Discovery Networks International


Discovery preps channel, focuses on UK, German growth

Discovery Communications will launch a new free-to-air channel in the UK alongside other new services in Britain and Germany. CEO David Zaslav said yesterday that a new carriage deal with Sky in the UK and Germany, which came about after a bitter standoff between the channel operator and pay TV platform, gave it greater flexibility […]

Discovery hires Euro Olympics chief

Discovery Communications has recruited Bernard Ross to join Eurosport and run its Olympics coverage across Europe. Ross joins from European football’s governing body, UEFA, where he oversaw delivery of the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament. As COO and general manager, Olympic Games, at Eurosport, he will head up production, logistics and organisational aspects of the planning […]

Discovery moves factual exec to Betty

Discovery Networks International’s VP of production and development for factual, Helen Hawken, has moved across to subsidiary prodco Betty. Hawken has been appointed director of programmes at the UK-based producer, which Discovery acquired in 2011. This comes after Duncan Coates exited the role to join Seven Network-backed producer 7 Wonder as its first creative director. […]

Discovery teams with Major League Baseball’s BAMTech

Discovery has teamed up with Major League Baseball-backed media and technology unit BAMTech to create a new European technology joint venture that will provide content owners, broadcasters and OTT platforms with platform capabilities to extend the reach of their services. BAMTech Europe’s first client will be Discovery’s Eurosport, which will gain access to European sports […]

Kaplan exiting as Discovery rejigs int’l programming

Marjorie Kaplan is leaving Discovery Networks in a rejig that sees Susanna Dinnage take over running the international content division alongside her existing role in charge of the UK and Ireland Discovery channels. The change means Discovery no longer has a dedicated international content chief, with an increasing amount of original content coming out of […]

Idris Elba brings the fight to Discovery

Actor and producer Idris Elba is producing and starring in a three-part series for Discovery Networks International in which he will train to become a professional kickboxer. Idris Elba: Fighter will see the Luther star ultimately competing against a seasoned brawler in a no-holds-barred bout. It will shot on location in Britain, Cuba, Japan, South […]

Welling gets new role at Discovery

Discovery Communications’ central and eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa channels boss, Paul Welling, has taken on a new international brands role at Discovery. Welling becomes senior VP of international brand and franchise development for Discovery Networks International. The channel operator told TBI it is reviewing its options with regards to a new CEEMEA channels […]

International revenues, profit slip at Discovery

International revenues and profit fell at Discovery Communications in the most recent quarter, with the US channels giant blaming currency issues and the disposal of part of its SBS Discovery radio business. Sales from the international networks division were US$790 million for the three months to end-June compared with US$801 million in the same period […]

Discovery hires McDonald’s exec in Asia rejig

Discovery Networks Asia Pacific has hired a senior exec from fast food brand McDonald’s as part of a restructure that sees Korea folded into a larger regional group. Jay Trindad (pictured) has been named senior VP and general manager of Discovery’s northeast Asia business. