Smithsonian Channel Likely To Get Axed If The Possible Merger Between Paramount Global And Warner Bros. Discovery Moves Forward

The Smithsonian Channel is a factual based brand operated by Paramount Global through MTV Entertainment Group. It offers video content inspired by the Smithsonian Institution's museums, research facilities and magazines.

Serving as a competitor to Disney's National Geographic and a majority of factual based channels operated by Warner Bros Discovery. It was home to content like Ice Airport Alaska, The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist, Damian Lewis: Spy Wars and Aerial America.

It used to operate various linear channels internationally and since December 2022 is only viewable on Paramount+ in these regions. As it has been outlined by sources that it would garner traction and of course some content would resurface on MTV.

During the week, it was reported that Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery were exploring a potential merger. For now, Warner Bros. Discovery can't look at merging with another entity until April 2024 and talks are said to be in the early stages so it's not known whether they'll go through with the plan.

Most of Paramount's assets are likely to be consolidated if not sold at this point. Unlike Nickelodeon or MTV, The Smithsonian Channel doesn't seem to have much of a future as it had been overshadowed by existing competitors.

Logically, shows like Aerial America and Mayday will just fold under the factual part of Warner Bros. Discovery not that this is new or anything. But they had been licensing content to other broadcasters before and after expanding their linear offering to other countries.

As for the brand in general, The Smithsonian Channel could continue to offer content based on their "museums, research facilities and magazines". Of course, I'd expect quite less of that at this point and they'd probably need to look at partnerships for sustainability.

Former StarSat Channel Home To Inside The Factory And Air Warriors Is Closing Down In The UK

The Smithsonian Channel is an international channel operated by Paramount Global which is home to factual shows such as Inside the Factory, How Did They Build That?, WWII Battles in Color, Air Warriors, Ocean Super Predators and many more.

The channel was available in Africa alongside Love Nature a while back on StarSat as a replacement to National Geographic and National Geographic Wild as the pay-tv platform got into a bit of a disagreement with their suppliers, The Walt Disney Company.

Prior to that, The Smithsonian Channel was also allocated on the East African platform Zuku TV but I prefer to credit StarSat since consumers are more familiar with the platform.

Anyways, The Smithsonian Channel what can I say I'm not too familiar with the brand and I only knew of existence when it was introduced by StarSat but what was more shocking was that it's owned by Paramount that are home to various popular brands most of which are on DStv.

But considering how they screwed over VH1 I'm the least bit shocked that they'd be another channel lurking around the same corner.

StarSat:
- Delayed SABC channel launch on StarSat explained
- Russia Today to launch South African hub
- StarSat trying to be DStv friendly
- BYUtv should be added onto StarSat
- StarSat to offer more African dubbed telenovelas
- Could StarSat be losing two more channels?

From what I can establish no actual reason was given for The Smithsonian Channel's exit in the African market my guess on StarSat has to do with costs as they've scrapped over 40 channels most of which weren't even replaced to date.

But considering the times both Love Nature and The Smithsonian Channel both left the platform it's possible that may not be the case as Zuku TV fell prey to similar circumstance.

During the week, officials announced the exit of The Smithsonian Channel in the UK with consumers having to rely on Paramount+ for more factual entertainment which has just got me thinking. Is it possible that the termination in Africa may have something to do with what's already seen in the UK?

I mean I kind of suggested that theory a while back that The Smithsonian Channel's demise had to do with streamlining efforts.

I've got nothing to say about The Smithsonian Channel except for the fact that a lot of viewers depend on the channel but I think part of the reason it got scrapped had to do with the rivalry with National Geographic and Discovery both of which offer similar entertainment.

The Walt Disney Company:
- The Good Doctor getting a female led spinoff
- King Kong Series in development
- The Walt Disney Company to extend the reach of Star Channel
- DStv Streama now offers Disney+
- List of scrapped spinoffs for The Simpsons
- Disney Television Animation unveils Kiff!

National Geographic is about to undergo a similar fate leaving Discovery and from what I've seen Curiosity and BBC Earth to cater for these audiences or at least in Africa.

Paramount+ besides carrying content from The Smithsonian Channel will also leverage from MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, CBS and many more. Although I have yet see them streamline their linear offering I had noticed that they've been closing irrelevant or non-performing channels.

The Smithsonian Channel was neither but I do feel it's presence on Paramount+ will help the brand gain more acknowledgement.

Will StarSat Replace The Smithsonian Channel And Love Nature?

Two years ago, StarSat replaced National Geographic and WILD with ViacomCBS's The Smithsonian Channel and Blue Ant Media's Love Nature as they were trying to patch these up with National Geographic's owners, The Walt Disney Company.

National Geographic and WILD returned a year after that incident and right until November 2021 they were beefing with their supposed replacements.

MultiChoice went through the same experience with A+E Networks even though they lost a couple tooth. Viewers are still able to access their offering alongside the additional resources.

Unfortunately that's no longer the case with StarSat, viewers across the world have lost several channels and not all of them were fortunate enough to be replaced. The same case passes them and MultiChoice.

In regards to replacements, don't hold your breath it's not the matter of the brand as seen they've lost several channels but these two channels weren't considered newcomers but placeholders.

If they were the last man on earth I could have thought otherwise. At the moment, the only miracle would be seeing something like People's Weather which combines the concepts of these channels.

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Another One Bites The Dust: Love Nature Reportedly The Next Victim To Get Culled By StarSat

A month after The Smithsonian Channel, the Canadian-based Love Nature featuring documentaries related to wildlife and nature goes off air on StarSat across Africa by the end of November.

