Anyone can upload pretty much anything on Youtube, and as such it is so massive and unwieldy that it can be hard to sift through all of the mostly pointless or absurd content to find the few true gems. As such, we have gone through Youtube and found some of the best cooking and food channels for your viewing pleasure. From the international, to the historical, from comedy, to prison cooking, and everything in between, we will guide you through some of the best channels on the site.

SEE ALSO: 10 Pieces Of Celebrity Gold Hiding On YouTube

10 Grandpa Kitchen

Why you’ll love it: The Channel Grandpa Kitchen Feeds Indian Orphans, And Cooks In The Open Air

Grandpa Kitchen is a more recent addition to Youtube, only joining in late 2017, but they have already amassed almost 200 videos, and they have over 5 million subscribers. Based in a village in Telangana, India, the channel is run by a father and son who are local to the area. The channel always starts off with gentle, caring music, showing you the orphans they are going to feed. It then cuts to the elder of the two, Narayana Reddy, who is 73 years old, and introduces himself as “your grandpa” and gives a light, loving and friendly chuckle. He explains what he will be preparing today, and then him and his son Shrikant Reddy, who manages his Youtube channel, set to work.

Out in the open air, using giant pots, they make meals of every kind imaginable. From traditional Indian recipes like butter chicken, to international favorites like cheeseburgers and lasagna, grandpa Reddy cooks it all in a huge pot, enough to feed a whole village of orphans. And, when it comes to the international recipes, they add spices to give it an Indian sensibility, such as coriander powder, cumin, red chili sauce, ginger garlic paste, black pepper and others. His recipe variations are fascinating, and the video is done mostly without music, which has given it some qualities that people compare to ASMR videos. At the end, the payoff is about as good as it gets, as you see him literally handing the food to orphaned children, and watching as they eat it with a satisfied and happy expression on their faces. Grandpa doesn’t really ask directly for donations, instead, he just asks you to like, subscribe, and share, so that he can use more of his own money to feed hungry people.^[1]

9 Townsend

Why you’ll love it: The Channel Townsends Experiments With 18th Century (And Sometimes Older) Recipes

Townsends is a Youtube channel that was founded by John Townsend, a man originally known mostly for the brick and mortar store he runs with his dad in Pierceton Indiana, that had for years sold gear for historical reenactors who were looking to interpret history from roughly around American colonial times. However, the Youtube channel is what has really given him fame, and blown up his business into something huge. His channel started out mostly featuring 18th century recipes, and has been incredibly authentic from the start. They use historically accurate methods and try to follow the recipes from old cookbooks as much as is possible; although sometimes the instructions are unclear and they have to experiment or make guesses.

As his channel has grown, he has also made it even more about life in the 18th century in general. He has shown all sorts of survival tips, and other methods of how things were done back in the day, and interviewed various historical reenactors in character, in order to teach people more about the time period. One of his most controversial, but successful interviews was with a black woman who interprets the life of an enslaved woman from the 18th century. Her interpretation of the time period was uncomfortable for some, but it was extremely accurate, and both portrayed the enslaved people of the time in a positive light, while highlighting at the same time, in frank terms, how difficult and awful things were for them.^[2]

8 Kitchen Nightmares

Why you’ll love it: Kitchen Nightmares Has A Channel To Give You Your Fix Of Angry Gordon Ramsay

The vast majority of you are already familiar with the two hit shows, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, which was set in the United Kingdom, and Kitchen Nightmares, a similar but more bombastic show that was set in the United States of America, both starring known food expert and rage queen Gordon Ramsay. However, while some people don’t enjoy the rollercoaster of the entire show, most people enjoy angry people shouting at others about making bad food. If you are one of these people, you will likely immensely enjoy the Kitchen Nightmares Youtube channel.

It has all of the best clips and moments of Gordon Ramsay berating bad chefs and going off about disgusting food, and an incredible amount of excellent compilations. If you are the type to watch Kitchen Nightmares just for the part where he bashes food they understand you completely. Most of the compilations are overwhelming negative in nature, and filled to the brim with Ramsay going off on incompetent chefs and or restaurant owners for one reason or another. For some people this may be a bit too much negativity to stomach, but if just find it hilarious to watch Ramsay lose his temper, or spit out disgusting food over and over, you will find almost endless amusement on this channel.^[3]

7 Great Depression Cooking

Why you’ll love it: Great Depression Cooking Gives You An Authentic Look At Food From That Era In America

The Youtube Channel Great Depression Cooking is no longer posting new videos, but that is because the series star, unfortunately, is dead. The channel’s star was Clara Cannucciari, who wrote the cooking book “Great Depression Cooking With Clara” and has had some of her individual videos viewed by millions of people. She was born in 1915, but sadly passed away in 2013, at the tender age of 98 years old. Several years before she died, her grandson Christopher started filming her recipes and commentary for posterity, and uploaded them to Youtube, in order to bring her knowledge to the world.

Clara calmly told stories from the era explaining just how poor people really were, and what they used to make hearty recipes back then, in order to feed as many people as possible with so little. She was never that interested in being filmed, but she turned out to be really good on camera, and she maintained a down home authenticity by always filming in her own kitchen with all of her own old tools, which she had managed with for a very long time. While it may be depressing to some, watching her channel can be good not just for historical purposes. The world economy is in a somewhat unstable state right now, so knowing how to make cheap, healthy meals that can feed a lot of people may be very important knowledge again very soon. If nothing else, we all could have individual times of want, so we could all use knowledge of this kind.^[4]

6 Rasta Kitch

Why you’ll love it: Rasta Kitchen Gives You An Authentic Look At Ital Cooking Straight From Jamaica

Rasta Kitchen is a rare gem on Youtube that was started roughly four years ago. The show takes place in Jamaica, in a riverside cottage owned by a Rasta named Mokko who lives there with his entire family. The cottage had been on the World’s Together Travel Network and caught the attention of a few aspiring filmmakers from Canada who contacted Mokko. Since then, with a small film crew, a young man named Matthew has worked with Mokko to produce videos of his cooking to showcase on Youtube. They even hope, with enough attention, to one day turn Rasta Kitchen into a feature length show on network television.

Some of the videos from Rasta Kitchen have garnered millions of views, likely because of Mokko’s laid back style and the way he talks to Matthew and the camera crew as if they are just friends over for lunch. He slowly, but surely, makes his way through authentic Ital recipes, giving detailed commentary throughout on his entire process, and the meals are always clearly delicious and healthy. The laid back style of the channel, instead of the faster, cut pacing of many cooking channels today, is a welcome change, and makes you feel like you are right there with him in Jamaica, listening to him dispense cooking advice in person, in his own, charismatic manner.^[5]

5 Kali Muscle

Why you’ll love it: Kali Muscle Will Show You How To Make Prison Food, And Bulk On A Budget

Now known as Kali Muscle, he was once simply known as Chuck Kirkendall. He grew up in Oakland and in his early college years was struggling financially and often surrounded by violence. As a young man he made a huge mistake and committed armed robbery to try to make ends meet. He was caught and went to prison for eleven years. He decided he would make something of himself, and spent the next eleven years bulking up as a bodybuilder, so that he could be something when he got out.

