Editing Discovery Channel (section)

==Controversies==
===RFID===
In August 2008, it was reported by ''The Consumerist'' that Discovery Channel had preempted an episode of ''[[MythBusters]]'' examining [[RFID]] security in regard to its implementation in [[credit cards]] before its original broadcast because the episode would upset credit card companies, who are major advertisers on Discovery Channel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mythbusters Gagged: Credit Card Companies Kill Episode Exposing RFID Security Flaws|url=http://consumerist.com/5043831/mythbusters-gagged-credit-card-companies-kill-episode-exposing-rfid-security-flaws|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008204341/http://consumerist.com/5043831/mythbusters-gagged-credit-card-companies-kill-episode-exposing-rfid-security-flaws|archive-date=October 8, 2009|access-date=December 12, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was later determined that the decision not to investigate the issue was made by [[Beyond Productions]], the ''MythBusters'' production company, and was not made by Discovery Channel or their advertising department.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mythbusters Host Retracts RFID Censorship Comments|url=http://consumerist.com/5045633/mythbusters-host-retracts-rfid-censorship-comments|access-date=December 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008204311/http://consumerist.com/5045633/mythbusters-host-retracts-rfid-censorship-comments|archive-date=October 8, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===''Enigmatic Malaysia''===
{{Main|2009 Pendet controversy}}
An ad promoting ''Enigmatic Malaysia'', a special series on the network meant to highlight the cultural heritages of [[Malaysia]], mistakenly featured [[Bali]]nese [[Pendet|Pendet dancers]]. This prompted outrage from Balinese dancers, who posted messages demanding that Malaysia apologize over the misinformation, which then sparked a series of street protests.<ref>{{cite web|title=Protests over presence of Pendet dance in Malaysia's tourism ad continue|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/23/protests-over-presence-pendet-dance-malaysia%E2%80%99s-tourism-ad-continue.html?page=2|date=September 3, 2009|access-date=September 3, 2009|author1=Niken Prathivi|author2=Irawaty Wardany|work=Jakarta Post|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829133013/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/23/protests-over-presence-pendet-dance-malaysia%E2%80%99s-tourism-ad-continue.html?page=2|archive-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> Further demands were made from the local governments, cultural historians and the tourism ministry in [[Indonesia]] for Malaysia to clarify the situation.<ref>{{cite web|author=I Wayan Juniartha|title=Pendet, the dance that rocks the cradle|work=Jakarta Post|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/28/pendet-dance-rocks-cradle.html|date=August 28, 2009|access-date=September 3, 2009|archive-date=September 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090914052422/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/28/pendet-dance-rocks-cradle.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Malaysian government reportedly offered an apology, which was rejected by the Indonesian tourism minister, since the apology was given informally by phone, the Indonesian tourism minister demanded a written apology to make it more accountable.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 27, 2009 |title=Indonesian Minister Rejects Malaysian Pendet Apology |author=Dessy Sagita |work=The Jakarta Globe |url-status=dead |access-date=September 3, 2009 |url=http://thejakartaglobe.com/national/indonesian-minister-rejects-malaysian-pendet-apology/326562 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831160121/http://thejakartaglobe.com/national/indonesian-minister-rejects-malaysian-pendet-apology/326562 |archive-date=August 31, 2009}}</ref>

