The History Channel Teams Up with the Library of Congress

Partnership Includes Web Content, Documentaries, Films for Exhibits at Library

By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/14/2008 12:02:00 AM

A&E Television Networks’ The History Channel partnered with the Library of Congress to showcase the federal cultural institution’s content on its TV channels, online and in classrooms.

The agreement was announced Monday by AETN president and CEO Abbe Raven and Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.

Under the partnership, the two parties will co-brand content on history.com and on short- and long-form documentaries on the network. History will also produce short films for Library of Congress exhibits.

Showtime has a similar pact with the Smithsonian Institution, although that one is wider in scope as the two parties collaborated on a stand-alone Smithsonian video-on-demand channel.

The new deal, while not exclusive, gives History access to American historical resources that competitors do not have and provides the Library with television, online and in-classroom opportunities to showcase its brand and information.

“This partnership is exciting because it matches the vast resources of the Library of Congress with some of the most powerful and trusted brands on the media landscape,” Raven said. “It will result in millions of Americans having better access and knowledge of history by utilizing the collections of one of the nation’s greatest institutions.”

“We’re pleased to join forces with History in this effort that will help better fulfill our mission of making knowledge more accessible and useful to the Congress and the public,” Billington added. “With more than 138 million items in our collections, there are millions of stories waiting to be told. We’re delighted that History will help us tell some of them.”