After getting out of prison, he managed to star in a handful of commercials due to his physique, which helped him get a little bit of a start. Now, he has a Youtube channel where he gives kids tips on how to lift weights as a positive outlift, and how to bulk up on a budget. He has become a motivational speaker and a husband, convinced it is his mission to help as many kids as possible avoid the time in jail he went through. He shows fascinating recipes that he used in prison to bulk up, as well as healthier foods he eats now for bodybuilding, many of which can still be done on a budget. All of his recipes have a very charismatic delivery and it draws you in as you feel like he is speaking directly to you, as your friend, showing you his favorite tips and giving you advice. His passion to show off everything he has learned in life, after all he went through, is infectious.^[6]

4 You Suck At Cooking

Why you’ll love it: The Channel You Suck At Cooking Gives A Comedic, But Delicious Take On Cooking

If you haven’t heard of the channel “You Suck At Cooking” and you enjoy sarcastic, satirical humor, then you don’t know what you have been missing. Hosted by a mysterious person somewhere in Canada, the channel showcases healthy, homemade recipes, with an extremely comedic bent, utilizing a lot of slightly insulting jokes, and various puns or other effects. While the channel is extremely comedic and played for laughs, he uses fresh ingredients, and if you already know a decent amount about cooking, you can actually glean some pretty useful ideas and recipes from it.

However, most people just watch it because of a charismatic comedian who has put together entire skits around fake girlfriends, a sentient robot that he built as a kid, an entire storyline about sentient eggs involving murder, and so many other hilarious gags. On top of that, he will sometimes end videos with his own original songs, backed by guitar, with funny lyrics relevant to the situation at hand. It may sound personally insulting, but You Suck At Cooking is really just meant to amuse you, and maybe educate you just a little bit about healthy, and affordable cooking along the way.^[7]

3 First We Feast

Why you’ll love it: First We Feast Doesn’t Do Much Cooking, But Hot Ones Is Must See TV

The Youtube Channel First We Feast is an offshoot of a food blog started back in 2014, which still has a website to this day. The channel features shows such as the Burger Shop, and the Curry Shop, where they talk about food making guides, occasionally showcase recipes, but mostly eat and review a lot of interesting and delicious food. However, by far the show they are most known for is Hot Ones, hosted by Sean Evans.

This show has celebrities sit down and have an interview with the host, while the host and the interviewee eat progressively hotter wings, and become progressively more miserable. The interviews usually range from about 20-30 minutes long, but they are well worth the length. Many A list celebrities and musicians have been on the show, and something about the experience seems to break down people’s vulnerabilities in such a way that they give really human answers, and not the scripted sounding stuff you are used to hearing in TV interviews. The host and his team also do a really good job on research to ask a lot of interesting questions they might not hear elsewhere, and it can also just be fun to watch rich people suffer eating insanely hot wings.^[8]

2 ReportOfTheWeek

Why you’ll love it: ReportOfTheWeek Reviews Fast Food In A Suit And Tie — It Doesn’t Get Much More Unique

The ReportOTheWeek is a Youtube channel that has been running since 2011, and started out mostly with food reviews. The host, at the start, was a kid of only 13 who got people’s attention because he would review greasy fast food while wearing a suit and tie. He also does drink reviews, and has his own radio style show where he interacts with listeners in a more intimate way than he can do on Youtube.

While his real name is John Jurasek, his is affectionately known as Reviewbrah by his fans, and has gained great notoriety since his appearance on an episode of the hit Comedy Central Show Tosh. Despite the setback of temporary demonetization of food review videos, he kept going strong with patreon contributions, and has never really stopped giving regular, and quality content over the years. He somehow never makes a mess on his suits, and his sophisticated bearing gives a strange vibe to the videos that draws people in. Also, while people may find it strange to review fast food so seriously, he believes that as fast food is what people eat most, it makes sense to review it in all seriousness, as it has the most relevance to the average person’s life.^[9]

1 TheWolfePit

Why you’ll love it: TheWolfePit Will Test The Strangest Dollar Store Foods For You, The People

The WolfePit is hosted by a middle aged dad from Texas, known as Larry, who uses his channel to cook a lot of down home, delicious Texas comfort food and his recipes are good quality, if not always the most lean options. However, it is his reviews of the most insane, processed food products, that he is probably best known for.

His favorite place to shop is the Dollar Tree, but he will try strange foods from around the world, or almost anything processed (especially if it is sold at a discount). From whole chicken in a can, to steaks from the Dollar Tree, he will prepare it according to the package instructions, and dutifully give it a try for you, the people. His soothing delivery, as he reads the nutritional content and explains anything strange in the ingredients list, manages to draw people in, in an almost hypnotic way. He also makes a lot of dad jokes, and other silly puns, but in such a way that you don’t really groan, but just enjoy it as part of the overall charm.^[10]

Since YouTube was founded (15 years ago, yes we are that old), it has been known as an experimental space. YouTubers are just people that upload their crazy ideas for the world to see. More recently, with some of YouTube’s updated policies, the amount of crazy content seems to be decreasing. Here a list of channels where the creators defy conformity to continue to push the boundaries of originality…. and good sense. These guys really risk their lives for the views.

10 Disturbing Channels From The Weird Part Of YouTube

10Hot Ones
Spicy food, 8.16 million subscribers

Let’s start our list with a very popular entry. In his channel “First We Feast”, host Sean Evans interviews celebrities while they attempt to eat chicken wings covered in spicy sauces. The wings get increasingly hot as the rounds go on. Not every artist enjoys (or is able to handle) spicy food. Hilarity ensues.

This is arguably the most lighthearted and popular channel on this list. Spicy food is appreciated by many people. However, the consequences of consuming some species of chilies can be quite grim. Capsaicin, the main bio-active compound in chili peppers, can cause severe symptoms in the human body. These symptoms include: stomach aches, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms are often seen on the show, including the diarrhea part (we are looking at you Bobby Lee).

Furthermore, a man has reportedly passed away in 2019 in the UK. He consumed a fish cake, that was so hot that burned his throat and caused him to asphyxiate to death.

9Furious Pete
Competitive eating, 5.15 million subscribers

Competitive eating has been around since long before YouTube was founded. It is not a surprise that this practice was adopted by people seeking likes on the internet. Peter Czerwinski holds several Guinness World Records^[4] in competitive eating, an achievement he was able to transform into a successful YouTube career. I myself cannot watch people eating without getting hungry myself.