===Shark Week===
{{Main|Shark Week#Criticism}}
[[Shark Week]], Discovery's annual shark-themed programming block, has been criticized for sensationalism and the promotion of [[junk science]].<ref>{{cite web|title=When Wildlife Documentaries Jump the Shark|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/08/30/344562317/when-wildlife-documentaries-jump-the-shark|publisher=[[NPR]]|date=August 30, 2014|access-date=March 11, 2018|archive-date=March 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312205037/https://www.npr.org/2014/08/30/344562317/when-wildlife-documentaries-jump-the-shark|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Grant|first1=Bob|title=Shark Week Veers Into Fiction . . . Again|url=http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/40760/title/-Shark-Week--Veers-Into-Fiction-------Again/|website=The-Scientist.com|access-date=July 6, 2015|archive-date=July 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707205834/http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/40760/title/-Shark-Week--Veers-Into-Fiction-------Again/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Romanian RCS&RDS===
In November 2012, the Romanian [[RCS&RDS]], the largest company of its kind on the internal market, interrupted its carriage of Discovery Communications channels, including Discovery Channel. The CEO of Discovery Communications Mark Hollinger sent an open letter in his attempt to counteract the action of RCS&RDS, attracting the attention to the negation of the alleged right of the viewer to choose the viewed channels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://economie.hotnews.ro/stiri-media_publicitate-13718443-scrisoare-deschisa-din-partea-ceo-discovery-networks-catre-telespectatorii-romani-suntem-indignati-ceea-intampla-motiv-pentru-care-demarat-discutiile-autoritatile-din-romania-uniunea-europeana.htm|title=Scrisoare deschisa din partea CEO Discovery Networks catre telespectatorii afectati de decizia RCS&RDS: Suntem indignati de ceea ce se intampla, am demarat discutiile cu autoritatile din Romania si cu Uniunea Europeana|date=November 30, 2012 |access-date=February 22, 2013|archive-date=December 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203021032/http://economie.hotnews.ro/stiri-media_publicitate-13718443-scrisoare-deschisa-din-partea-ceo-discovery-networks-catre-telespectatorii-romani-suntem-indignati-ceea-intampla-motiv-pentru-care-demarat-discutiile-autoritatile-din-romania-uniunea-europeana.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In turn, RCS&RDS issued a press statement accusing of hypocrisy Hollinger's discourse attentive at the needs of viewers and attracted attention to the fact that, during negotiations, the main preoccupations of the Discovery representatives was maintaining as high as possible tariffs and monetary gains".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcs-rds.ro/comunicat?id=271|title=Reactie RCS & RDS la scrisoarea deschisa adresata presei de catre Mark Hollinger, presedinte Discovery Networks Bucuresti|date=December 3, 2012|access-date=February 22, 2013|archive-date=March 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304224854/http://www.rcs-rds.ro/comunicat?id=271|url-status=live}}</ref>

After four years of absence, on December 30, 2016, the Discovery Channel and its sister channel TLC returned to the RCS&RDS CATV, IPTV and DTH networks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcs-rds.ro/comunicat?id=578|title=RCS & RDS introduce canale noi in grila de televiziune Digi TV: Discovery Channel, TLC, E! Entertainment HD, HBO2 HD si Cinemax 2|access-date=January 18, 2017|archive-date=January 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104043320/http://www.rcs-rds.ro/comunicat?id=578|url-status=live}}</ref>

===''Eaten Alive''===
''[[Eaten Alive (TV special)|Eaten Alive]]'' was a television program in which wildlife filmmaker Paul Rosolie was purportedly going to be "eaten alive" by an [[anaconda]]. It aired on December 7, 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reality TV's New Extreme: Being 'Eaten Alive' by a Giant Anaconda Snake|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/reality-tvs-extreme-eaten-alive-giant-anaconda-snake/story?id=26727681|access-date=November 23, 2014|work=ABC News|date=November 6, 2014|archive-date=November 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141126081658/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/reality-tvs-extreme-eaten-alive-giant-anaconda-snake/story?id=26727681|url-status=live}}</ref> When the special aired, the anaconda attacked Rosolie but did not swallow him, as its title had implied, prompting numerous complaints of a [[bait and switch]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.today.com/popculture/eaten-alive-ending-leaves-viewers-angrier-anaconda-1D80341775|title=Outrage! 'Eaten Alive' ending leaves viewers angrier than the anaconda|last=Hines|first=Ree|work=NBC News|date=December 8, 2014|access-date=December 8, 2014|archive-date=December 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208233429/http://www.today.com/popculture/eaten-alive-ending-leaves-viewers-angrier-anaconda-1D80341775|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Hibberd, James (December 8, 2014). [https://time.com/3623093/eaten-alive/ Eaten Alive Viewers Outraged Man Wasn’t Actually Eaten Alive] . ''Entertainment Weekly''. Retrieved December 8, 2014.</ref>

=== ''World’s Ultimate Frontier'' ===
{{Further|Persecution of Uyghurs in China}}
In February 2024, a group of US congressmen sent a letter to the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery criticizing ''World's Ultimate Frontier'', a joint production between Discovery and Chinese [[state media]] outlet [[China Global Television Network]] (CGTN), for "whitewashing genocide" of the [[Uyghurs]] in [[Xinjiang]]. They called on Discovery to "suspend this partnership with CGTN immediately and to abstain from entering into any similar partnership with any other agent of [[Chinese Communist Party|CCP]] influence."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parete |first=Dalia |date=2024-03-05 |title=New Frontiers in Foreign Propaganda |url=https://chinamediaproject.org/2024/03/05/new-frontiers-in-foreign-propaganda/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=China Media Project |language=en-US |archive-date=March 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306233936/https://chinamediaproject.org/2024/03/05/new-frontiers-in-foreign-propaganda/ |url-status=live }}</ref>