National Geographic Channel ---> debuted 25 years ago this month, January, 2001

[Scott T. Shier]

"The new National Geographic Channel, coming soon. Ask your cable provider for the all-new National Geographic Channel -- Always Wonder"

Well, it's been 25 years since a seismic event transpired which forever altered the structure, trajectory, and culture of the National Geographic Society since: the launch, on 7-January-2001, of the long aspired for National Geographic Channel (a.k.a. NGC), in partnership with FOX Cable Networks. 

The launch of the Channel was heavily promoted in-advance, and was formally announced (to members) in-print, in the January 2001,issue of  National Geographic magazine in 2 features, one being "from the president".

SEE here --->

compilation of official NGC promos, 2001

&

2001 Explorers & Photographers speak - new NGC

Here is a sample of a visual presentation of the Channel circa 2001 and used on DVD's (and VHS's) through to the mid + latter 2000's --->

Explore Your World with National Geographic Channel

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It was a very successful launch, based no doubt on the Society and FOX partnership having already been airing a National Geographic Channel in foreign markets for 3 years, commencing in 1997. (personally, I "always wondered" why the Channel did not debut in the U.S. before appearing elsewhere, but no matter). 

The Channel was projected initially to be available to 35 million subscribers, with that base increasing as more carriers contracted with FOX (e.g., Fox handled the distribution side of the operation, among other things). Abroad, the Channel was already in 112 countries across 17 different languages, with the total of 90 million subscribers. 

Here is an interesting visual presentation, introducing (via a "countdown") with Jane Goodall saying the first introductory words on September 1, 1997, in the U.K. --->

U.K.'s SKY TV launches NGC in September 1997

Note that the Channel (NGC) was a wholly separate venture from the still-existing Film & Television division of the Society . . . which was responsible for long-running productions such as the "Explorer" series (debuted in 1985; then aired on CNBC) and the "Specials" (debuted in 1965) which still aired on PBS as of 2001. Both programs however, did migrate to the Channel commencing in 2005.

The Channels' original slogan was "Always Wonder", and this was used as a bumper between programs, and/or during commercial breaks, plus on the trailers on Nat Geo VHS and DVD releases during that period. 

Then the slogan changed to "Dare to Explore", and this happened somewhere around 2003, and was used until 2009. Then, through 2016 the slogan was "Live Curious" {on the side: this tagline generated some mocking articles and reviews in the news; basically the consensus was it was lame, and had grammar issues}. 

Dare To Explore promo (2003-2005)

Starting in October 2016, the entire organization unified its' tagline to "Further" and this applied to NGC as well; also at this time they dropped the word "channel" from the title of the channel and it disappeared in all references . . . the channel is simply now, National Geographic. 

The Society and FOX partnership also spawned a U.S. sister station called Nat Geo WILD on March 29, 2010. Nat Geo WILD also premiered in staggeerd fashion, in foreign markets from 1999-2023. There's also a worldwide channel called Nat Geo People, Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish), and Nat Geo Adventure -- none of which air domestically in the U.S.

As we all know, this arrangement culminated in 2015 of the acquisition and merging of Society assets and properties, into a new taxable, for-profit entity: National Geographic Partners (NGP, LLC.) which was owned 27% by N.G.S, and the other 73% owned by Rupert Murdock's 21st Century Fox Co. 

* This then later was itself subsumed into the Disney Corp. 2019 purchase of 21st Century Fox and all it's holdings, (including NGP, LLC.) It currently remains the 27% + 73% ownership arrangement w/ Disney. 

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I have now created a new photo album to share the official winter 2001 press kit (a.k.a. promotional package) that was sent to media outlets and key advertisers. The link to the album here --->

Promotional Info. Package ~ National Geographic Channel, 2001

It was made in a folio-folder like format, with partial spiral binding, and a string on the front flap to tie it closed. When you opened it, there were 6 thick-stock papered folders with a plethora of sheets (inserts) labeled as -

• Wonder
• Partnership
• Research
• Marketing & Press
• Opportunities
• Programming

Between each section was a sheet if opaque tissue paper. Between all 6 sections, there's a total of 47 individual sheet/inserts, plus 3 mini-poster ads. Within, even the dividing folders and half pockets are fully illustrated and show text in the form of mock explorer's journal entries. Overall, a nice presentation. 

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Personally, I enjoy reading through the "Programming" sheets, as they announce and describe the initial round of shows and programs that were to be aired. 

A footnote to all of this:

In the 1980's, then-executive in charge of the Society's Television and Specials, Tim Kelly, advocated to the Board of Trustees and President Gilbert M. Grosvenor to stat up a channel of their own. There was resistance, hesitation and doubt, and so the channel as envisaged by Tim Kelly never came to fruition (his overall point at the time was "get in while the getting in is cheap"). Ironically also, key Society executives also thought a full-blown television channel was both too much $$$ to bother with, and would also hurt the Society's image and diminish NGM as well. 

At one point, the Society even approached the Smithsonian Institution as to whether they might like jointly launch an educational channel; Smithsonian declined, mostly through the refusal of then-Secretary S. Dillon Ripley, who had some concerns about control and competition. 

So, fast-forward to the 2000's and both the Society and the Smithsonian have their channels, anyway.

yours, 

     Scott S.

P>S>

Back in 2020, I also created a photo album of a fun press kit (c. 2010) for the launch of Nat Geo WILD, link here --->

Nat Geo WILD Channel -- press kit (2010)