Discovery appoints Foley original content boss

Factual channel operator Discovery has appointed Charlie Foley executive VP of its freshly-minted Original Content Group.

Discovery has pushed heavily into original content and the new group will sit alongside the international programming division run by Luis Silberwasser and Julian Bellamy.

Discovery told TBI that the new division will develop select projects and Silberwasser’s unit and the US channels’ development teams will continue to operate as normal.

Foley will take on the new role alongside his existing responsibilities overseeing development at Animal Planet.

At the wildlife channel he created and exec produced specials Mermaids: The New Evidence and Mermaids: The Body Found as well as the channel’s most successful series, extreme angling show River Monsters.

In both capacities he will report to Marjorie Kaplan, group president and general manager, Animal Planet, Science Channel & Velocity.

She said: “Charlie’s creative talents have helped transform Animal Planet into a Top twenty network with original series like River Monsters, Whale Wars and the network’s two scripted Mermaids specials, which have become a global phenomenon. With him in this new role, the entire Discovery portfolio will be able to benefit from Charlie’s big ideas, his creative leadership and his storytelling skills.”

Before joining Discovery Foley was at National Geographic.