The Learning Channel
Launched	1972
Owned by	Discovery Communications, LLC
Headquarters	Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States
Sister channel(s)	Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Health Channel, Travel Channel, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Kids, The Science Channel, Discovery Home, Military Channel, Discovery en Español, Discovery HD Theater
Website	TLC USA
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	Channel 280
Dish Network	Channel 183
C-Band	AMC 10-Channel 604 (4DTV Digital)
Bell ExpressVu	Channel 521
Star Choice	Channel 560
Cable
Verizon FiOS	Channel 119
Comcast	Channels Vary
Time Warner Cable	Channels Vary
Charter	Channels Vary
Cox Cable	Channels Vary
Cablevision	Channel 28
Bright House	Channels Vary
Shaw Cable	Channels Vary
Rogers Cable	Channels Vary
Cogeco Cable	Channels Vary
Midcontinent Communications	Channels Vary

TLC (The Learning Channel) is a cable TV network in the US and Canada, that carries a variety of informational and reality-based programming. TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications since 1991, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel , Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks. Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Discovery Communications LLC (DCI) is an American global media and entertainment company that began as a single channel, the Discovery Channel, launched in 1985. ... Union County Court House Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, in the United States. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Discovery Channel is a cable and satellite TV channel founded by John Hendricks which is distributed by Discovery Communications. ... Animal Planet, launched in 1996, is a cable and satellite television network co-owned by Discovery Communications, Inc. ... Discovery Health Channel (or DHC), launched on August 2, 1999, is a U.S. cable television network dedicated to programming that highlights various aspects of health and wellness (and unwellness as well). ... The Travel Channel is a cable television network that features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. ... Discovery Kids Channel is a digital cable television channel, owned by Discovery Communications (see Discovery Channel) with programming for education of children. ... The Science Channel is a television channel spin-off from the Discovery Channel, which features only science-related television shows. ... Discovery Home is a television network on cable TV in the U.S. Run by Discovery Communications (which runs the Discovery Channel), it is the main competitor to HGTV. Discovery Home Channel Come and see our house. ... The Military Channel is a recent addition to the Discovery Channel group of programming options. ... Discovery en Espanol is the Spanish language version of the Discovery Channel. ... Discovery HD Theater is a high definition network from Discovery Communications Inc. ... A standard DirecTV satellite dish with 1 LNB on a roof DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service based in El Segundo, California, USA, that transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America except for Mexico. ... DISH Network is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that provides satellite television and audio programming to households and businesses in the United States, owned by parent company EchoStar Communications Corporation. ... C band (compromise band) is a portion of electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies ranging from 4 to 6 GHz. ... Bell ExpressVu is the division of Bell Canada Enterprises that provides satellite television service across Canada. ... Star Choice is a direct broadcast satellite television distributor in Canada which is majority-owned by cable TV operator Shaw Communications Inc. ... Verizon Communications, Inc. ... Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is the largest[1] cable television (CATV) company and the second largest Internet service provider in the United States. ... Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) is an American national cable television company that operates in 27 states and has 31 operating divisions. ... Charter Communications NASDAQ: CHTR is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 5. ... Cox Enterprises is the successor to the publishing company founded in Dayton, Ohio, by James Middleton Cox, who began with the Dayton Daily News. ... For other uses, see Cablevision (disambiguation). ... The Bright House Networks logo. ... Shaw Communications Inc. ... Rogers Communications Inc. ... Cogeco (TSX: CGO) is a Canadian media and communications company. ... Midcontinent Communications is a provider of cable TV, internet, and general telephony services for home and business, serving the states of Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota (where the company is headquartered, in the city of Sioux Falls). ... Coaxial cable is often used to transmit cable television into the house. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... // This article is about the genre of TV shows. ... Discovery Communications LLC (DCI) is an American global media and entertainment company that began as a single channel, the Discovery Channel, launched in 1985. ... Discovery Channel is a cable and satellite TV channel founded by John Hendricks which is distributed by Discovery Communications. ... Animal Planet, launched in 1996, is a cable and satellite television network co-owned by Discovery Communications, Inc. ... The Science Channel is a television channel spin-off from the Discovery Channel, which features only science-related television shows. ...

TLC imports a significant amount of programming material from the United Kingdom (such as Junkyard Wars) mostly through its parent company's ties to the BBC and also produces U.S. versions of some shows (like What Not to Wear, originally a BBC production) as well as original programming (like Robotica). Scrapheap Challenge (known as Junkyard Wars in the United States) is a game show broadcast on Channel 4 and The Learning Channel. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... This article is about the UK version. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Robotica Logo Robotica was a robot combat show produced for the American television cable channel TLC, a subsidiary of the Discovery Channel. ...

A High Definition simulcast of TLC launched September 1, 2007. It is currently available on Cox, Dish Network, DirecTV and Insight Communications. Generally, high-definition refers to an increase in resolution or clarity such as in: High-definition television (HDTV), television formats that have a higher resolution than their contemporary counterparts High-definition video, which is used in HDTV broadcasting, as well as digital film and computer HD video file formats HDV... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television and telecommunications services in the United States. ... DISH Network is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that provides satellite television and audio programming to households and businesses in the United States, owned by parent company EchoStar Communications Corporation. ... A standard DirecTV satellite dish with 1 LNB on a roof DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service based in El Segundo, California, USA, that transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America except for Mexico. ... Insight Commuications in a cable provider in the United States. ...

