Travel Channel

History

Original format

The Travel Channel was launched on February 1, 1987; it was founded by TWA Marketing Services (a subsidiary of Trans World Airlines). The channel's name was derived from the travel-related filler programming that aired between programs on the Home Theater Network. TWA purchased the name rights from Group W Satellite Communications in 1986, and took over HTN's transponder spot following the shutdown of the premium cable channel in January 1987. In 1992, the network was sold to Landmark Communications, then-owner of The Weather Channel; five years later, Landmark sold it to Paxson Communications.

Discovery Communications acquired a 70% ownership stake in the channel in 1997, and subsequently acquired the remaining 30% interest from Paxson in 1999. In May 2007, Discovery Communications sold Travel Channel to Cox Enterprises subsidiary Cox Communications as part of a larger multibillion-dollar transaction.

On November 5, 2009, Scripps Networks Interactive acquired a 65% ownership interest in the network for $1.1 billion; the deal closed in January 2010. Following the purchase, Travel Channel began to add programming from sister networks such as Food Network In 2015, Scripps relocated the channel's headquarters from Chevy Chase, Maryland to Knoxville, Tennessee.

On February 25, 2016, SNI acquired the remaining 35% stake in Travel Channel from Cox Communications, giving it full control over the network. Discovery regained ownership of the network on March 6, 2018, after acquiring SNI.

Available data shows that viewership peaked in Spring 2008 at 27.78 million views per 7 days, and has been in decline ever since. As of Spring 2017, the channel got 17.25 million views.

Rebrand

On October 1, 2018, Travel Channel revealed a new logo stylized as Trvl Channel, and shifted its programming to focus on "the paranormal, the unsolved, the creepy and terrifying". From 2015 to 2017, Destination America had undergone a similar shift to paranormal programming themselves. Certain Travel Channel shows (such as Bizarre Foods, its spinoff series Bizarre Foods Delicious Destinations, Man v. Food, Food Paradise, Hotel Impossible, and Xtreme Waterparks) would move to either Destination America or Cooking Channel.

On January 12, 2021, it was reported that there were plans for selected Travel Channel programs to premiere exclusively on Discovery+ as timed exclusives.

Programming

Main article: List of Travel Channel original programming

Outside the United States

Main article: Travel Channel International

On March 22, 2012, Scripps Networks Interactive announced that it had agreed to pay £65 million (equivalent to US$102.7 million) to acquire Travel Channel International Limited, the UK-based broadcaster which operates across the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific markets, but had no direct relation to the American television channel until then. The deal was completed on May 1, 2012, following regulatory approval.

In Canada, Travel Channel's programming has aired on T+E, and later, DTour.

References

References

1. (2024). "Discovery Selects 230 Park Avenue South as New Global Headquarters – Discovery, Inc".
2. (May 14, 2024). "U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023".
3. (October 27, 1986). "Broadcasting Magazine".
4. (March 23, 1992). "Landmark adds Travel to weather". [[Broadcasting & Cable.
5. (June 17, 1997). "Paxson to Buy the Travel Channel". [[Los Angeles Times]].
6. [http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=76341&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=999940& Cox Cable Corporate Site - Cox Now Owns Travel Channel and TravelChannel.com]
7. [http://www.multichannel.com/article/382930-Scripps_Snaps_Up_Travel_In_Deal_Valued_At_1_1_Billion.php Scripps Snaps Up Travel In Deal Valued At $1.1 Billion - Acquires 65% Interest In Service From Cox] ''Multichannel News'' November 5, 2009
8. Juan Fernandez Gonzalez. (December 20, 2015). "Scripps offers LATAM programming on Travel Channel, Food Network". Rapid TV News.
9. (24 November 2015). "Travel Channel relocating from Maryland; 78 jobs affected | Maryland Daily Record".
10. [https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/scripps-networks-travel-channel-1201715266/ "Scripps Networks Takes Full Control of Travel Channel"] ''Variety'' February 25, 2016
11. Szalai, Georg. (March 6, 2018). "Discovery Closes Scripps Acquisition, Creating Non-scripted Content Giant". The Hollywood Reporter.
12. "TV viewers of the Travel Channel in the U.S. 2017 {{!}} Statistic".
13. [https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/travel-channel-news/travel-channel-has-a-new-look Travel Channel Has a New Look] - Travel Channel (published October 1, 2018; accessed October 7, 2018)
14. de Moraes, Lisa. (2015-07-30). "Live Exorcism Of Hellish "Exorcist" House To Air On Destination America – TCA".
15. White, Peter. (2021-01-13). "Travel Channel Originals To Move To Discovery+ As Factual Giant Experiments With Windowing".
16. (March 22, 2012). "Scripps buys Travel Channel Int'l". C21Media.
17. (May 1, 2012). "Scripps Networks Interactive completes Travel Channel International acquisition". [[The New York Times]].