Like most businesses, TV channels can undergo an enormous amount of change over time. After all, the businesses that survive are the businesses that can adapt to their changing circumstances, with TV channels being no exception to this rule. However, there are some TV channels that have changed so much from their initial premises that their names have become rather comical.
Here are some TV channels that have changed so much that their modern programming bears little resemblance to their initial offerings:
A&E
A&E stood for Arts and Entertainment, so it should come as no surprise to learn that much of its content consisted of biographies, documentaries, and TV show connected in some manner to the arts. Now, its programming is more focused on a combination of reality TV shows and true crime TV shows. Even the people chosen to be the subjects of its biographies have changed to reflect its modern priorities.
Bravo
Bravo was supposed to focus on programming related to film and the performing arts, thus the name. However, it started up at around the same time as three other TV channels with similar themes, meaning that it was under enormous competitive pressure from the start. In the end, Bravo survived by embracing films, which became a huge part of its programming. Unfortunately, it survived in name but not in content when it was bought out by NBC, seeing as how its modern content is focused on pop culture as well as reality TV shows.
History Channel
People used to call the History Channel the Hitler Channel as a joke about its excessive focus on World War II. Unfortunately, the TV channel started embracing the worst tendencies of pop history, with the result that it started showing more and more pseudo-historic nonsense that make a mockery of what it was supposed to be about. In more recent times, it has embraced reality TV shows as well, sending it even further from its roots.
Syfy
Syfy started out as a TV channel that focused on science-fiction. In time, its owners made a choice to pursue a more mainstream audience, which resulted in anime, wrestling, reality TV shows, and re-runs of popular dramas. More recently, Syfy has started showing more interest in science fiction content of its own, but it seems probable that its current less that stellar reputation will persist for some time because of how far it has strayed from its initial programming.
TLC
It can be difficult for people to believe, but TLC actually stood for The Learning Channel at one point in time. In fact, TLC literally started out with some help from both NASA and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, which shows just how far it has fallen. Like most of the names on this list, its current programming is focused around reality TV shows, which is rather striking considering that its initial programming focused on documentaries and other educational programming.
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