tlc.com
The television channel, TLC, is owned by Discovery. Instead of programming that showcases scientific discoveries and nature-related events, the channel has a lineup of programs focusing on lifestyles (e.g., family life, personal stories), as well as stories about reality stars who are living their everyday lives. Some hit shows they've produced in the past include 90 Day Fiance, Cake Boss, and Dr. Pimple Popper.
TLC originally aired educational shows. Over the years, it evolved and began to take baby steps away from educational topics. They still aired shows primarily focused on education, but also dipped their toes into home and home improvement topics.
By the late 1990s, TLC had shifted away from reality television shows about real people and towards programs about quirky and unusual subjects. The name changed from the Learning Channel to TLC and the big shift in content came with shows like Trading Spaces, Junkyard Wars, and A Wedding Story.
In the early 2000s, TLC made more home decor series. In later years, shows about reality television took over most of their programming time- like Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo, Toddlers and Tiaras, Cake Boss, and 17 Kids and Counting.
Website Design
The website design is good. Nothing flashy is going on that distracts viewers. It?s easy to find your favorite shows. The search bar is easy to find, which is always a plus. You can also click a drop-down menu that shows the most popular titles on TLC.
There is only one medium-sized advertisement at the top of the page, and some frustrating ones in videos. For people who have memberships, they should not include the ads.
There is a sleek and modern background with black programs outlined nicely. The featured programs are heavily featured near the top, and as you scroll the rest of the shows are block in a consistent pattern and size.
The top menu on the navigation bar reads from left to right - Shows, Schedule, TLC Me, Sign In, and another dropdown menu with alternative options. It is easy to read and pleasant to interact with.
Content
For reality television fans, TLC is the best network and streaming service. There is a lot of reality tv on the website, from older shows that aired in the early 2010s to shows that are currently airing. The content varies, so there's something for everyone.
If you want to be on a show, you can sign up on the website by clicking on the casting button. Some of the shows currently looking for people are 90 Day Fiance, Smothered, Seeking Sister Wife, Drag Me, Four Weddings, and Dr. Pimple Popper.
Although the library of television shows is vast, be prepared to watch a small fraction of it. Unless you have a cable television membership, the site won?t allow you access to many of their videos. Unfortunately, I don't have a cable television membership and so could only access a small fraction of their videos. Luckily, I have a membership and was able to access the full amount of shows.
Desktop & Mobile Accessibility
Desktop accessibility is great. Navigation is great and the website is not frustrating to use. The design is modern and sleek. The logo is clear and recognizable. Getting to videos is simple. TLC let's you know what is live on their television channel, which is a nice touch.
Despite being a scaled-down version of the desktop browser, the mobile browser version is just as uncomplicated to use as the full desktop browser. There are only a couple of minor differences, such as more advertisements when viewing shows.
I tried the application, which is called TLC Go. The app has a well-designed user interface with a logo in the top left corner and a search bar on the other side. There is a menu that can be collapsed, and it offers the options of - Home, Shows, Watch Live, Continue Watching, Favorite Shows, Watch Later, Browse, and Setting.
Mobile app is the best way to go, as the viewing experience is optimized in this version. The other two versions have some minor issues that can be fixed, but out of the three, the mobile app is best.
Positives
Secondly, the site offers a great selection of documentaries which are often overlooked. Lastly, the site is very user-friendly and easy to navigate making it an enjoyable experience for users.
This streaming site has many positives when using it. Firstly, the number of episodes available to members is large and spans a large number of years. There are titles available on the streaming service that no longer play on television. Secondly, the site offers a great selection of documentaries which are often overlooked. Lastly, the site is very user-friendly and easy to navigate making it an enjoyable experience for users.
Another interesting feature of TLC is that they allow their members to watch full episodes of their shows online before it airs on television. This feature is often underutilized, but from now on it will be something I consider doing in the future.
There is an online sign-up page on the TLC website where individuals can indicate their interest in appearing on the show. The process is easy: email the address provided with a paragraph explaining why you believe you would be a great fit for the show, as well as a recent photograph of yourself. If you are chosen, TLC will reach out to you to discuss further details. They regularly update their casting call listings so that interested parties can stay up-to-date on what is wanted.
The mobile app for TLC is a fantastic feature. It has easy navigation and multiple useful features. The Watch Live feature is one of the nicer options. If you can't make it home in time for your must-see show, you can watch it anywhere as it airs!
Negatives
An issue with the website is that if you do not have a cable subscription, you cannot sign in to watch newer episodes. This greatly limits your options to mainly advertisements for the shows. Even episodes from 2017 are locked. This is undoubtedly the worst part of the website.
Video quality can be hit or miss with TLC. Sometimes it works fine, while other times it is blurry. When the video quality does come through it looks amazing. However, audio quality is a different story. It is not good quality no matter what settings are changed.
Even if you are subscribed to the service, you still have to sit through ads. They take forever. Ads are normal for streaming services, but these skip the entire time making the wait time even longer.
Improvements Needed
Some improvements that could be made to the TLC streaming service would be to put more episodes of their shows available for people without a membership. They should also restrict shows from years ago so that new potential subscribers feel more welcome.
Another big improvement that TLC could use is to improve the video and audio quality. The best improvement they could make for long-time viewers would be to ensure that people who pay for the service are able to watch without the video and audio deteriorating unexplainably and sounding muffled. This is unacceptable, and it needs to be rectified as soon as possible.
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