: When nature came to the living room #IndiaNEWS #Panorama Over the last 25 years, Discovery channel, which had a shaky start, has been instrumental in sparking an interest in wildlife and its conservation

When nature came to the living room #IndiaNEWS #Panorama
Over the last 25 years, Discovery channel, which had a shaky start, has been instrumental in sparking an interest in wildlife and its conservation

Asim Kamal

At a time when people seemed to be getting disconnected with the wonders of nature, the beauty of the wild entered their homes 25 years ago through TV sets.

On August 15, 1995, India got its first taste of non-fiction TV viewing with the launch of Discovery channel which slowly captured the imagination of the young and old alike. Two decades later, it’s still a favourite.

Though shows like ‘Man Vs Wild’ and ‘Dual Survival’ were popular many years later, there was scepticism about the channel’s success when it was launched in 1995 as many thought only “song and dance??? would work in India.

Kiran Karnik, who was the managing director of Discovery Networks (India) when the channel was launched in India, says that in those times cable operators were the “gatekeeperp???[?H?[??[?????]?[?YYY??H[?H??[???[????]???[Z?H?HH[Z]Y?[X????[??[??????'Y?[?H??H??[???H?[??[?]?[??Y??H[?H??Y[?HY??H?]K?[???X?H??]???Y?[YH][?H?[?H???[?[??H??][?K8??H?^????????Z?Y?]H[??X[H???[??YX[?H?H?X?H??]???H?]?[??H[?[??H?HX?[??K?^Z[??]]X^H??[?^??H?Y?]??]?YH?]?[?[??X????YH?Z??[??[??[?????X[?H?X?H??]?????YYH?[??[?X????H?]Y??[?H???^H?^H???K??????????KH?]?[?[?X??YYXH????[?Y?HXY????[[Z[?????Y??????H?[??[??][??Y[?[?XK?^?H??[?H?X]YH?[H]?H?X??]??X[?[?[?Y???[?[[?[?XH??H????]YY[??H????Y?X?[??????????x?&?[?XH?]??????YH??]?X[??Y?[?????????Z??^?H?Y[??[Y????[?X[?H[?HYY][H[??^HZ?[???[??[Y?H???Y[??H?Y?[??]????H?[??[?[H^H??H???[????????'H??H?]?H[??X?[??Y??]?H???]???[?Y?[??X?^H??[???[??H?????[?H????H?[??[?[YKH?Y??Y^H?]???]?X?H?[??[Y?H??^H?Y??]??H????^H?Y?]??8???^??Z?]??X[?KH
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