One of the major benefits of the introduction of satellite TV was the larger number of channels available to the public in comparison to what the cable TV companies were providing. These extra channels available provide the viewing public with a larger range of viewing options from sports channels, entertainment channels, children’s channels, and including channels covering news and current affairs, and channels dealing with local news and events.
One of the fastest growing genres of these additional channels in terms of viewer preferences are the channels that educate as well as entertain. These programs are generally called documentaries. These channels give viewers the opportunity of improving their understanding of a subject, and present the facts in a manner that makes them easily comprehensible.
The documentary sector usually includes subjects relating to {the animal world; biographies; military; science; history; sport; geography; travel|animal sciences; history and politics; warfare; places of interest; sport; and others. The range of subjects is endless and covers every {conceivable topic|imaginable theme.
But in spite of the unlimited number of subjects, almost all of these programs have numerous common characteristics.
The photography is of a professional standard and is perhaps the one aspect of these programs that is most appealing. This is especially the case with subjects such as geography, animal behavior, and animal sciences.
Secondly the commentary accompanying the program is most likely spoken in a clear, precise manner without any bias or particular point of view.
Thirdly the overall production and presentation are of the very highest standards and comply with the demanding standards of documentary making.
Finally most documentaries are suitable for viewing by all the family members together. There is an absence of material that some parents may find unsuitable for children.
Many of these instructive/educational programs are respected all over the world by educational experts, teachers, and parents. In fact such is the recognition of these programs as educational resources for school children that many of them are readily available on DVD for home use.
Many of the wildlife and animal science programs produced by the BBC fit into this category. The David Attenborough series of Life on Earth programs are examples of the very best programs ever made. The remarkable quality of the action photography and the excellence and exacting standards of the commentary ensures that programs of this quality will always have a place in the educational field.
Programs of a historical nature about a particular country or a period in time allow the viewer to learn the effects of events on the development of a country, and how some events in the past influenced a country’s or
society’s future actions. Old film footage of bygone incidents improve a viewers understanding of history and make people much more aware of why certain events happened.
Whilst there are numerous categories of programs that the public may consider to be educational , there are many more that the viewer may not consider to be in this category. Programs dealing with parenting, child rearing, cooking, home maintenance, gardening, and many more are examples of subjects that the public do not generally consider to be educational in nature, even though they are.
However it can be confidently said that almost every program has an educational side to it. If a program tells the viewer something they didn’t know beforehand, then to that viewer it’s educational.
The wide-spread introduction of high definition television (HDTV) and the efforts of the program suppliers to meet that demand by supplying HDTV programming means that many educational programs can now be viewed in a superior way. Improved signal reception and vastly enhanced audio had led to a much more satisfying viewing experience, particularly those programs heavily reliant on photographic material.
For those families wanting to keep up to date with the ever-changing improvements in television technology then satellite TV is best able to meet those expectations. The recent introduction of 3D television will ultimately be accepted by the public in the coming years, as will the knowledge that satellite TV will be the optimum means of signal transmission for the latest in TV science.
For a family to take full advantage of the range of educational channels being shown on television there are two components they need. Firstly a High Definition Television to take advantage of the first-class photography, and the superb audio, and secondly a television service provider that is able to provide the largest range of channels at the best possible quality. Satellite TV is well ahead of its competitors in this.