In news that could bury the hopes of fans, the America Unearthed TV show on H2 has been cancelled after three seasons totaling 39 episodes. Forensic geologist and America Unearthed host, Scott Wolter confirmed the cancellation on Twitter.
A fan asked Wolter when America Unearthed would return for its fourth season. Wolter replied, “America Unearthed isn’t coming back. H2 was sold and History doesn’t want it.”
@JrMarmero @OctoberFilms @More2History @HISTORY America Unearthed isn't coming back. H2 was sold and History doesn't want it.
— Scott Wolter (@RealScottWolter) May 2, 2016
H2 rebranded as Viceland. Here is the A+E Network’s press release, on its venture with Vice Media, and the change in the channel’s name and focus:
VICE AND A+E NETWORKS ANNOUNCE NEW TV NETWORK VICELAND (WORKING TITLE)
H2 network to become VICELAND, a brand new channel
created by VICE, launching in early 2016
VICELAND to complete VICE’s trinity of screens, bringing content, advertisers and audiences seamlessly between TV, mobile and digital
November 3, 2015, New York, NY –A+E Networks®, a global media content company and VICE Media, the youth media brand and digital content studio, today announced a joint venture that will offer VICE as a new 24-hour channel programmed and produced exclusively by VICE. A+E Networks’ channel H2® will be transitioned to VICELAND (working title).
Launching in early 2016, VICELAND will be distributed in approximately 70 million homes, and will feature hundreds of hours of completely new programming developed and produced entirely in-house by the young creative minds that are the heart and soul of VICE, and the driving force behind its success over the last decade.
Nancy Dubuc, President & CEO, A+E Networks said, “VICE has a bold voice and a distinctive model in the marketplace. This channel represents a strategic fit and a new direction for the future of our portfolio of media assets. Shane Smith has led VICE from a fledgling magazine into a global media brand and all of us at A+E are excited to work with him and his passionate and innovative team.”
Oscar-winning writer/director Spike Jonze, a long-time VICE partner and creative director for the company, has been overseeing the development of the new channel, from show creation, to production, to brand identity.
“It feels like most channels are just a collection of shows,” said Spike Jonze. “We wanted VICELAND to be different, to feel like everything on there has a reason to exist and a strong point of view. Our mission with the channel is not that different from what our mission is as a company: it’s us trying to understand the world we live in by producing pieces about things we’re curious about, or confused about, or that we think are funny. And if it doesn’t have a strong point of view then it shouldn’t be on this channel.”
VICELAND will launch with a full slate of prime-time shows, including Gaycation (with Ellen Page and Ian Daniel), Huang’s World (with Eddie Huang), Noisey (with Zach Goldbaum), VICE World Of Sports (with Sal Masekela), Black Market (with Michael K. Williams), Flophouse, Party Legends, Weediquette (with Krishna Andavolu), and many, many more.
The launch of VICELAND coincides with VICE’s explosive growth across online and mobile, where it has become the preeminent destination for young people around the world. There’s a growing white space in the realm of Gen-Y programming, and to fill that void VICELAND will offer engaging, original content covering fashion, food, music, sports, and more. The new network represents a critical build-out for the company: VICE will now be producing gold-standard content for all three screens.
“This network is the next step in the evolution of our brand and the first step in our global roll-out of networks around the world,” said Shane Smith, VICE co-founder and CEO. “First: It allows us to be truly platform agnostic and enable our audience to view our content wherever they want. Second: It represents a continued growth in our content quality and raises the ceiling even higher for our brilliant teams to attack stories from long form features to multi-episode series and even short form interstitials that will challenge the accepted norms of current TV viewing. Third: We will test new and innovative monetization strategies placing VICELAND at the pointy tip of the spear of the rapidly changing terrain of TV advertising.
“All in all, this new network allows us to continue our innovation in storytelling and content creation and take it to the next level. We couldn’t be happier working with Nancy and her team at A+E and we couldn’t be more excited to offer this opportunity to our VICE family of partners, producers, shooters, editors, and staff, to go out and make our indelible imprint on the cultural fabric of this modern age.”
Drawing on VICE’s history as an innovator in branded content online, VICELAND plans to work with brand partners to re-imagine the nature of the television commercial too—making the commercial time a valuable extension of the entertainment programming itself, and keeping viewers engaged, even as they follow VICE content across screens and formats.
