eqhd will rebrand to Smithsonian Channel this fall

First Goodbye History Televison Canada And Now This ...

Bad news. Bad enough that I'll probably drop the channel. EQ has shown quite a few Smithsonian programs over the years. They have been some of the worst offerings and most biased programs on EQ. We don't need a channel in Canada that will stress American (US) history and glorify everything American. That is the role of the Smithsonian. I have no objections to this role within America. Every country should celebrate itself. A Canadian equivalent might even be desirable. But for g*ds sake one of their programs portrayed Paul Tibbets as a hero. He was just doing his duty like any good soldier when he bombed Hiroshima but doing so was hardly makes him heroic.

Frankly I might just dump the entire slate, OASIS, RADX and HIFI as well. At one time they were the most reliable sources for HD 24/7. Today I rarely watch them. This announcement may just speed up the process of getting rid of them.

Added Comment: If anyone thinks I'm being unreasonable read the "About Smithsonian" section at the end of the press release. It says it all in unmistakable terms. We don't need "the American experience"/propaganda in Canada no matter how entertainly it is presented.

SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL LAUNCHES IN CANADA WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13th

Smithsonian Channel is a new network featuring exclusive, award-winning programming that entertains and inspires. Program genres, drawn from the world’s leading cultural institution, include air and space, science and nature, pop culture and history.

Premium specialty channel EQHD will be rebranded Smithsonian Channel on Wednesday, November 13, and will be available for viewers to sample in a special 2-month National Free Preview. Key launch programming highlights include:

The Incredible Bionic Man – Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Wednesday, November 13 at 10pm ET/PT
Using today’s best technology scientists build the world’s first bionic man – a talking, breathing, walking man, made of the best prosthetic body parts and robotic technology available.

Canada Over the Edge
Wednesdays 6pm ET/3pm PT beginning Wednesday, November 13
This aerial-documentary series explores the features that define Canada: the most-expansive coastline on Earth, and the world’s longest, undefended border. Our award-winning team of documentary directors and cinematographers will bring the landscape and history to life in crystal-clear close-up focus. From the urban centers of Halifax and St. John’s, to the remote wilderness of Canada’s world-famous National Parks, this series focuses on the rugged beauty and history of Canada’s Atlantic provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.

L.A. Frock Stars – Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Thursdays at 8pm ET/5pm PT beginning Thursday, November 14
Fashion trends are fleeting, but good vintage garments are forever. Follow Doris and her team of vintage virtuosos as they give fine vintage frocks a second chance to shine at today’s red carpet events.

Kennedy Suicide Bomber – World Broadcast Premiere
Sunday, November 17 at 8pm ET/5pm PT
Rare manuscripts, court documents and key eyewitnesses reveal the chilling and largely untold story of Richard Pavlick, who tried to kill President-Elect John F. Kennedy in Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday, December 11th 1960, a month before Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States.

The Day Kennedy Died – World Broadcast Premiere
Sunday, November 17 at 9pm ET/6pm PT
The death of JFK has inspired thousands of books and debates over the last 50 years, but the stories of the people there on that day have gone largely untold…until now. Experience November 22, 1963 as it has never been presented before, in this minute-by-minute account of that day, narrated by Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey, and brought to life through rarely seen footage and rarely heard testimonies.

Canada 1812: Forged in Fire
Sundays at 6pm ET/3pm PT beginning Monday, November 18
It may be the most misunderstood war in history. When Americans and Canadians needle each other over a few beers, both sides say the other started it. Canadians say the Americans were trying to take over Canada. Americans say they were trying to fight British oppression. Both sides claim victory. One thing is certain – no event did more to shape the course of two nations, the fledgling United States of America, and the soon to be established Canada. This series will examine 6 central figures from the War of 1812 and through them see how events unfolded in the different arenas and social spheres that would shape the true north strong and free.

Quest
Wednesdays at 9pm ET/7pm PT beginning Wednesday, November 20
Today, scientists, engineers and inventors are searching for answers to some of the greatest questions of our times. From renewable energies, cures for diseases and searching for a planet that can sustain life, viewers go deep into subject matter that is often inaccessible to the public, to satisfy your curiosity and to illuminate the wonders of contemporary science and research.

Terror in the Skies – Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Sundays at 9pm ET/PT beginning Sunday, November 24
While plane crashes are rare, near misses in our crowded skies are anything but. Thanks to modern technology, these terrifying experiences are being captured as they happen, on cameras, mobile phones, and cockpit recordings, providing insights that are as informative as they are horrifying. See firsthand how recent pilot errors, technical failures, small mistakes, and big storms have placed passengers in life-or-death situations. Then discover why these incidents happened, and what must be done to prevent them from reoccurring.

Death Beach
Friday, November 29 at 10pm ET/7pm PT
Man-eating sharks seemingly flock to South Africa’s Second Beach. This remote coastline was once considered a surfer’s best-kept secret, but now its regarded as Earth’s most dangerous beach. Here, sharks don’t simply attack; they kill. Gruesome attacks have claimed six lives in five years. Something has triggered bizarrely aggressive behavior in these predators, and biologist Matt Dicken is on a quest to find out why. Join him as he confronts the killers in their own domain.

A Shot to Save the World – Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Sunday, December 29 at 10pm ET/7pm PT
It was 1952, and polio had reached outbreak levels in America. There was no known cause, no cure, and no help in sight for parents desperate to protect their children. Our nation’s hope was placed in a 33-year-old scientist, working from a basement lab in Pittsburgh. His name was Jonas Salk, and in just a few years, he would bring infantile paralysis to its knees and change the course of medical history. Travel back to a world gripped in fear and see how Dr. Salk, with his dedicated staff, a young charity, and a faithful nation, came together to conquer polio.

@clolin: I'm sorry to say I can pick out several el cheapo Can. shows and that isn't the only problem with their lineup:

1. Bionic Man, Quest, Death Beach - Sounds like shows already on Discovery, History
2. Canada Over The Edge - Has already been shown on OASIS (many times)
3. Frock Stars - This could be on Slice, W or Lifetime. Educational value?
4. Kennedy - These two programs might be interesting
5. Canada 1812 - Already shown. A low budget history series made in Canada
6. Terror in the Skies - ever heard of Mayday?
7. A Shot - "our nation". Clearly the staff at EQ didn't even bother to modify the US program publicity blurb. This could be pure rah-rah propaganda.

The real issue however is how often each of these shows will be repeated. I expect that each will be presented over and over until any real value in the shows will be completely gone. That has been the situation so far at all the other channels owned by the same group (Blue Ant/High Fidelity).

Sadly I was. When I first got my HDTV the four High Fidelity channels offered the only 24/7 HD while most of the other HD channels back then were part-time at best and HD in name only at worst. They guaranteed me something to watch in spectacular HD when HD was still for me an exciting new novelty. The problem was that they had so few shows that they repeated them ad nauseum. They are still doing this today. Is there anyone alive who has not seen each of their "IMAX Originals" several times? The same could be said for most of their other programming. Some of it has been good and some of it has even been better than good but it has all been killed by too much exposure. The fact that EQ's successor is going to start its life by actually highlighting shows that have already been broadcast does not bode well for this channel.