Most notably, he can be seen in his channel eating a pizza of the size of a dinner table and an 11 lb jar of Nutella in one go! However, eating challenges are not only fun and games. Some contests can be quite nasty even to watch. Check out our 10 Unappetising Facts About Eating Contests list. It goes without saying the risks involved in overeating. To name only a few, it can lead to obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease. Even more concerning, this year a woman died in Australia while participating in an eating contest, after consuming a large number of lamingtons, a traditional Australian cake that is nearly as delicious as New Zealand’s pavlova!

8Mustang Wanted
Altitude stunts, 295 thousand subscribers

As a random subscriber commented on one of his videos: “This guys has balls made of diamonds”. Do you remember those high altitude videos that were going viral a while back? Those scary videos where Russian kids would hang from tall buildings (with no safety gear at all) risking falling to their deaths? Well, Pavlo Gennadiyovich Ushivets, made his YouTube channel about ignoring all the instincts that evolution taught us over the past 200,000 years.

It’s silly to explain how falling from the top of the1,356 ft tall Princess Tower of Dubai would be detrimental to your health. That does not seem to scare Pavlo, as the Princess Tower is only one of the buildings you can see him dangling from without any equipment. In our society where people die while taking selfies, Pavlo certainly stands out from the rest.

7StreetBeefs
Mixed Martial Arts, 1.39 million subscribers

In its early days, YouTube was mostly about cat videos . . . and people fighting. The OG’s of the internet may remember Kimbo Slice, the king of backyard brawls, who unfortunately passed away in 2016 In those days, you could barely see any blood due to the low definition of the cameras around.

In these days, MMA fighting is still a popular genre on YouTube. No doubt the fighting looks even gorier in high definition. The channel StreetBeefs is one of the most successful amateur fighting organizers to grace the platform. The videos do not shy away from showing two young lads slugging it out. Even though deaths are relatively rare in MMA bouts and have never occurred with StreetBeefs, in 2019 at least 15 casualties were reported as resulting from competitions like these.

6skippy62able
Inhaling things, 2.52 million subscribers

This one is easily one of the weirdest entries on our list. We are all aware that alcohol must be consumed responsibly. However, when we think “consume”, the word “drink” comes to mind, rather than the word “inhale”. Kevin Thomas Strahle, also a competitive eater, decided to get a “competitive” edge, attracting views by inhaling stuff. That includes, alcohol, soda and other fizzy drinks.

On his latest videos, he has been vocal about YouTube limiting exposure on his videos, labelling them as non-advertiser friendly. This time we must side with YouTube’s decision, due to the fact that this is a very unhealthy activity. Additionally to all the usual undesirable side effects of ingesting alcohol by drinking, inhaling has other problems: The practice is known to increase the chance of overdose, damaging the lungs and cause addiction. Furthermore, it seems that he is in severe pain while doing it. Generally, Kevin’s channel is basically about ingesting anything weird – including eating a whole cactus and drinking a 20 year old bottle of Crystal Pepsi (the video of which includes a serious vomiting warning).

10 Short Films Hiding On YouTube That Feature Huge Stars

5PaulsGear
Motorcycling, 8.61 thousand subscribers

The adrenaline rush you get by riding a motorcycle is something that is quite unique. Even a religious experience to some. That being said, the top speed that most people will ever experience while riding a bike is not likely to exceed the 80 mph (about 120 km/h). Maybe slightly more than that if you are a bit of a daredevil. There are reasons for speed limits. No safety precautions can save you from a high speed crash, especially while on a motorcycle.

However, YouTuber PaulsGear (his name seems to be somewhat of a secret) can be seen on his channel driving at an astounding speed of 186 mph (or about 300 km/h). Admittedly, that can only be achieved (within the confines of the law) at an autobahn, access highways in Germany that have sections with no speed limit. This mysterious character of PaulsGear often hides his face by wearing a bike helmet. It is unlikely, however, that the helmet would save his life in the event of a crash at his preferred speed.

4BlueWorldTV
Marine diving, 632 thousand subscribers

Most people believe that space is final frontier. Well, be surprised to know that it’s not the only final frontier. About 5% of our oceans have been explored and charted, kind of embarrassing given that our planet is about 70% water. In order to fix that and educate us, marine biologist Jonathan Bird created his channel, focused on sea exploration. In his videos, he can be seen swimming with several species of sharks, see snakes and octopuses.

On top of the marine life, other dangers are associated with scuba diving, such as drowning (obviously), decompression sickness and arterial air embolism. The last one happens to a diver when bubbles form in an artery on ascent and block his blood-flow or. Basically, your blood boiling in your veins. Jonathan is an experienced diver and is very mindful about safety, but a regular person should avoid facing the ocean like he does.

3Göran Winblad
Ultra marathon, 3.1 thousand subscribers

Can you run a 5K (3.1 miles)? Good for you! How about a 10K (5.2 miles)? That’s even better, but only about a quarter of the distance of a marathon, which is 42.2 km (26.2 miles). It takes a very physically fit person to run a marathon and still requires months’ worth of preparation. Some people take running to a whole other level, by becoming ultramarathon runners. For a ultramarathon runner, 50K (31 miles) are common place, and some races can stretch up to 100 miles. Regardless of the benefits of running, the human body is not designed to go that far.

The health impacts of running that much, with no breaks, include nausea and/or vomiting, damaging your organs and immune system. Scientists have actually determined running a ultramarathon to be an health-damaging, rather than beneficial.

2drugslab
Taking drugs, 1.03 million subscribers

Ah the Netherlands. As you may know, the drug policy is a bit looser there than in most countries (we are getting increasingly into controversial territory). In their channel, Nellie Benner, Rens Polman and Bastiaan Rosman try a lot of different kinds of drugs. The substances include (but are not limited to) marihuana, cocaine, ecstasy, speed and LSD. All three are fairly young and attractive. While intoxicated, they do all sorts of activities that range from entertaining to insane.

One would think that censorship would be all over this channel right? Not in Holland. The whole thing is sponsored by BNNVARA,^[16] a Dutch public broadcaster, in an effort to draw attention to drug abuse and responsible consumption. Their heart rates and body temperatures are monitored for safety purposes. Regardless of any precautions taken, drug consumption can always lead to overdosing.

1Brave Wilderness
Stings and bites, 15.6 million subscribers

Finally our number 1! Getting people interested in science and nature is no easy task. A field trip goes a long way, but few people (if anybody) are willing to go to the extremes that Nathaniel “Coyote” Peterson, a wildlife educator, went to draw attention his cause. You see, getting bitten or stung by a bug can be such a harrowing experience that the Schmidt sting pain index was developed to put a number to a feeling that words don’t do quite justice.

Only a madman would subject himself to that voluntarily, right? Well, on his channel, Coyote was stung by pretty much every animal that he could get his hands on. In fact, he was already stung by four animals that made our own list of the Top 10 Most Horrifyingly Painful Venoms.

