I used to be a fan of The Learning Channel. Owned by Discovery (in the U.S. where the idea of one educational network owning the other apparently didn’t strike anyone as odd), it had some low-budget educational programming that differed from a Discovery Channel that then was more focused on nature programming.
But then something changed. As Discovery added Mythbusters and dozens of Mythbusters knockoffs, TLC shifted its focus to reality programming and home renovation shows. “Bringing Home Baby”, “Take Home Chef”, “Flip That House”, “My Skin Could Kill Me” are among the shows on today. It’s the Medical Diagnosis Channel/Vehicle Repair Channel meets Home and Garden Television.
As if to underscore the fact that learning isn’t important to them, the channel has announced that it is carrying the exact opposite of everything that learning stands for:
Just what am I supposed to learn from that?
“What Not To Wear” … tee hee.
If TLC didn’t play the same five episodes continuously throughout my visits home, I might be more sympathetic.
You know, this is something I have been pondering for a while now. I remember when Discovery Channel was all about archeology and medical exploration and innovation. Now it seems to be mostly about monster trucks and motorcycle repair shops, etc. I hardly ever watch it anymore. And as for TLC, while it certainly distracted me quite a bit during my recovery from hip surgery, it seems that most of the time, it is major fluff or shocking stories about obesity and people with two heads and the daily drama of tattoo shops. I really get the feeling these channels think we are idiots.