This article is about the type of specialty TV channel. For channels called Documentary Channel, see Documentary (TV channel) and .

A documentary channel is a specialty channel which focuses on broadcasting documentaries. Some documentary channels further specialize by dedicating their television programming to specific types of documentaries or documentaries in a specific area of knowledge.  documentary and The History Channel are examples of this. There is some overlap between news channels and documentary channels, but while a documentary channel may also broadcast programs about current affairs, it will, as a rule, air longer, more in-depth segments and not present up-to-the-minute news coverage. Also, many other TV channels regularly air documentaries, but unless a channel is significantly dedicated to documentary-type programming it probably will not be considered a documentary channel. As of 2006, some of the most famous documentary channels are the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic Channel.

The Documentary Channel was an American digital cable and satellite television network that featured documentary programming. It aired independent documentary films from around the world, including those not released in the United States. The channel (along with Halogen TV) was replaced by Pivot, a channel aimed at young adults between 18 and 34 years old, that is also owned by Participant Media, and debuted on August 1, 2013. Pivot continues airing documentaries.