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by TLC

This is a list of television programs formerly or currently broadcast by TLC. Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Baby Story A Makeover Story A...

History

The Learning Channel: “a place for learning minds”

The letters "TLC" come from the original name: "The Learning Channel." The channel was founded in 1972 originally dedicated to be an informative/instructional network focused on providing real education through the medium of TV. The channel mostly featured documentary content pertaining to nature, science, history, current events, medicine, technology, cooking, home improvement, and other information-based topics. These are often agreed to be more focused, more technical, and of a more academic-nature than the content that was being broadcast at the time on its rival, The Discovery Channel. The station was geared towards an inquisitive and narrow audience during this time, and had modest ratings. Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1991, the rival The Discovery Channel purchased The Learning Channel. Discovery purportedly “jazzed things up”. The Learning Channel continued to be focused primarily on instructional and educational programming through much of the '90s, but began to air shows less focused on education and more themed towards popular consumption and mass-marketing that would be later expanded. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

TLC still aired educational programmes such as Paleoworld(a show about prehistoric creatures), though more and more of its programming began to be devoted to niche audiences for shows regarding subjects like home improvement (HomeTime and Home Savvy were two of the first), arts and crafts (similar to Martha Stewart),crime programmes such as The New Detectives and medical programming (particularly reality-based ones following real operations of real people and following them through the process), and other shows that appealed to daytime audiences, particularly housewives. This was to be indicative of a major change in programming content and target audience over the next few years. Martha Stewart (born Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941) is an American business magnate, author, editor and homemaking advocate. ... The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science was a documentary television show that aired on the Discovery Channel that aired two or three different cases in forensic science. ...

"Life Unscripted": A New Direction

Former logo for TLC, used from October 27, 1992 to March 27, 2006, with the Life Unscripted tag added on January 19, 1999.

Perhaps due to poor ratings from a narrow target audience, TLC began to explore new avenues starting in the mid '90s and increasingly towards and after the advent of the 21st century. Less and less material that most would deem to be truly educational in nature was featured on the channel. This was likely due to better ratings being achieved by shows such as these, as TLC brought in more viewers that were less-interested in the other content being featured on the channel. Image File history File links TLC Network logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links TLC Network logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

In 1998, the channel officially began to distance itself from its original name “The Learning Channel”, and instead began to advertise itself only as “TLC”. It is possible the new audience may have held the common misconception that TLC stood for “Tender Loving Care”, a common initialism. The marketing maneuver to use only “TLC” may have been intended to encourage this misconception, as the station moved more towards reality-based personal-story programming that would engage a wider, more mainstream audience. Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

During the period of 1999 - 2001 there was a huge shift in programming, with most programming geared towards reality-drama, and interior design shows. The huge success of shows like Trading Spaces, Junkyard Wars, A Wedding Story, and A Baby Story exemplify this new shift in programming towards trendier, more hip shows; shows which many would argue are not educational at all. This article is about the year. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Trading Spaces is an hour-long television reality program on the cable channel The Learning Channel. ... Scrapheap Challenge (known as Junkyard Wars in the United States) is a game show broadcast on Channel 4 and The Learning Channel. ... A Wedding Story is a television series produced by Banyan Productions and shown on the TLC network since 1996. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

This came at a time when Discovery itself was overhauling much of its own programming, introducing shows like American Chopper. Much of the old, more educationally-focused programming missed by original fans of the channel can still be found occasionally dispersed amongst other channels owned by Discovery Communications. Most programming today is geared towards reality-based drama or interests such as home design, emergency Room dramas, other medical dramas, extreme weather, law enforcement, dating, and human interest programs. American Chopper: The Series is a Learning Channel reality television series produced by Pilgrim Films & Television Inc. ...

"Live and learn"

Logo used for TLC from March 27, 2006 to March 3, 2008

On March 27, 2006, the network launched a new look and promotional campaign, dropping the Life Unscripted tag and going with the new theme, Live and learn, trying to turn around the network's reliance on decorating shows and reality TV programming. As part of the new campaign, the channel's original name, The Learning Channel, has returned to occasional usage in promotions. The new theme also plays on life lessons. is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Interior decoration be merged into this article or section. ... Reality television is a genre of television programming in which the fortunes of real life people (as opposed to fictional characters played by actors) are followed. ...

"Life Surprises"

In early March 2008, TLC launched a slightly refreshed look and promotional campaign. TLC's New Slogan is Life Surprises

International

A British version of the channel was launched in the mid-1990s and was subsequently renamed Discovery Home and Leisure and later Discovery Real Time as part of Discovery's bouquet of themed channels. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Discovery Real Time is a male oriented factual television channel produced by Discovery Networks Europe. ... Bouquet may refer to: Carole Bouquet (born 1957), French actress Henry Bouquet (1719-1765), British army officer French word for an arrangement of cut flowers - see nosegay or Flower bouquet A fragrance or odor, especially when used as a description of wine In mathematics, a bouquet is a space constructed...

References

• CNN: When TV network changes name, look close (2003)
• MetaFilter community weblog discussion on TV network name changes

See also

• List of DirecTV channels
• List of Dish Network channels

// Below is a numerical representation of the DirecTV channel lineup. ... This is a list of the channels receivable from Dish Network. ...

External links

• Official Site