EXODUS REVEALED; LOST KINGS OF THE BIBLE.
NAKED SCIENCE: “Questions, Answered” reads the promo. Key science Strand for the net. GLACIER MELTDOWN; THE DEEP; GRAND CANYON (naked??). This month, earthy and spacey: THE ROCKIES; BIRTH OF AMERICA; BIRTH OF LIFE; PLUTO REDISCOVERED; MOON MYSTERIES.
NGC SCI-TECH: A couple thematic one-offs, tied to the lead-in: ULTIMATE FACTORIES: CORVETTE (coming out of UF; FERRARI) and CRASH SCIENCE: RACE CARS (out of SUPER ROADS).
NGC FRIDAY: Friday night one-offs this month: SECRET HISTORY OF THE BRA; SWEET TOOTH; STRANGER THAN FICTION: I CAME AWAY ALIVE; ATLANTIS; BIGFOOT plus an extra ep of DOG WHISPERER.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTS: Umbrella title for a ton of one offs, all of which we report on below. This month: (on Monday): BIKERS AND MOBSTERS; MIAMI DRUG CARTEL; PHILLY MOB; DOG GENIUS; A LIFE CAPTURED; SUPER VOLCANO; CATCHING A CROOK; SCIENCE OF INTERROGATION; CIA SECRET EXPERIMENTS; MYSTERY SKULLS OF PALAU and a night of HOOKED!: MONSTER FISH; HOOKED AGAIN; and CAUGHT BARE-HANDED.
Tuesday: BATTLE FOR FALUJAH; BIRTH OF CIVILIZATION; WHO WAS NEANDRATHAL MAN? OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING; SECRETS OF THE SHROUD; SECRETS OF FREEMASONS (latter 2 combined with a WHAT HAPPENED episode on the night. See below.); hunt for the lost ark; decoding bible relics.
Saturday: Only one: BIKERS AND MOBSTERS.
Sunday: The big night for the Strand: A night of TABOO; AFTERMATH: POPULATION ZERO (outside of NG PRESENTS, more of an event); GLACIER MELTDOWN; ASIA’S DEADLY DOZEN; ARCTIC ATTACK; One LOCKDOWN (COUNTY JAIL) and two LOCKED Ups: VENEZUELA and NEPAL.
SCIENCE OF INTERROGATION: Hidden cameras are used to explore the science involved in getting information.
TABOO: Beyond the comfort zones to explore customs that are acceptable in some cultures, but forbidden in others.
WHAT HAPPENED?: Iconic events and the rearview mirror view of, well, what happened. INVESTIGATION OF TWA FLIGHT 800; COAL MINE DISASTER; ZERO HOUR UPDATE. TRIPLE CROSS: BIN LADEN’S SPY IN AMERICA; DEATH AT KENT STATE; SECRETS OF MONA LISA (a few other SECRETS that particular night, too. See above at NG PRESENTS); ENTEBBE HOSTAGE CRISIS.
WILD! UNTAMED TV: Pretty much wild and untamed animals…an umbrella strand that covers the gamut of the wilder side of the animal kingdom. Featured this month: GALAPAGOS; FISHZILLA: SNAKEHEAD INVASION; DEATH BY DRAGON. Featured this month: A MAN AMONG BEARS; MOOSE: TITANS OF THE NORTH; MORE ANIMAL ODDITIES; ANIMAL ODDITIES (actually, they ran in that order,. Two weeks apart); HOG GENIUS.