10 Eerie Videos Of UFOs Captured On Live Television

Social media and the internet has a bad reputation for spreading false information. Anyone with a fringe theory or a conspiracy theory can reach millions. Bad ideas can spread like a virus. But the internet is also the most powerful tool ever invented for the dissemination of knowledge. Not everyone has the time to study subjects in depth but luckily there are clever people out there who put their time into distilling a lifetime of learning into fun videos for anyone who is interested.

Here are ten YouTube channels that might make you a bit smarter for watching them.

10 Books That Will Make You Smarter

10 PBS Space Time

Let’s start with the hardest thing in the universe to understand – the universe itself. Though the universe is also technically the only thing we can understand. PBS Space Time is a channel that takes on almost every physics topic you can think of in its effort to make the big topic of the universe just a little more understandable.

It also takes on everything from the beginning of the universe (the Big Bang and before) to the potential end. You will also find out what time is, why it is, and what happens if you reverse its direction. Sometimes the topics might get a bit complex for some viewers (I’ll never properly get the geometry of space-time) but they are always fascinating.

Want to know if the expansion of space will eventually rip apart every atom in existence? Then this is the channel to you.

9 Wisecrack

Pop culture is always brain-rotting right? Turns out film and tv can actually be pretty smart. You just need to look at it the right way. Wisecrack is a channel that examines the philosophy behind all of your favourite shows.

Whether it’s nihilism in BoJack Horseman or the cosmic pessimism of Rick and Morty you’ll find out how these shows interact with some of the deepest philosophy ever written. They even do a series of videos called ‘Deep or Dumb’ that will help you work out whether something really is profound or just pretending to be.

They also tackle real world subjects like why democracy is hard and how adverts try to get into your head. At the very least you’ll learn that you are not alone in your existential crisis – everyone is struggling to find meaning.

8 SciShow

SciShow is one of the best short science video channels on YouTube. Think of an area of science and they are sure to have done series on it. Want to know how a beetle can survive being eaten by a frog and crawling out of its backside – there’s a video for that. Want the latest news on the coronavirus – they read and summarise the latest scientific studies.

As well as biology they cover physics and chemistry. Put those three subjects together and you have pretty much everything covered. By looking at some very niche subjects they can open up great big topics. Ever wondered why it is that humans have hair on their butts?

If you have a more cosmic turn of mind then there is their sister channel SciShow Space that covers all things interstellar. From the solar system to the edge of the universe there is something here for everyone.

7 Objectivity

Museums can be static places. Sometimes all the glass cases can make you feel distant from the fascinating objects they house. There are also millions and millions of objects that a museum just has no space to display. Objectivity is a channel that gets behind the glass and into the archives to bring an item’s story out into the open.

Want to know about the Pope’s collection of space rocks? Then there is a video about his chunk of Mars and all his meteorites. You don’t just get to see the collections – you find out the tales behind them. Just how do you pick a piece of moon rock to give to the pope?

As well as incredible science you’ll find more human stories. You can find out which pages of his books Sir Isaac Newton turned down the corners on because he was interest in them. And if you need to clean a mummy then you’ll need a curator with a lot of saliva.

6 Periodic Videos

Not everyone has access to a laboratory so if you want to get a look inside one then you couldn’t do better than watching Periodic Videos. Featuring the magnificent hair of Professor Sir Martyn Poliakof, as well as his decades of chemistry experience, the videos started as just brief explainers of all of the elements in the periodic table. Since then Brady Haran, who also produces the Objectivity videos, has covered some of the strangest reactions in all of chemistry.

Professor Poliakof has an infectious delight in seeing things happen in the lab. Viewers have even taken to sending him samples so that he can carry out weird experiments. If you want to see a metal spoon melting in a cup of tea then there is a video for that.

The team have also visited some great places outside of the lab. For those with a taste for precious metals and diamonds then there are videos of how those are produced. You’ll find out how hard it would be to steal anything though – the lab coats people wear in these facilities don’t have pockets to stop you slipping anything out.

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5 Veritasium

Veritasium is one of the biggest science channels on YouTube and he draws people in because he is willing to throw his whole body into his experiments. Can you swim in a pool of small balls? Derek Muller will try it to find out. Can a centimetre of aerogel stop the heat produced by a flamethrower? Muller will literally stand in the line of fire to see if the flames make it through.

But once the eye catching experiment is over you get the science explained. If you ever wanted to know how to use grapes in a microwave to make plasma then Veritasium will show you, explain why you can do it – and maybe why you shouldn’t.

Plus it is always a joy to see scientists get into nerdy fights. So, at the risk of starting another argument, which really is better: turbulent flow or laminar flow?

4 True Facts

Zefrank who produces a series of videos about various animals has perhaps the best voice of any naturalist – sorry Sir David Attenborough. No one says “Babby” like Zefrank. The tone of his work could not be more different from a traditional nature show however.

While introducing lesser known groups of animals, like the nudibranch, Zefrank will have a bit of fun. You’ll learn about their toothy tongues called a radula – and also why you should not French kiss them.

There is no better way to accidentally learn about the evolutionary groups of the octopus than hearing how one of them looks like “an alien got freaky with a weather balloon.” Zoology has never been this interesting.

3 Minute Physics

Wouldn’t it be great to just be able to watch minute long videos and learn about some of the toughest topics in physics? Yeah, unfortunately Minute Physics is mostly built on a lie. Not many of these videos actually are a minute, but that’s a minute nitpick.

Using cool, hand drawn illustrations this channel explains how everything from subatomic particles to galactic clusters work. You’ll find out how to actually achieve Cold Fusion at room temperature and what shape the universe really has.

It also tackles more every day problems like why is the sky blue, how do bikes work, and just how far can Legolas really see with his elf eyes?

2 Numberphile

Maths can be a dry subject. Pure maths can seem pointless with its abstract ideas that have nothing, seemingly, with our lives. Yet it turns out that maths can be used to push forward our knowledge of the universe in some crazy ways.

Want to learn whether you can avoid spilling a beer stored in a four-dimensional bottle? As well as dealing with things that are impossible in reality they deal with the reality of mathematicians as human beings. You’ll learn how a mathematician earned a billion dollars or why a mathematician turned down a million dollars.

The videos also show some of the joy in pure mathematics. The video describing a duel between two philosophers to find the largest possible number is like a Royal Rumble for nerds.

1 Kurzgesagt

Kurzgesact produces videos to describe big topics in a nutshell. And when they say big they mean big. One video examines the biggest stars in the universe and they make our sun look like a speck next to them.

Some of the videos might spark a sense of existential dread. The video dealing with the idea of the false vacuum explains how just one fluctuation in the fabric of the universe might end up destroying it. But don’t worry, there probably isn’t a wave of nothingness expanding at the speed of light that will erase everything…

No need for panic however as Kurzgesagt provides some philosophical videos to help cheer you up after some of their bleaker works. One video explains optimistic nihilism – though how optimistic you find it may be in the eye of the beholder.

