Longtime viewers of History (formerly The History Channel) have noticed a recent shift as the network has systematically replaced its historical content with reality TV and pseudoscientific programming.
The History Channel was founded in the mid-’90s and produced respectable ratings, airing historical documentaries and eventually developing its own original series and documentaries. Over the last few years, however, the network has dramatically changed its programming and considerably expanded its viewership at the cost of its credibility.
Bill Gormon of tvbythenumbers.com has tracked History’s ascension, citing programs like “Pawn Stars” and “American Pickers” for the network’s rise from the top 20 in cable ratings to the top five and even the top two.
One of History’s most successful programs, “Pawn Stars,” has now given rise to a pair of spinoffs, “American Restoration” and the imaginatively named “Cajun Pawn Stars”— shot right in the heart of Cajun country.
If Alexandria is considered Cajun country.
While “Pawn Stars,” its spinoffs and “American Pickers” are basically “Antiques