Discovery rebrands net, gives Life to new channel

Discovery is rebranding its US channel Discovery Fit & Health to Discovery Life Channel (DLC).

The rebadged pay TV channel will launch on January 15 next year. Discovery said it will ‘profile ordinary people in extraordinary situations’ and ‘present an unfiltered look at real relationships’.

The new net will retain some of the shows from Discovery Fit & Health’s library of health, medical, and factual programming. It will be run by Henry Schleiff, Discovery’s group president of Investigation Discovery, Destination America and the American Heroes Channel, who previously had control of Fit & Health.

Jane Latman will move from Fit & Health general manager to the same position at the new net, while retaining her post as senior VP of Development for Investigation Discovery.

DLC will be in 47 million US TV homes and target a 25-54 demographic.

Schleiff said: “Broadening to Discovery Life Channel gives us a chance to make bigger, bolder programming choices while always, central to our brand mission, revealing life at its most critical turning points.”

The launch schedule will see Medical Mysteries in the 8pm slot, followed by Trauma Drama at 9pm and Medical Incredible at 10pm.

Discovery said that there are a further raft of original series and specials in development for the channel.

The development slate includes Families on the Brink, following a relationship expert as she works with families going through crises, Ripped Kids, about body-building youngsters and Tales from the Maternity Ward, featuring true stories from delivery rooms.