| Odyssey Channel | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | July 1997 |
| Closed | 2004 |
| Network | Optus Vision |
| Owned by | Optus Vision |
| Picture format | PAL |
| Slogan | Experience the journey |
| Availability at time of closure | |
| Cable | |
| Optus Vision | Channel 19 (1/12/02) |
The Odyssey Channel was an award-winning documentary channel that was previously available on Optus Vision in Australia. It was one of the few channels on pay TV in Australia that had a large amount of Australian content available. During the channel's existence, it won major awards at numerous international conferences. Due to the CSA (Content Sharing Agreement) between Optus and Foxtel, it was quietly killed in 2004. Foxtel wouldn't allow it on their platform due to it competing with their license of the Discovery Channel brand, and Optus decided it could no longer fund it.
Programming
Odyssey Channel's programs were sourced from the world's best distributors, prominent independent filmmakers, Emmy Award-winning content providers and recipients of major prizes at prestigious documentary film festivals. They had a reputation for quality and diversity and were well received by viewers and the media alike. The programming, some of them having never been seen before on Australian television, covered eight genres:
- Issues
- History
- People and Places
- Science and Technology
- Popular Culture
- Nature
- Arts and Entertainment
- Lifestyle
- NOVA
Some content shown on the channel was sourced from the American and Canadian television network Home & Garden Television (HGTV).