Love Nature launched 2 years ago alongside The Smithsonian Channel as replacements to National Geographic and National Geographic Wild as StarSat had been going through a contractual dispute with The Walt Disney Company.

The demise of Love Nature leaves a big gap in the viewership as so many channels were culled from the platform including FOX, SA Music, SA Playlist, St Eyethu and a range of Discovery Channels.

Just like Smithsonian, fans of Love Nature will have rely on National Geographic to give viewers the best in factual and educational programming, and hope that doesn't get culled as well.

2021 has proven to be weak year on the basis of new channels. So far the platform launched MUTV, Zimbabwe's Jit TV, the ANC inspired C12 TV, Fashion TV, Roots TV and 3 Zee TV channels.

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Read Also:
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Could ViacomCBS International Media Networks In Africa Also Be Opting To Streaming Following The Smithsonian Channels Closure Within The Market?

In September, it was reported that The Smithsonian Channel alongside FOX will stop airing on StarTimes across Africa meaning less international channels for their customers.

The reasons for FOX's demise was already disclosed but The Smithsonian Channel was never stated at least not until another platform being Zuku TV addressed the matter.

According to the East African provider Zuku TV, The Smithsonian Channel was apparently discontinued by the supplier being ViacomCBS International Media Networks.

ViacomCBS International Media Networks already handle other brands in Africa such as Comedy Central, MTV, MTV Base, MTV Hits, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr and Nicktoons.

The problem here is none of Smithsonian's content fit any of these channels and ViacomCBS didn't give their viewers other means of viewing the programming.

So what is going on exactly with ViacomCBS? Why not leave your viewers with other means of viewing the entertainment? Is it possible that The Smithsonian Channel heading to streaming soon?

In 2018, ViacomCBS launched a streaming service for The Smithsonian Channel in the United States called Smithsonian Channel+ which has since been merged onto Paramount+.

Paramount+ which isn't available in South Africa as of yet is home to ViacomCBS other brands (as mentioned earlier) current and future programming.

By taking all this into account, is it possible that more channels from ViacomCBS will join The Smithsonian Channel in this turmoil as viewers wait on the launch of Paramount+.

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Read Also:
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- AEW Rampage coming in October to TNT Africa
- SABC Children might be in the works, will it launch on StarSat perhaps?
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- Could SABC Entertainment launch on StarSat?
- Disney+ launching in South Africa
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- Discovery and WarnerMedia could launch a joint streaming service

After 2 Years, The Smithsonian Channel Stops Airing On StarSat In South Africa And StarTimes Across Africa

Following the news of FOX's demise by The Walt Disney Company from October, viewers on StarTimes are set to lose out on another premium channel which is known other than The Smithsonian Channel.

The Smithsonian Channel operated by ViacomCBS International launched on StarSat in SA and StarTimes in the rest of Africa in November 2019 alongside Love Nature and at the time served as replacement channels for National Geographic and National Geographic WILD before returning a year.

StarTimes doesn't specify the exact reason for the termination of The Smithsonian Channel but they promise to to source out more content on top of looking for replacement channels.

From December 2020 till now StarSat lost over 10 channels some of which can be found on Openview and DStv including the entire set of Discovery Channels and two local music channels.

Throughout that period, the only thing they could say is they're sourcing out more content. So far only 4 channels launched: Jib TV (Zimbabwe), MUTV, Fashion TV and Roots TV (South Africa) none of these channels have anything appealing or similar to the channels lost.

With that in mind, a lot of viewers will likely just cancel their subscription seeing as most of the premium channels have been removed and opt to another service provider while others will just harass them for more channels with better content.

Read Also:
- TNT might rebrand in future
- Dizi launched its own streaming service for Turkish dramas
- AEW Rampage coming in October to TNT Africa
- SABC Children might be in the works, will it launch on StarSat perhaps?
- Is Star Life rebranding into Utsav Life?
- SABC Parliament is in development, will it launch on StarSat?
- Only SABC knows when SABC Education will launch on DStv and StarSat and this is coming from both pay-tv platforms
- Could SABC Entertainment launch on StarSat?
- Disney+ launching in South Africa
- Peacock and Paramount+ merge into one hub
- Discovery and WarnerMedia could launch a joint streaming service

Starsat/StarTimes Launches Two New Channels To Celebrate The Festive

Starsat/StarTimes has lost several channels throughout the year including the KISS, Star Series1, Trace Africa and FOX channels (ESPN 1 & 2 formerly FOX Sports, National Geographic & Wild, FOX & FOX Life) which now belong to Disney and now they've unveiled the "new" channels which are set to replace National Geographic and National Geographic Wild from 10  December judging from the lineup who knows if they consider the two new additions replacements for FOX and FOX Life or if they're still sourcing out more replacement channels.

The Smithsonian Channel is an American pay television channel that is operated by Smithsonian Networks (SNI/SI Networks L.L.C.), a joint venture between CBS Corporation's Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution. The channel features original non-fiction programming that covers a wide range of historical, scientific and cultural subjects.

Love Nature is a Canadian specialty television channel owned by Blue Ant Media . The channel broadcasts documentaries and television series related to wildlife and nature.

If you ask me the channels seem like another cheap addition in the end it saves them money on the other hand the channels may join the batch of several other wasted channels who knows the channels may do well in this market but those who watched National Geographic even though it could interest them they'll still pick National Geographic over any other channel. Starsat could be going through difficult times kind of like MultiChoice and its recent additions now that Lifetime and History remains it could have increased their expenses so channels are bound to be lost and affordable replacements might take quality channels position.