History Channel Abandons History in Favor of Ratings
Viewership Up, Standards Down
In the time that Ms. Dubuc has been impacting programming on either History or A&E, she has overseen many changes in both networks. Most of those changes pertain to one goal--shifting the viewership to a much younger audience. For an example of Ms. Dubuc's handiwork, one need only look back to A&E before her arrival (when it was still "Arts & Entertainment") in contrast with the programming since.
Under her watch, A&E went from featuring a mix of fine arts, documentaries, and original literary screen adaptations to a pastiche of reality series shamelessly pandering to the lowest common denominator. Ms. Dubuc was the driving force behind this effort. It was her leadership that gave the greenlight to Airline, Family Plots, Growing Up Gotti, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, and Dog the Bounty Hunter, among others. A&E by the end of Ms. Dubuc's tenure had utterly devolved into a jaded reality freak show on parade.
Having been a fan of History Channel since its inception in 1995, I was leery when the first press releases announced her move back to the network. While A&E was busy doing the programming equivalent of a pole dance, History was at least nominally sticking to its original mission. It had at least outlived its erstwhile reputation as "The Hitler Channel" as it morphed into "The Engineering and Technical History Channel" for a time instead. The news of Ms. Dubuc's promotion made me--and many longtime History Channel viewers--more than a little concerned given her penchant for reality-based shows.
In Ms. Dubuc's defense, she has championed several projects that are worthy of praise for both their content and production values. The Universe is one such series, Jurassic Fight Club is an interesting new twist on an old concept, and Cities of the Underworld is usually fascinating. Recent vintage specials such as The Little Ice Age: Big Chill, China's First Emperor, and Life after People have been deservedly critical and popular successes.
However, most former fans of the channel have been justified in their fears. In her short tenure, Ms. Dubuc has also been quick to introduce reality series including Ice Road Truckers, Ax Men, Tougher in Alaska, Shockwave, UFO Hunters, and the latest vocational show posing as history, Sandhogs. The transformation is already underway. Bolstered by cheaply bought ratings, the current regime will continue to justify trading lower standards for viewership.
Ms. Dubuc claimed that she would preserve the brand's integrity when she came on board. The evidence says otherwise. History will be another A&E within the next few years at this rate.
If by any chance there are those of you who also find yourselves disappointed with the direction in which History's programming is headed, please take a moment to contact Ms. Dubuc and A&E Television Networks--let your displeasure be heard. Silence will be taken for acquiescence; you will only get the kind of programming you demand by demanding it.
Contact Info
Nancy Dubuc
Executive VP/General Manager, History
A&E Television Networks
235 East 45th Street
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: 212-210-1340 (Viewer Relations)
Web Contact:http://www.history.com/global/feedback/index.jsp?NetwCode=THC
Published by J. M. Pressley
J. M. Pressley is an occasional writer in Illinois. He has been editor of the Shakespeare Resource Center, an educational website, since its inception in 1997. He holds degrees in theater and writing from De... View profile
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14 Comments
Post a Commenti would love to have the hitler channel back, even moreso the engineering disasters channel. ancient aliens is probably the worst thing ever produced for commercial television.
We have for quite some time now been referring to the History Chanel as the PSEUDO-History Chanel, now we understand why content and programming have become so thin.
It's very unfortunate what has become of the once Very good History Channel,whats much more unfortunate is that there's so many people who don't seem to mind ! I'm afraid it says alot about people in general, ask a History Teacher what he or she thinks about the history channel them and now.
I found this site while researching the question "Who is dumbing down The History Channel?" Or "Who is gaying up The History Channel?" Now I know and I have two words for Nancy. Hint. Not "happy birthday".
wasn't american pickers on another channel before the history chan? Maybe TLC or discovery?
if you don't learn from histoy you're bound to repeat the mistakes of the past, it's only a matter of time before the reality show craze market becomes oversaturated with so many channels switching.
You cant stay alive if you dont change with the times. Without change the History Channel would be a relic of the past.
I actually watch the History Channel until something comes on about WW2. Then I go do the laundry or something more entertaining.
Yup. Even when they try getting back to history, they screw it up. The America miniseries thus far has been extremely disappointing.
What happened to my history channel? I don't want to watch all ww2 history either, but something with history please. warriors was great. cities of the underworld is great. monster quest is not really history. reality shows about lumberjacks and pawn shops, inbred georgia hicks who drive race cars, and truck drivers are not history. shows about global warming are not history, and neither is the show "the universe" although it is interesting, but put it where it belongs, on the "learning" channel. Oh wait, tlc is now the midget and gigantic family reality channel. Damned pop culture, destroying the last bastions of decent television, just give me back history channel and tlc and discovery, keep all the others from network tv to mtv. that's my rant.
The History channel used to be serious an cientific. That was long ago. You Have prostituted their credibility and reliability with the desire to win mass public.
"Nostradamus and UFOs as science? Bible Prophecies like archeology? Reality Shows? hours of special effects on cataclysms "prophesied" by fraudsters? this is just shit, all they are achieving is to destroy a reputation built on years of good documentales.Si continue on this path at least have the minimal seriousness rename the channel to "channel of biblical prophecy" or "channel nostradamus "and please do not tease the public by passing all this commercial garbage like real science!.