Top 10 Ways College Makes You Dumb

So it is the New Year and you’ve decided you want to get smarter. New Year, new you. But looking at the state of the world around you it might seem like a good idea to stay curled up in your bed. Luckily for you there are dozens of incredibly smart people making informative and entertaining videos on YouTube. Without leaving your bed you can stare at your phone and feel just a little bit cleverer.

Top 10 YouTube Channels To Make You Seem Smarter

10 OverSimplified

Ask any historian and they will tell you that the world is pretty complicated – to say the least. Any time you try to write down history you have to leave things out to construct the story that you want to tell. All history is an act of simplification, it’s just that most histories don’t tell you that they are simplifying. At least the YouTuber OverSimplified admits what he is doing from the outset.

In a series of videos about various historical topics OverSimplified sets out to make history a bit more understandable. In the video dealing with the prohibition of alcohol in the United States you’ll learn both the broad strokes of a complex sociological movement and the fun details. Did you know about a little old lady called Carrie Nation who travelled around smashing up saloons with her hatchet?

As well as big world events OverSimplified also tackles lesser known topics – like the time Australia went to war with Emus, and lost.

9 Legal Eagle

Law can seem like a pretty impenetrable topic to research. Latin phrases, arcane procedures, and historical precedents all serve to make law a weird world. Legal Eagle tries to make it all make sense.

While mainly focused on United States law Legal Eagle’s videos serve as a good basis for understanding how any legal system is supposed to work. Recently, for obvious reasons, he has produced a lot of videos on election law that help both Americans and gobsmacked foreign observers comprehend the twists and turns of the 2020 election.

Some of the most ‘fun’ videos are in his True Crime series – from the time the Police blew up a house (and who should pay for the damage) to the famous Leopold and Loeb murder case he tracks how the legal system dealt with each event.

8 Crash Course

No one can know everything. If you ever fell asleep in class you’ve missed at least some of the facts out there. Luckily for you there is always a video out there for whatever class you snoozed through. And most of them can be found on Crash Course’s channel.

If you need to brush up on your biology then everything from DNA to evolution is covered. If you want some history then you can watch videos going from pre-history to how our media consumption is changing our brains. Yes, even the media put our by Crash Course.

After 2020 you might be feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious. Maybe Crash Course’s Psychology series might be a good place to start…

7 Journey to the Microcosmos

Okay, some topics are just too big for the human brain to comprehend. Unfortunately even when you look at small things things can get a bit complex. And Journey to the Microcosmos studies things that are really small.

It turns out that every drop of pond water is brimming with activity. Tiny single-celled organisms are milling around in their millions and fighting life or death battles that most of us never get to see. To focus on the struggle going on all around us Journey to the Microcosmos turns powerful microscopes on these hidden creatures.

As well as revealing beautiful mini wonders the presenter may just have one of the most calming voices YouTube has to offer.

6 Tier Zoo

If you prefer the animals you look at to be a bit more visible to the naked eye then Tier Zoo is the channel for you. As well as looking at weird and wonderful animals this channel does it in a way that will appeal to gamers. By treating the natural world like a game he examines the abilities evolution has developed.

Are Tardigrades playing the game of life on God Mode? Should Dinosaurs be unbanned? And have sloths had their stats Nerfed? Tier Zoo will let you decide. It will also help new players decide which starter animal they should really pick – cat or dog?

Top 10 Ways to Seem Smarter than You Are

5 Vsauce

Vsauce is one of the biggest science YouTubers out there, and for good reason. While there are plenty of websites out there that promise pictures of hot people (I’m told) only Vsauce will reveal the hottest things in the universe. And most of them you will definitely not want to get intimate with.

As well as physics Vsauce has videos covering why we find things creepy (thing Sonic the Hedgehog with teeth) and why curse words are though of as bad (but don’t say them if you don’t want to get banned).

Some of the more entertaining videos on the channel deal with fun hypotheticals like what would happen if the Earth stopped spinning. And aside from being a logistical nightmare what would be the consequences of everyone jumping at once?

4 Ted Ed

TED Talks have a bit of a mixed reputation. There are those who view the glossy presentations as insightful and a great way to communicate research and ideas to a wider audience. There are also those who think that TED leads to oversimplification and the commercialisation of knowledge. Both may be right. But TED Ed is a channel that produces short introductions to great topics you might want to research further for yourself.

As well as retelling some of the great myths of world culture with stunning animations they tackle topics ranging from the opioid epidemic to common logical fallacies. We could probably all do with a brush up on spotting the tricks other YouTube videos use to convince us of untruths. Or we might end up walking off the edge of the flat Earth.

3 CGP Grey

While there are lots of YouTubers out there who have incredible animation skills they are not always required to make great videos. CGP Grey may not have the most visually stunning videos but they are always interesting and informative. Where else will you find out how to become Pope in five minutes?

Among other topics you’ll find covered on his channel are things like the difference between the UK and Britain, why you actually have two people in your brain, and why domesticating Zebras is a bad idea.

He even did videos explaining Brexit, which even lots of British people might need help with…

2 Sabine Hossenfelder

If some channels can be accused of dumbing down complex topics that is not a charge that can be levelled at Sabine Hossenfelder. Hossenfelder is not just a YouTuber – she is a physics researcher working on quantum gravity, itself a field that scares other theoretical researchers. So she knows what she is talking about.

Luckily for those intimidated by quantum gravity Hossenfelder tackles ideas in a huge range of fields in physics, and sometimes beyond. You can find out the current thinking on whether there is a smallest size in the universe, how to travel faster than the speed of light, and even if you have free will. Don’t worry, even if you don’t have free will you will want to watch these videos.

And though complex equations often pop up on the screen Hossenfelder will hold your hand as she walks you through them.

1 Tom Scott

Ever wanted to see a nerd pass out in a giant centrifuge? Of course you have and Tom Scott is a YouTuber willing to push his body to the edge in the name of science education. While there is fun in watching the expression on a person’s face as their blood is forced out of their brain and into their buttocks it is also a teaching opportunity. Just what is G-force? And jerk, it turns out, is not just an expression of greeting in online comments.

As well as the science of things like batteries that still work after 176 years and why getting brain eating amoebas in your nose is a bad idea Scott also looks at social issues. Why do Americans find it weird when British people start conversations with “You alright?” And how should GIF be pronounced?

The further you delve into these videos the more topics you discover that you never knew you never knew about. And that is what makes for a great YouTube channel.

10 Books That Will Make You Smarter

Horror movies? How dull. A scary book? What, paper and glue? You can’t read a jump scare! Get with the 21st century, kids. Why not indulge in some new media this Halloween? In this list, you will get a handy guide to the darkest, most thought-provoking, terrifying channels on YouTube.

Gather up your loved ones, turn off the lights, open up the trash bag of sweet things you’ve extorted from your neighbors and watch these creators as they take you on a dark and twisted journey.

