The channel features original non-fiction programming that covers a wide range of historical, scientific, and cultural subjects. As of February 2015, approximately 33.6 million American households (28.9% of those with televisions) receive Smithsonian Channel.[2] It is also available as a video on demand service, depending on the service provider, and in various Internet streaming and download formats.[3]
The channel was launched as a joint venture of Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution as Smithsonian On Demand in 2006, and later became Smithsonian Channel in 2007.[4]Smithsonian Channel Plus, a US$5 monthly subscription also offering access to the channel's past content library, and incorporating the former Smithsonian Earth streaming service, was launched in 2018.[5] As of the fall of 2020, it was merged into CBS All Access (later renamed Paramount+).
The Smithsonian Channel features a wide array of programming covering science, nature, culture, history, air and spacecraft, and documentaries. They create everything from long-running series to one-off, in depth specials.
Mystery of the Hope Diamond – On August 19, 2009, the Smithsonian Institution announced that the Hope Diamond was to get a temporary new setting to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Harry Winston's donation of the gemstone to the National Museum of Natural History. Starting in September, the 45.52-carat (9.104 g) diamond would be exhibited as a stand-alone gem with no setting. From August 19, 2009, through September 7, 2009, the public was invited to vote online for their favorite Harry Winston designed setting, at SmithsonianChannel.com/hope. The winning setting would be announced this fall [when?] and the gem would be shown in the setting starting in May, along with a Smithsonian Networks documentary.[18]
MLK: The Assassination Tapes produced by 1895 FILMS for Smithsonian Channel premiered on February 12, 2012, and received a Peabody Award.[19] The winner's citation for the Peabody Award describes the documentary as "[p]ainstakingly configured from rare footage collected at the University of Memphis in 1968...leading up to the murder of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and its aftermath."[20]
Terror in the Skies is a four-part British/American television series which premiered on September 29, 2013. The show uses amateur video and photos as well as eyewitness accounts to investigate air disasters and the response to them to make flying safer.[21][22][23][24]
Air Disasters is a Canadian documentary television program examining air crashes, near-crashes, hijackings, bombings, and other disasters. The series features re-enactments, interviews, eyewitness testimony, computer-generated imagery, and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcripts to reconstruct the sequence of events for the audience.[25] The show explains how the emergencies came about, how they were investigated, how they might have been prevented, and any changes that have come about as a result. The series has been airing since 2003, although Smithsonian Networks only began airing the show starting with season 5. Previously, National Geographic had exclusive rights to air the show in the United States.[26]
Air Warriors is a series covering the F-15 Eagle, the V-22 Osprey, and the AH-64 Apache and the stories of the dedicated pilots and teams who fly and maintain these ultimate air warriors. It premiered on November 9, 2014.[27]
The Real Story goes behind the scenes of some of Hollywood's biggest movies and displays true stories that inspired some of Hollywood's most famous blockbusters. (Also known as The True Story in the United Kingdom.)[28]
Secrets is a documentary series airing since 2013[29]
Originally only offered in high definition, the Smithsonian Channel HD began airing on DirecTV's new HD lineup on September 26, 2007. Dish Network had originally added the HD channel on May 12, 2008, until February 1, 2009, when Dish dropped it. Then on December 11, 2015, Dish began to offer the channel again.[30] In 2010, Smithsonian Networks entered into an agreement with Comcast for broadcast of the channel on its Xfinity service until 2020.[needs update]
In addition, full episodes and clips are available on devices such as the iPad, Android as well as streaming media devices such as Roku and Apple TV.[31][32][33]
In December 2018, HD test transmissions for the Smithsonian Channel were broadcast on the Astra 2G satellite used by the UK's Sky platform.[34] The channel launched on 12 February 2019 on all major UK platforms.[35]
On July 20, 2019, DirecTV and AT&T U-verse removed it from their lineup due to a carriage dispute with CBS Corporation.[36] Carriage was restored on August 8, 2019.[37]
In 2006, Carl Malamud of publishing and sharing non-profit Public.Resource.Org complained that private company Showtime and the publicly owned Smithsonian Institution were entering a contract to establish Smithsonian Networks without sufficient public disclosure.[38] Under the contract, Showtime would be able to deny permission to other media producers wishing access to Smithsonian collections.[39] Documentarian Ken Burns said of this deal "I find this deal terrifying... It feels like the Smithsonian has essentially optioned America's attic to one company".[39]
