Travel Channel (International)

Travel Channel is an American-owned, British satellite television channel, transmitting 24 hours a day in 21 languages across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. It is operated by Travel Channel International Limited (TCI) – a company headquartered in London. Knoxville, Tennessee-based Scripps Networks Interactive acquired Travel Channel International Limited in May 2012.

Overview

The channel mainly airs programming involving travel, such as guides to holiday planning, and traditional documentary programming about destinations, cuisine, culture, nature and shopping, along with other types of travel such as backpacking, culinary tourism, ecotourism and luxury tourism.

Travel Channel was launched in 1994 and it uses 20 satellite feeds to reach over 850 cable, satellite and IPTV platforms in 125 territories. A second sister channel, Travel Channel 2 launched on Sky Digital on 11 February 2008 but closed on 2 March 2009 when the EPG slot was sold to Style Network.

Travel Channel

Travel Channel (originally The Travel Channel from 1987 to 1999) is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned as a joint venture between Scripps Networks Interactive (which owns 65% of the network) and Cox Communications (which owns the remaining 35% interest). The channel is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States.

It features documentaries, reality, and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows on African animal safaris, tours of grand hotels and resorts, visits to significant cities and towns across the world, programming about various foods across the world, and programming about ghosts and the paranormal in notable buildings.

As of February 2015, Travel Channel is available to approximately 91.5 million pay television households (78.6% of households with television) in the United States.

History

The Travel Channel was launched on February 1, 1987; it was founded by Trans World Airlines, presumably to boost airline patronage. 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. The network was later sold to Landmark Communications, then-owner of The Weather Channel, and eventually to Paxson Communications.