Related: 10 Spooky Supernatural Stories From 19th-Century England

10 Scary Mysteries—Delivering as Promised…

If you are a fan of things “doing what they say on the label,” you’re in for a treat. This channel covers mysteries. Scary mysteries, one could say. These binge-worthy 10–20 minute videos cover UFOs, ghosts, serial killers, and all manner of shocking, unsolved, and unexplained phenomena.

Starting Point: “5 Frightening Forests You Should Never Visit”—There’s something naturally unnerving about a forest. From being the setting for horror stories and films in pop culture to the fact that countless ancestors met their end in the world’s ancient forests, there seems to be more than lions, tigers, and bears to fear in the woods. Covering subjects as varied as folk cryptids like the Jersey Devil, serial killers, and a mysterious fifteen-foot-wide circle where no plant life can grow, this video will start your deep dive into the world’s mysteries.^[1]

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“Twisted 2’s”—Videos that cover two prominent mysteries.
“Every Town Has a Dark Side”—Podcast episodes covering crimes and mysteries in small-town USA.
“Strange and Scary Mysteries of the Month”—A monthly roundup of the weirdest news reports and stories

9 Nexpo—ARGs and “Aaaaarghs”!

This popular channel provides long-form, deep dives into some of the strangest things found online. From ARGs (augmented reality games, usually with a horror theme) and creepy viral videos to genuine research into online pedophile rings, this channel is more than just a place for compiling disturbing online crap—he really aims to do good. This intrepid explorer of the darker fringes of the internet has invited you to see what he has found. Will you join him?

Starting Point: “Strange Flyers Around Portland, Oregon”—A weird prank, ARG gone too far, or evidence of a cult in the Pacific Northwest? This amazing look into this fringe phenomenon will leave you wondering what every flyer, poster, or graffitied tag you see in your town actually means.^[2]

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“Disturbing Things from around the Internet”

8 Nick Crowley—Aleister Would Be Proud

Very much the same stylistic vein as the previous entry, Nick Crowley likes to cover the darker things found around the internet. One of the key differences is that Nick tends to focus more on the real horror found online—terrible animal cruelty scams, self-destructive cancer-chasing fetish communities, and emergent cults. Where Nexpo likes to leave you with a sense of mystery, a creeping dread that surrounds the question “I wonder if that’s real?” Crowley rarely allows for that question to enter the viewer’s mind. These things did happen. And here they are.

Starting point: “The Khamar Daban Incident”—You may very well have read about the Dyatlov Pass incident, the strange event that led to the deaths of a clutch of young Russian researchers in a remote part of Siberia (in fact, Crowley has a great couple of videos exploring the incident), but have you heard about the Khamar Daban incident? This (arguably) more shocking event is covered ably by Mr. Crowley. The perfect real-life tale for Halloween night.^[3]

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“YouTube’s Darkest Channels”

7 Bedtime Stories—Creepy Mysteries, Creepier Artwork

When you get a channel description that begins with “WARNING—These stories are NOT suitable for younger audiences. Turn off the lights, get into bed, and plug in your earphones. It’s time for a creepy bedtime story,” you know you’re in for a good time. This channel certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Covering well-known paranormal stories, some more obscure ones from beyond the anglosphere, and even a couple of viewer-submitted experiences, the team behind Bedtime Stories are among the best in the biz at new media paranormal content generation. The wonderfully drawn artwork accompanying the matter of fact, northern-English-accented narration draws you in as though watching a particularly good lecture. And then the subject matter hits you. Then you’re afraid.^[4]

Starting point: “The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Mystery”—Best to start from the very first video and go from there. This spooky event from the eerily atmospheric isles west of Scotland is a classic story that remains an exemplar of this channel’s aptitude at expressing the uncanny.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
Weekly uploads

6 Atrocity Guide—Weird Internet Tales

For a less horror-oriented (but no less unnerving) channel, check out Atrocity Guide. Although given the nature of her uploads, you may end up seeking out more hokey ghost or Bigfoot videos…

Covering weird stories about strange individuals and groups may not be as bed-wetting or terror-inducing an experience as some of the other channels listed here. Still, one thing is for certain—the subjects covered here are well-documented, meticulously covered, and 100% real/weird/unnerving.^[5]

Starting Point: “The Strange World of Breatharianism”—The title could just have easily swapped the word “strange” with horrific, deluded, or mystifyingly still going. This 50-minute long mini-doc on this dangerous cult is among the best found online. Sad, worrying, and sobering.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
Uploads every few months

5 Being Scared—Rain, Wind, and Horror Stories

Every once in a while, it is good for us to remember that tradition matters. Before all these new media guys bombarded us with mini-docs, deep dives, and compilation vids and before the word “meme” was used on a daily basis, people gathered ’round and told scary stories. Quite often, this was done on dark, stormy nights, the world outside setting the scene for some wickedly frightening tales to be told.

Many of us have memories of sharing urban legends around campfires, in abandoned houses we were dared to enter, or at a friend’s sleepover. This channel re-captures this like no other. Scary stories told with suitably atmospheric SFX—wind, rain, and thunder.^[6]

You’ll listen to one. Hear the rain in your earhole. You notice that your bedroom window’s blind is open. Didn’t you close it?

Nope.

Ok, just a few more tales…

Starting Point: Anywhere. Press play, sit back, pee your pants.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“Scary Stories for a Rainy Night”

4 In Praise of Shadows—Peek Behind the Curtain of Horror Media

If you don’t fancy a night of direct terror, why not learn about the movies, comic books, and other media that have provided us with terror over the years? This channel offers a wonderful overview of horror fiction in all its forms. The deepest of deep dives into the history of horror comics throughout the twentieth century is a real highlight. But don’t get too comfy—the measured critique on offer here may make you say, “Hm, very interesting,” but the artwork that accompanies the commentary is often chilling enough to make you go check under the bed.^[7]

Starting Point: “Homunculus: What Does It Mean to Be Human?”—A retrospective of one of the most mind-bending shocking Manga ever. Thought-provoking and vomit-inducing.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“Anatomy of a Franchise”
“Why You Should Watch…”
And definitely make sure you check out the three-part series on Horror Comics

3 Rusty West—Missing in the Wilderness

Anyone who is aware of the “Missing 411” phenomenon will love this channel. But even if you aren’t aware of the theories surrounding the comparatively high number of people who go missing in U.S. national parks, Rusty West’s soothing drawl will win you over—it seems to have been carved from prime mahogany and dipped in molasses. Despite the vocal attraction, these stories may make you think twice about venturing into the wilderness anytime soon.

