In 1888, a group of people including Alexander Graham Bell and geographers, explorers, teachers, cartographers, military officers and financiers, sat around a large table to discuss a common love of knowledge and their thirst for exploration and achievement. These people embodied an era that was marked by research, invention and change. They spoke of organising a society that would "increase the diffusion of geographical knowledge". The entity they were about to create would become the largest non-profit scientific and educational institution in the world - the National Geographic Society
After 117 years the Society continues to develop new and exciting ways for broadening their window on the world and now there comes a new adventure. In September 1997 the world's first National Geographic Channel launched in Australia and it has built a loyal and devoted following. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in over 230 million homes (including day-part households) in 151 countries and 27 languages.
Right now there are as many as 250 National Geographic photographers, film-makers and explorers on assignment around the globe seeking to obtain knowledge so that we may all know more about the world in which we live. You can see some of their award winning programs on your National Geographic Channel.
National Geographic documentaries have won more than 800 awards over the past 30 years. A renowned blend of reporting and photography tells the true stories of Earth's peoples, wildlife, natural history, anthropology, archaeology and adventure. Compelling storytelling and breathtaking vision bring to viewers a lively quest for knowledge, a passion for adventure, a taste for the exotic and the powerful experience of "being there". Explore mysterious ocean depths or rain forests populated by the world's most endangered species. Witness history such as Sir Edmund Hillary's incredible feats, be amazed by Jane Goodall's gentle manner and visit places you may never have known existed!
Join the adventure by watching National Geographic Channel on FOXTEL, AUSTAR, OPTUS and Neighbourhood Cable in Australia, Sky Television & Saturn in New Zealand.
Explorer-in-Residence Program The National Geographic Society established the Explorer-in-Residence Program to highlight and enhance its long-standing relationships with some of the world's preeminent explorers and scientists. The men and women who serve as explorers-in-residence have the ability to originate the kind of groundbreaking discoveries, critical scientific information, conservation-related initiatives, and compelling stories that are the trademark of the National Geographic Society.