After shuttering the ION Plus and Shop at Home channels, Katz Broadcasting wanted to create some new channels to take advantage in the success of digital subchannels on broadcast television. Eventually, they decided to create two new channels, Defy TV and TrueReal, companion channels aimed at male and female demographics, respectively.
Unlike other digital subchannels aimed at men, Defy eschews westerns and old action movies in favor of adventure, reality, and carpentry competition shows from circa 2005 onward, mostly from The History Channel. This allows them to fill a niche separate from any other channel.
While other channels by Katz started out under one of the Big Four local affiliates, this and its sister station were designed to be subchannels under Ion Television from the ground up, airing under their banner.
Current Programming:
- Alone
- America's Book of Secrets
- American Hoggers
- American Pickers
- American Restoration
- Ax Men
- Billy the Exterminator
- Brad Meltzer's Decoded
- Counting Cars
- Criss Angel Mindfreak
- The Curse of Oak Island
- Decoding the Past
- Dog the Bounty Hunter
- Duck Dynasty
- Forged in Fire
- Ice Road Truckers
- In Search of History
- Mail Call
- Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy
- Pawn Stars
- Swamp People
- Tougher in Alaska
- Truck Night in America
- UFO Files
- UFO Hunters