These tragic, perplexing, and often creepy tales of hikers disappearing off the face of the earth, alongside a good selection of viewer-submitted stories of strange encounters, weird occurrences, and brushes with the preternatural, provide hours of material ready for your perusal.^[8]

Starting Point: “3½ Hours of Strange National Park Disappearances”—Don’t be daunted by this feature-length video of narrated accounts; you can dip in and out, settle in with some cocoa and a bowl of popcorn or lie back and fall asleep to Rusty’s voice recounting some cases that remain unsolved.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
Various compilation videos
“10 More Strangest National Park Disappearances” series
“Case Studies”—A selection of vids that focus a little more in-depth on individual cases

2 The Paranormal Scholar—A Fortean Look at Freaky Phenomena

Finally, an expert! Well, sort of. Outside the channel, it does seem that husband and wife duo Laura and Erik Rowton seek to bridge the gap between underground fans, paranormal researchers, and the traditionally stuffy academic domain (their feature-length documentary “In Search of the Dead” includes many interviews with academics).

Their YouTube channel is more about charting and listing paranormal events and anecdotes. Laura Rowton’s pleasant voiceover takes us through various “Top X-number” lists of a diverse range of Fortean phenomena—from historical instances of meetings with the devil to creepy “men in black” encounters that will freak you out more than the prospect of a continental greeting from Tommy Lee Jones.^[9]

Starting Point: “5 Terrifying Wartime Monster Sightings”—This list of monster sightings introduces an interesting angle that many viewers may not consider: soldiers who have witnessed cryptids. Are these accounts more credible given the trusted position fighting men hold in society? Or does the fact that these people are in high-stress, frenetic environments facing the constant threat of death breathing down their necks render their testimony even more unreliable? Whatever you think, these stories are awesome.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“Unexplained Mysteries”
“Deities, Demons, and the Devil”

1 Lazy Masquerade—The Online All-Rounder of the Macabre and Unsettling

Finally, we have a channel that combines all the best points of the previous entries without losing any of the overall quality. If you’re going to binge, go hard and go…Lazy. Focused mini-docs on gory murders, unexplained events, and all manner of strange and singular phenomena, list vids, and scary story reads—this channel does the lot.

There is also a periodic focus on Southeast Asia, an area where news rarely permeates Western media. And, boy oh boy, there are some fascinating, terrifying tales to tell from that part of the globe.

Cuddle up on your couch and start watching. Make sure the lights are off, though. After all, “Lazy” always signs off with, “The best things happen in the dark…”^[10]

Starting Point: “3 Creepy ‘Region Locked’ Mysteries, FINALLY UNLOCKED”—Lazy covers three crazy stories from the Far East that you’ve probably not heard.

Regular Sections/Playlists:
“Photos with Creepy Backstories”
“Folklore and Urban Legends”
“USA Horror Road Trip”
And many, many, many more…

Here’s to scary binging!

Over the years, television broadcasting has proved vital across the globe. Millions of people watch television daily. The evolution of television made it the primary source of information and entertainment for everyone worldwide. Information and entertainment are pretty much what modern-day society is all about. Even with the rise of social media, television broadcasting keeps everyone up to date on the latest news, weather, and other important information in our daily lives. There is always something new to be informed on through the news, documentaries, and even commercials. Sports, movies, and comedy-featured content also serve as entertainment avenues to television viewers.

All this has been made possible with the emergence of various television channels throughout the years. Some of these channels remained in existence for decades, with quite a few rebranded over time. Unfortunately, others have also been brutally closed down or replaced by other television channels, having existed for a limited time. This list accounts for ten popular television channels that impacted television broadcasting—whether good or bad—even after being closed down.

Related: Top 10 Truly Terrible Television Series

10 Setanta Sports Channel, UK

Most English Premier League fans may very much recall Setanta Sports. The sports channel, founded in the United Kingdom, was bought by Eircom Limited (EIR) in 1992. Eircom was a telecommunication company based in Ireland that purchased the Setanta Sports channel to bring Irish sports to fans worldwide. The channel expanded to have operations all over the United Kingdom and was very popular by the end of 1998.

With the acquisition of Setanta, Eircom was able to expand its television coverage to more customers. Setanta acquired broadcast rights to American golf, English rugby union, boxing, and football. Setanta also made a big step in having the rights to the Scottish Premier League in 2004 and 46 Premier League matches from 2007 to 2010.

The channel appeared to be expanding rapidly despite facing fierce competition with Sky Sports during that period. However, the channel was bound to face problems because it borrowed millions of pounds to acquire the rights to particular sports matches. The UK-based company was on the verge of collapse, with a debt of around £250 million. Setanta was forced into bankruptcy in 2009 after failing to make payments for television rights, owing the English Premier League £30 million. As a result, several British football clubs faced financial difficulties during the 2009/10 season. The channel had to close down as it accumulated too much debt.

After Discovery purchased the Asian version of the channel, Setanta is still active in Eurasia. All other international versions of the television channel, including the UK-based ones, were purchased by various media companies. Sky Sports, however, continued to expand its brand and is now considered one of the best sports media outlets worldwide.^[1]

Despite Setanta’s problems, it brought joy to football fans all over the United Kingdom.

9 The Comedy Channel & HA!

Although the world can never have enough laughter, it does not mean it requires two comedy channels. There were two comedy networks in 1989, which merged in April 1991. Home Box Office attempted to bring the chuckles 24 hours a day with the Comedy Channel, whiles Viacom had a similar idea, launching HA! about five months later in April 1991. Finally, both channels merged to form Comedy Central.

Before the channels merged, the Comedy Channel focused on stand-up comedy specials and clips from the classic comedy of feature movies. However, HA! produced content centered on acquired off-network situation comedies.

Both channels could not develop significantly during their years together, with only roughly seven million members apiece. According to the executives from both industries, the reluctance of cable system operators to take sides in a war between two industry giants was the reason for both channels not developing. Economically, the 50-50 marriage provided comedy television a 15 million-subscriber pool, nearly double the average starting capital. The merged television channels changed to Comedy Central, which is currently active and very popular among television viewers in the United States.^[2]

8 HawkVision

HawkVision was a United States television channel that came to light in 1992. It was a short-lived television subscription service founded by Bill Wirtz, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks. The ice-hockey team never had their home games televised after the 1992 National Hockey League season as the Blackhawks owner believed broadcasting the home games would not be fair to season ticket holders.

Bill Wirtz decided to cancel all traditional broadcasting offers from various television channels and offer HawkVision as a television subscription service. The sole purpose for the existence of the HawkVision channel was to broadcast Blackhawks games from their Chicago stadium to the homes of fans for a fee of up to $19.95 per game. Wirtz kept HawkVision going after the Stanley Cup playoff games by offering access to regular-season home games for the next two seasons for a fee of $29.99 per month. The fans reacted angrily to the increase in price. It was unlikely anyone was going to pay that amount. The HawkVision television channel proved unprofitable after one season, as ticket sales figures dropped massively. Bill Wirtz passed on in 2007, which saw the home game television restriction removed.^[3]

7 ITV Play

ITV Play was a British 24-hour participation television station that aired for a brief time. The channel lasted less than a year due to the infamous premium rate phone-in scandal that ruined it. When it was operating, it ran shows like The Common Room, The Debbie King Show, and the popular quiz show, Quizmania.

