Editing History Channel (section)

==H2==
{{Infobox television channel
| name = H2
| logo = [[file:History2 logo (2022).svg|200px|frameless|class=skin-invert]]
| logo_size = 150px
| logo_caption = 
| image = 
| launch_date = {{start date|1998|11|16}}
| closed_date = {{End date|2016|2|29}}
| picture_format = [[NTSC]]<br />[[HDTV]] [[1080i]]
| owner = [[A&E Networks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| area = Nationwide
| headquarters = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
| former_names = History International (1998-2011)
| replaced = 
| replaced_by = [[Vice (TV channel)|Viceland]]
}}

'''H2''' was an American [[specialty channel|specialty]] television channel that was owned by A&E Networks, available on multi-channel television providers in the United States. It was launched on November 16, 1998 as '''History International''' (abbreviated as "HI" or variations on "H-INT"), a spin-off of the History Channel that focused on international history.<ref>{{cite news|title=A&E unveils digital networks |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/98-OCR/BC-1998-11-16-OCR-Page-0136.pdf |access-date=8 August 2021 |work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=November 16, 1998 |page=56}}</ref> On launch, History International occasionally featured shows in languages other than [[English language|English]], such as [[French language|French]] or [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for use with the [[NCTA (association)|National Cable & Telecommunications Association]]'s [[Cable in the Classroom]] initiative. By 2010, this was reduced to an hour-long Spanish language program on weekday mornings titled {{Lang|es-US|El Canal de Historia}} (the English translation of ''The History Channel'').

On September 26, 2011, the network was rebranded as '''H2''', with its programming being refocused to feature documentary content from the main History channel prior to its shift towards more reality programming, along with original programs (such as the special ''The Universe: Beyond the Big Bang'' and the first-run series ''America's Book of Secrets''<ref>[http://www.history.com/shows/americas-book-of-secrets, America's Book of Secrets]</ref>), as well as exclusive new episodes of the former History series ''[[The Universe (TV series)|The Universe]]'', ''[[Ancient Aliens]]'' and ''[[Modern Marvels]]'', in addition to international-focused programming. H2 did not have plans to add reality series as its sister channel has done.<ref>[http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/exclusive-new-network-name-becomes-history/112395 EXCLUSIVE: New Network Name Becomes History - Additional programming planned as H2 replaces HI] ''Broadcasting & Cable'', September 2, 2011</ref> Newer documentaries more recently seen on History migrated to the network as part of the rebrand, which would rotate with the documentaries from History International that primarily span from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s.

In August 2014, A&E Networks acquired a 10% stake in [[Vice Media]], and on November 3, 2015, A&E announced that H2 would be "replaced" by [[Vice on TV|Viceland]], a new lifestyle-focused network programmed by Vice Media.<ref name="thr-viceland">{{cite web|title=It's Official: Vice Channel to Take Over A+E Networks' History Spinoff H2|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vice-channel-replace-historys-h2-836322|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=3 November 2015 |access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="nyt-viceland">{{cite news|title=Viceland, a New Cable Channel, Aims to Stand Out|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/29/arts/television/viceland-a-new-cable-channel-aims-to-stand-out.html?_r=0|access-date=29 February 2016|work=The New York Times| date=28 February 2016 | last1=Hale | first1=Mike }}</ref><ref name="deadline-vicerebrand">{{cite web|title=A+E Networks' H2 To Be Rebranded As Vice|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/h2-rebranded-vice-ae-networks-1201417766/|website=Deadline|date=29 April 2015 |access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref> H2 signed off on February 29, 2016 at 6:00&nbsp;a.m. ET, being replaced by pre-launch programming for Viceland.<ref name="variety-newspaper">{{cite news|title=To Get People To Watch Viceland On TV, Vice Uses A Newspaper|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/viceland-cable-launch-vice-newspaper-advertising-1201694756/|access-date=29 February 2016|work=Variety}}</ref><ref name="multichannel-vicelandlaunch">{{cite web|title=Viceland Makes Its Cable Debut|url=http://www.multichannel.com/news/content/viceland-makes-it-cable-debut/402903|website=Multichannel News|date=29 February 2016 |access-date=29 February 2016}}</ref>

{{As of|January 2016}}, H2 was available to 70.1 million households in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/content/cable-network-coverage-area-household-universe-estimates-january-2016/153590 |title=Cable Network Coverage Area Household Universe Estimates: January 2016 |access-date=2019-02-28 |archive-date=2016-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014042010/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/content/cable-network-coverage-area-household-universe-estimates-january-2016/153590 |url-status=dead }}</ref>