National Geographic (Asian TV channel)

National Geographic
Broadcast area	Southeast Asia; Hong Kong; Taiwan; Japan; South Korea
Headquarters	Hong Kong
Programming
Language(s)	English; Chinese(Mandarin/Cantonese; dubbing/subtitles); Japanese(dubbing/subtitles); Korean(dubbing/subtitles); Indonesian(dubbing/subtitles); Malay(dubbing/subtitles); Filipino(dubbing/subtitles); Thai(dubbing/subtites); Vietnamese(subtitles)
Picture format	1080iHDTV
Ownership
Owner	NGC Network Asia, LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
Sister channels	Nat Geo Wild
History
Launched	January 1, 1994;30 years ago
Closed	January 1, 2022;2 years ago(SD feed, Vietnam); September 30, 2023;9 months ago(Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, South Korea andCHT MODin Taiwan feed); December 31, 2023;6 months ago(Cable feed, Taiwan);
Replaced by	Techstorm(Unifi TV); Global Trekker (Astro); BBC Lifestyle(Cignal); BBC Earth(Taiwan)
Former names	NBC Asia (1994–1998); National Geographic Channel (1998–2016);
Links
Website	natgeotv/asia

National Geographic(Nat Geo Asia,formerlyNBC AsiaandNational Geographic Channeland also commercially abbreviated and trademarked asNat GeoorNat Geo TV) is a pan-Asiansubscription television channelowned byDisney Networks Group Asia Pacific(through NGC Network Asia, LLC). The channel featured non-fiction, factual programming involving nature, science, culture and history, produced by theNational Geographic Society,just likeHistoryandDiscovery Channel.

It was launched on January 1, 1994, as NBC Asia. As of 2008, the Asian version ofthe original US versionwas available in over 56 million homes. NGC Asia has had six different channels of feeds. The channel was closed in 2023–2024 as National Geographic libraries moved to the streaming platformDisney+.

History

NBC Asia (1994–1998)

On January 1, 1994, the channel was officially launched as NBC Asia. It featured mostlyNBCprograms as well as theNBC Nightly News,The Tonight Show,Saturday Night LiveandLate Night.Like its European counterpart, it could not broadcast United States-produced primetime shows due to rights restrictions. It did, however, also air someNBC Sportsoutput. During weekdayevenings,NBC Asia had a regional evening news program. It occasionally simulcast some programs fromCNBC AsiaandMSNBC.^{[citation needed]}

National Geographic Asia (1998–2023)

On July 1, 1998, NBC Asia was rebranded as the National Geographic Channel. The NBC programming moved toCNBC Asia.

On February 4, 2008, the Nat Geo Junior programming block of two non-contingent hours, late morning and late afternoon, was launched on the channel.I Didn't Know That,Mad LabsandWild Detectiveswere the initial shows on the block.^[1]

Closure

National Geographic and its sister channelNat Geo Wildhas remained on-air until the announcement of the channel closure on October 1, 2023.^[2]This announcement lead many of the pay TV providersto lose all of the Disney/Fox linear channels,including National Geographic itself.^[3]^[4]However, the majority of National Geographic's libraries, including their documentary films, have been included onDisney+(orDisney+ Hotstarin Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand) content hub as Disney currently owns the partial ownership onNational Geographic Global Networks.

Later on, the Taiwan feed closed down on January 1, 2024;^[2]^[5]withBBC Earthserving as its replacement.^[6]

The only Asian country that still have not ceased in operation is Japan, as the Japanese feed is currently operated by The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd; both the Middle Eastern andIndian sub-continentfeed is yet to be determined, while the earlier territories currently share the feed with the European/African feeds from The Walt Disney Company EMEA.

Feeds

Original National Geographic Channel logo (2005–2016)

National Geographic India– It was aimed at India and neighbouring countries. The channel was aired in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali via five different audio tracks.
National Geographic Middle East – It simulcasts the Asian from 11:00pm to 5:00am Hong Kong time. Arabic subtitles are available as well. Following the discontinuation of the main Asian feed, now the feed is managed by The Walt Disney Company EMEA, which already controls National Geographic channels in the European and African regions.
National Geographic Japan – includes Japanese subtitles.
National Geographic Asia – Broadcasts in both English and Cantonese via two audio tracks‚ as well as a Cantonese subtitles tracks. Closed on 1 October 2023.
National Geographic Taiwan – includes Chinese subtitles. Closed on 1 January 2024.

References

^"Nat Geo blocks target Asian kids".C21media.4 February 2008.Retrieved17 September2018.
^^a ^bFrater, Patrick (June 14, 2023)."Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea".Variety.RetrievedJune 23,2023.
^Chief Chapree (January 26, 2023)."Astro Dedicated Esports Channel Is No More: eGG Network Are Now Under Arena".Lowyat.net.RetrievedJune 15,2023.On a related note, eGG Network is not the only channel on Astro that will be taken off the air soon though. There are other channels too includingNational Geographic,Nat Geo Wild,Ta-Daa and Boomerang that will be discontinued on 1 February although the pay-TV operator has already added new channels such as Global Trekker, Love Nature/Love Nature 4K, DreamWorks, and BBC's Cbeebies to become their replacements.
^Magsambol, Bonz (October 1, 2023)."Disney ends broadcasting TV channels, including National Geographic, in Southeast Asia".Rappler.RetrievedOctober 1,2023.
^"Disney tập đoàn 11 kênh rời khỏi Đài Loan, quốc gia địa lý kênh, truyền hình tiếng Trung đài chờ nhất lúc tuổi già đế đem hạ giá".The News Lens(in Chinese (Taiwan)). June 14, 2023.RetrievedJune 23,2023.
^"Disney rời khỏi sau “BBC Studios tới” 2024 năm đăng có tuyến TV cơ bản kênh ".UDN News(in Chinese (Taiwan)). December 28, 2023.RetrievedDecember 30,2023.

External links

Official website

[1] "Nat Geo blocks target Asian kids".C21media.4 February 2008.Retrieved17 September2018.

[Closure-2] Frater, Patrick (June 14, 2023)."Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea".Variety.RetrievedJune 23,2023.

[3] Chief Chapree (January 26, 2023)."Astro Dedicated Esports Channel Is No More: eGG Network Are Now Under Arena".Lowyat.net.RetrievedJune 15,2023.On a related note, eGG Network is not the only channel on Astro that will be taken off the air soon though. There are other channels too includingNational Geographic,Nat Geo Wild,Ta-Daa and Boomerang that will be discontinued on 1 February although the pay-TV operator has already added new channels such as Global Trekker, Love Nature/Love Nature 4K, DreamWorks, and BBC's Cbeebies to become their replacements.

[4] Magsambol, Bonz (October 1, 2023)."Disney ends broadcasting TV channels, including National Geographic, in Southeast Asia".Rappler.RetrievedOctober 1,2023.

[5] "Disney tập đoàn 11 kênh rời khỏi Đài Loan, quốc gia địa lý kênh, truyền hình tiếng Trung đài chờ nhất lúc tuổi già đế đem hạ giá".The News Lens(in Chinese (Taiwan)). June 14, 2023.RetrievedJune 23,2023.

[6] "Disney rời khỏi sau “BBC Studios tới” 2024 năm đăng có tuyến TV cơ bản kênh ".UDN News(in Chinese (Taiwan)). December 28, 2023.RetrievedDecember 30,2023.

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