National Geographic (British and Irish TV channel) facts for kids
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| Broadcast area | United Kingdom Iceland Malta Ireland |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 2160p UHDTV (downscaled to 1080i and 576i for the HDTV and SDTV feeds, respectively) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | National Geographic Society Fox Networks Group (Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International/Disney UK & Ireland) |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 September 1997 |
| Replaced | Sky 2 |
| Availability | |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media (UK) | Channel 266 (SD) Channel 267 (+1) Channel 268 (HD) |
| Virgin Media (Ireland) | Channel 215 (SD) Channel 221 (HD) |
| WightFibre | Channel 84 |
| Satellite | |
| Sky | Channel 129 (HD) Channel 229 (+1) Channel 824 (SD) |
| IPTV | |
| TalkTalk TV | Channel 317 |
| BT TV | Channel 317 (SD) Channel 373 (HD) |
| Plusnet TV | Channel 317 (SD) Channel 373 (HD) |
| eir Vision | Channel 526 (SD) Channel 543 (HD) |
| Streaming media | |
| Sky Go | Watch live (UK and Ireland only) |
| Virgin TV | Watch live (UK only) |
| TalkTalk TV | Watch live (UK only) |
| BT TV | Watch live (UK only) |
| TVPlayer | Watch live (UK only) |
National Geographic is a TV channel from the United Kingdom. It shows amazing documentaries made by the National Geographic Society. You can watch shows about nature, science, and exploring the world. It's a bit like the Discovery Channel!
The channel started in Europe in September 1997. Over time, it grew and is now available all around the world, including Asia and the United States. Today, you can watch it in over 143 countries and in 25 different languages. More than 160 million homes tune in!
The channel is owned by a group called "NGC-UK Partnership." This group includes the National Geographic Society and Fox Networks Group, which is part of The Walt Disney Company. There are different versions of the channel, including one for the UK, Ireland, Malta, and Iceland. You can also find it in Dutch, Italian, Norwegian, and Turkish. The channel's famous theme music was created by Elmer Bernstein.
About the Channel's Owners
The channel is owned by the NGC-UK Partnership. This partnership began in 1997. It was a joint effort between National Geographic Television & Film and British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB).
National Geographic Television & Film helps with choosing and creating the shows. BSkyB helps with getting the channel to viewers, advertising, and sales. This partnership works together to create and run National Geographic channels across Europe. Their main office is in London.
Over the years, the ownership changed a bit. In 2006, News Corporation bought a part of the company. Later, in 2007, BSkyB sold its share to the Fox Entertainment Group. Now, the channel is part of the larger The Walt Disney Company.
High-Definition (HD) Shows
National Geographic launched its special high-definition (HD) channel on May 22, 2006. HD means the picture is much clearer and more detailed than standard TV. You can watch the HD version on Sky and Virgin Media in the UK.
It also became available on UPC Ireland in 2009. At first, the HD channel showed some different content. But since December 1, 2010, the HD channel shows the exact same programs as the standard definition channel, just with a super clear picture!
What You Can Watch
National Geographic Channel shows many exciting documentaries. Here are some popular ones:
- Air Crash Investigation
- Ape Man
- Banged Up Abroad
- Be the Creature
- Big Bang
- Built for the Kill
- Car S.O.S.
- Doomsday Preppers
- Drain the Oceans
- End Day
- Escape Tech
- Explorations Powered by Duracell
- Explorer
- Family Guns
- Gospel of Judas
- Britain's Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie (2009)
- Highway Thru Hell
- Hollywood Science
- Hunter Hunted
- Interpol Investigates
- Is It Real?
- Living Wild
- Megacities
- Megafactories
- MegaStructures
- Mysteries of the Deep
- Naked Science
- No Borders
- Planet Football
- Planet Mechanics
- Predators at War
- Rough Trades
- Scam City
- Science of the Bible
- Seconds From Disaster
- Situation Critical
- Storm Stories
- Strange Days on Planet Earth
- Taboo
- The Dog Whisperer
- The Living Edens
- Thrill Zone
- Thunder Beasts
- Totally Wild
- Trading Faces
- Wicked Tuna
- World of Wildlife
Channel Voices
When you watch National Geographic, you might hear some familiar voices. Rob Jarvis, who played Eddie in the TV show Hustle, is one of the main male voices for the channel's promos. Another voice you might hear is Adam Longworth from XFM radio.
