With the recent obsession over Syfy’s “Sharknado” in social media, the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week has come at just the right time. The network’s yearly Shark Week starts on Sunday, August 4th and will include 7 days of television programs purely about sharks. This fun-filled week of sharks first started in 1987 and this weekend will mark their 27th year. This year’s slogan is “It’s a Bad Week to be a Seal” and has been promoted through their Snuffy the Seal campaign on YouTube.
Shark Week will include 11 hours of new programming made just for Shark Week, with sensational titles such as “Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives,” “Sharkpocolypse” and “Voodoo Sharks.” Discovery Channel has also expanded the programming to include a new late-night live talk show that will recap highlights each night. This new addition, “Shark after Dark,” will be hosted by comedian Josh Wolf who will infuse humor into America’s much anticipated week of sharks. In 2011, Shark Week was hosted by Andy Samberg who was a big hit because of his comedy and high profile. Last year’s host was Philip DeFranco, but this year’s official host has not been announced yet.
Shark Week takes place every summer and was originally developed to raise awareness and respect for sharks. People are intrigued by these dangerous marine animals, and Discovery Channel has made an outlet for people to learn more about them and enjoy a lighthearted humor that surrounds the entire event. Last year, Shark Week brought in a cumulative 21.4 million of viewers, up from the 18.6 million in 2011. Last year, Discovery Channel also took the 18-49 demographic for non-scripted cable networks that week.
