History channel comes up often in our discussions, what do people REALLY think of it?

* latest update, turns out the moderator cannot update this poll, so just vote! *

Please post specific examples of the reasons for your votes on this thread.

[ 10. November 2003, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

* important : If you think the history channel is great, I have forgotten to put an option (a 6th option) for you to reflect that in Question 2, can you please not vote "yes" until the moderator changes the poll to reflect this please *

Go on! You know you want to vote on this! After seeing many rants on the History channel, I am anxious to see a full blown discussion going.

Please post specific examples of the reasons for your votes on this thread.

[ 05. November 2003, 04:43 AM: Message edited by: BratwurstDimSum ]

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

It seems everyone here thinks it's good. I very much enjoy the things they show on the History Channel but of course, like any other book or program you have to pick what you believe/learn wisely. I think most of the stuff on the History Channel is good stuff, of course some is based on oral accounts but there's value in oral accounts also.

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Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it- Sun Tzu

The History Channel has several problems that make it "McHistory" if you will. First, they have limited time to present a subject so each show cannot go into depth on almost anything. Next, they have to show something that is visually interesting as well as historically important (this is television remember). This presents problems. Most of history has no video available. Even when it is available, much of the video is not actual footage of the subject but "file footage." You see alot of this in the WW II presentations...mixed East - West front 1939 - 45 footage that the editors used to put something with action on the screen.
Then too, there is a time constraint on getting stuff on the screen. Deadlines are far more important than 100% accuracy.

I think that the History Channel is very good. It's television and meant for entertainment - I think that it entertains us, History buffs, a lot - and see things we already know, in a lighter, enjoyable way. It is not a good source of information if you want to write an article or a book, but you learn little details on which to research later. It can catch your attention and make you become a History buff.

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

I created this poll because I was uncertain as to the reliability of the HC. This is due in part to the constant slagging of the HC in other forums like the Third Reich Forums .

ie.
an example after a HC program about sniper battles in Stalingrad.

More examples:
Here's one from a forum moderator:
comment from another forum:
You guys have given the best "review" of the HC to date that I've seen. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

Well, those are certainly very, very negative reviews, since all those people are considering a television channel a source of information as if they were reading a book.

And in case that its programmes have some mistakes, most of them are made by the Historians they interview or the guys - not necessarily Historians - who write the scripts.

Many of the TV programmes there interview respected Historians as Keegan and Ambrose, veterans as well and other people who only give you the general view of what they want to say. The programmes must be apt for all public.

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

I think that the History Channel is a good source of base information on a topic, however, nothing is better than reading books to get the entire scoop on a subject. [img]graemlins/rk.gif[/img]

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Squirrel Reporting, Sir/Ma'am!

mmmf...I've heard people "can" Ambrose as well as being inaccurate with his Band of Brothers it seems history is subject to many opinions these days.

So no one knows of any one time that the HC has really got it wrong? Some of the quotes from above were directed at the episode based on Vasilly Zaitsev and his supposed factual duel with Major Konieg (or Thorwald as it was portrayed in the HC).

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

Major Königs, nor SS Standartenführer Torwalt ever existed. The SS sniper school was created after Stalingrad and the Army sniper school at Zossen never had such character.

Which programme are you talking about? "In the line of Fire" the chapter about Stalingrad?

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

I prefer the TV Food Network.

Later

with Martha Stewart right ?

The history channel to be noted has run cine films in no apparent order in continuous treatment during their selective sections covering situational battles.

example, Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, Kursk, etc. Much of the footage has crossed over for all three of these battles which is a bit piss poor in my book when it comes to accuracy that the History Channel so often claims in it's advertisements.........

Eò╗¶

I believe you may be right Erich, although I've never seen the episode myself (thus the poll), what you described seemed to be the general gripe reflected in the 3RF.

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

Hi,
Think the HC isn't bad as a basic source, but they have a tendency to:
A) Show the same footage three or four times in the same programme.
B) Have an inevitable US bias. Same with the History Webring they run.
Regards,
Gordon

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Regards,

Gordon
History Vault Bookshop
FortressScotland-http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

I do not know this channel, I have only voted to be able to see the results (not a useful feature, I think ).

Well, at least it is remarkable that THERE IS a History Channel. Does it spoil more than it teaches?!

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If someone tries to remove the speck in your right eye, will you turn to him the other also?

Hi Knight,
HC's on satellite (at least here in the UK). It's not BAD as such, just got a few minor irritating details it could do with ironing out.
They also run (or are heavily involved with) The History Ring website, which is quite a large one. It's not bad either, but again a tad US biased.
Regards,
Gordon

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Regards,

Gordon
History Vault Bookshop
FortressScotland-http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

Don't have satellite, I'm afraid, so can't join in this one. I can only say that I've heard a lot of negative criticism from knowledgeable people, less so from general viewers.

( McHistory ! Ooooh, that's cruel [img]tongue.gif[/img] ! )

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Gents I prefer some of the older battles- i.e. Medieval, although am not sure if our US history channel has everything in order when it comes to British/French history and proclaimed as fact.

As I said earlier yes for a given european battle- 1944 in Normandy or the west, sometimes Ost front film fottage has been introduced. guess it takes a quick eye to determine fact from fiction ?

~E Ç

Erich, which programme are you talking about the battles? "In the line of fire"?

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Freid the program ussually comes on in the afternoon and I haven;t the time spent on getting off my butt to look at the program selection to see just which titled program was on......... "Weapons" ? watched a repeat of the Sherman tank and much ost front footage was included showing knocked out 'Ronsons' in the wheat fields with W-SS truppen surrounding two knocked out tanks and putting their hands in the holes made by 75 and 88's. Before this cine film they had been interviewing tankers from the American and British armored units (this was a special on the Sherman on the west front)and they followed up again with more interviews and a couple more shots of a Sherman getting it's turret blown off by a Panzerschreck team on the Ost front again.

Oh well !

~E

i enjoy the history channel . 20th century history . finding the hood , bismarck , truk , loch ness wellington etc .......yea its great most of the time . it beats the soaps !!!!!!