The television channel faced legal issues for charging people a lot of money to participate in the contests with very slim odds of winning. ITV set aside £5 million in its half-year results to deal with the financial fallout from the premium-rate phone-in controversy. The business had to pay for the Deloitte report and other inquiries into its phone-ins. As a result, the broadcaster announced in 2007 that it had set aside £18 million to cover the incident.

After that, all text and interactive voting on shows came to a close. Phone-in votings on the X-Factor show also ceased. ITV said on March 5, 2007, that all premium-rate phone competitions and quizzes, as well as the ITV Play channel, would be suspended. The ITV play channel closed down in the early hours of March 6, 2007.^[4]

6 Men & Motors

Men & Motors was a lifestyle television channel in the United Kingdom. The channel, founded in 1996, focused solely on men who enjoy motors and ladies. Having a show full of cars and women back in the day was bound to draw millions of viewers. Men and Motors had numerous car content shows, fueled action movies, adult cartoons, and plenty of footage of scantily clad women.

Unfortunately, the lifestyle channel aired for less than a year on Freeview. The channel stopped broadcasting on digital terrestrial television to make way for ITV to establish ITV Play. Men & Motors was then only available on satellite and cable television because of the restricted bandwidth on the platform and a wish to retain the ITV family.

The channel was re-launched in 2012. Shane Lynch and Torie Campbell were the new hosts. A new revenue stream opened up for One Media, which purchased the rights to Men & Motors from Granada Television Products and ITV Digital Channels. The new channel has thrived as a YouTube offering, with 134 million minutes of viewing in 2020. It airs the best shows from the extensive archives in a new on-demand format.^[]

You wouldn’t guess by looking at it now, but the Men & Motors channel was a force to be reckoned with when it was active.

5 Dumont Network

Dumont was one of the first major television and media networks in the United States. Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Dumont, and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) dominated television in the United States during the 1940s. During the war, most television channels had sporadic television content. Dumont, on the other hand, devised a deal for advertisers. The network ran a midweek special, where sponsors and advertisers could use the Dumont labs for commercial purposes. Dumont Network was very ambitious compared to the other two major television networks. Every show took place inside the Dumont building, owned solely by the Dumont Corporation. The Honeymooners was among the show’s sketches, inspiring the popular CBS sitcom, Gleason.

Since Dumont lacked the financial resources of NBC and CBS, the network trailed behind those two in terms of star power and production quality after the 1940s. Dumont was placed fourth in the Nielsen ratings after American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and United Paramount Theaters merged in 1953. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limited the number of television stations an organization could possess and made it difficult for Dumont to expand the network. Dumont was on the verge of purchasing ABC and becoming the largest station in the United States until the FCC disapproved of the purchase. ABC, however, received financing from Paramount. Dumont converted to Ultra High-Frequency (UHF) broadcasts to save money. Unfortunately, no one liked UHF transmissions in the 1950s, resulting in the closedown of the channel.

The high cost of transmitting and the limit imposed by the FCC massively impacted Dumont Network and other television channels across the United States during the 1950s.^[6]

4 Nuts TV

Television nostalgia buffs may recall a short-lived television channel in the United Kingdom that aired various fun and bizarre content. Nuts TV was a British television cannel that debuted in 2007. Unlike other failed stations, Nuts TV was available on the Freeview network. Despite promising a never-ending parade of bizarre content, it was unable to attract viewers. Nuts TV had celebrity hosts, Lucy Pinder and comedian Dan Wright hosting the shows on the channel. The evening content always had the same pattern. Each night began with news, followed by sports, girls, and sex-related content.

It was barely on our screens for two years, which was a shame. The channel presented a wide range of unique and fast-paced comedies. It also featured a bizarre segment in which Lucy Pinder, the famous model, read famous works of “literature” while dressed in lingerie. The channel aired 20 hours of live television every week on Freeview channel 42.

The Cable News Network (CNN) replaced Nuts TV. It was scheduled to premiere on Freeview in January 2009, pending approval from Digital Television Multiplex Operators Limited, which oversaw all Freeview channels. Unfortunately, the Nuts television channel became inactive in 2009, followed by the Nuts magazine five years later.^[7]

3 The Cable Music Channel

The Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) owned the Cable Music Channel (CMC), a short-lived American cable channel. Ted Turner founded the all-music video channel, which debuted in 1984. With the Satellite News Channel going up against CNN back in the day, Ted turner wanted to give MTV a run for its money and music. But not all of his ideas turned out to be successful. While MTV had Madonna acting like a virgin on live television, CMC took a family-oriented approach. “I Love L.A.” by Randy Newman was the first video to air on CMC. Turner debuted the music channel with much excitement after his music video show, Night Tracks. However, with MTV still striving to expand its distribution, there was no room for a second music video network on cable systems.

Ted Turner decided to shut down the business after a month. The Cable Music Channel was sold to MTV’s parent company because it lacked the cable providers, videos, and viewership to compete with the all-music channel. The Cable Music Channel aired from October to November 1984. MTV, however, is now one of the leading entertainment channels worldwide^[8]

2 Sumo TV

Imagine a world where you could create a platform and have users provide all of the content, such a bizarre world. Sumo TV debuted in 2006, claiming to be the first user-content television channel. Unfortunately, most people in 2006 did not have access to high-quality cameras or widespread internet access. This idea was quite astonishing because YouTube had only recently launched. But having a user-generated format could never work on broadcast television. It was one of the main reasons why Sumo TV failed.

Unsurprisingly, the channel faced a problem with the Office of Communications (Ofcom)—the British version of the FCC—for imposing broadcast regulations on the people who sent the clips. After ruling against two Sumo TV clips, Ofcom cautioned broadcasters about user-generated content.

Ofcom was concerned about the responsibility placed on creators for adhering to the Sumo network broadcasting code on the user-generated clips rather than the network performing adequate checks themselves. The channel officially closed down in 2012 and was replaced by the Horror Channel.^[9]

1 National Educational Television

National Educational Television (NET) was an educational and public television network created in early 1952. The Ford Foundation previously owned it, and it was later co-owned by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. From 1952 to 1972, the NET collection contained a lot of television programs on the humanities, public affairs, social issues, science, and education from non-commercial TV stations and producers. The channel aired documentaries and discussions on the black freedom struggle, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, poverty, and student activism.

In 1963, NET decided to show documentaries that addressed issues regarding poverty and racism. The perceived liberal bias from the shows aired on the channel made it very unpopular with viewers. The Ford Foundation and the government decided to cease funding the television channel for continuously broadcasting such content. Within a year, the channel had lost so much money that it had to close down.

In 1970, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) replaced the educational channel, which initially began operations in 1969. The NET’s refusal to stop airing the critically acclaimed but contentious documentaries led to its closure by both Ford and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1970.^[10]