A+E Networks will oversee technical operations and distribution and will work with VICE on ad sales and sponsorships. VICE will also handle all marketing across all platforms, utilizing its various relationships with partners across mobile and digital.
H2 is a vibrant international channel brand in over 68 territories, which will continue to operate outside the US. A+E is committed to H2’s international expansion as well as the production of informational-based historical content.
Vice Media was advised on the transaction by the Paul Weiss law firm and Pursuit Advisory.
The first three seasons of America Unearthed are still available to stream on History.com.
What do you think? Are you a fan of the America Unearthed TV show? Do you wish History had picked it up, when H2 rebranded?
I absolutely love the show. Very disappointed there will not be a Season 4. Very poor choice History Channel. So many of my friends watch and when I tell them everyone will be in shock. Is was about time we had a show that was truly enjoyable, educational and thought provoking. If more people (fans) complain maybe History Channel will correct a huge mistake. Come back to us Scott.
It is very sad that a show like this would be cancelled it makes no sense except for what Scott said. This was my al time favorite show I was glued to my couch from week to week and the anticipation episodes and season! This was H2 best show why ? Wish Scott did his own pod cast or something I have read his books and can’t get enough come back to us Scott !!!! PLEASE!!!
This was one of the best shows on TV. The only reason I kept paying the premium channel fee’s for cable was for H2 and shows like America Unearthed…I can watch more history shows on Netflix now. Poor choice History Channel…poor choice and good bye to premium cable. Hopefully someone else will make a smart decision and pick up America Unearthed!
These shows are fun but PLEASE the H is for hoax rather than history on the Tucson crosses and many other episodes Of course the lead source was just 2 miles away and yes the sculptor was a young boy and the text on the artifacts was plaigerized from ancient writing. So cancelled
To the History Channel: Bring back “America Unearthed”! The show has a great following. Maybe another network should pick it up.
I loved the show ! You always hear about great history somewhere else in the wold. Also love the history and adventure , was like being a kid watching a kids show lol . It’s fun and you learn history ! Would watch it no matter which network carried it . Very disappointed !
I think you are ridiculous. You take a wonderful intriguing show like American Unearthed and cancle it to make sure you have room to show some garbage like American Pickers. Way to go! Thank you for contributing to the dumbing down of America.
Absolutely loved this show! I haven’t seen one show on viceland that isn’t absolute garbage! Don’t watch it and never will. H2 was great with great shows with America Unearthed at the top of the list. History’s ratings would go up if if the would bring it back for season 4.
I loved America Unearthed, and loved reading all of the posts in support of the show. I would love to take each post and dump them onto the desk of who ever made this decision!
I’ve tried to watch some of the shows on Viceland but none are half as interesting as AUEarthed.
I am bummed that the America Unearthed series was cancelled If there ever has been a TV series that I’ve watched every single episode, it is this one! Why can’t another station pick this series up and let Scott Wolter continue on with his fascinating investigations?! I LOVED watching every one of the programs, and I’ll bet that I’m not the only fan of Mr. Wolter and America Unearthed; either! PLEASE?! Won’t somebody else pick up this series and allow it to continue?! I’d like to see him go out to the Superstition Mountains in AZ to look into the… Read more »
Yes, lets not put something on the air that might stimulate young minds, that might be counter productive to the brain washing stuff they are stuck watching.
That is Exactly what I am saying!
Now why would anyone drop a leading intelligent channel like H2 to change over to a dumbing down channel like Viceland?? Big brother dumbing us down again. Bring back H2.
Viceland. Dumb move. New fan found on ROKU. Dropping cable and need more shows like Unearthed. America is uneducated and dumb enough….. please don’t add more fashion shows…. educate with history….. and geography …. even if it comes in this form….. add to life don’t detract.
America unearthed was an excellent show of our country’s unknown history that most scientists won’t give the time of day to even look at .Scott Wolter was an excellent commentator for the series because he has the knowledge and open mindedness for this work .I hope the series will return, there’s a lot of untold stories out there that must be talked about, time doesn’t stand still and history can be forgotten if not told and documented.
Very dissapointed. H2 was my channel to watch. I guess the big business thinks that the younger geneation pays for cable!!!!!!. Not so. I will misssntje show. RIP AMERICA UNEARTHED.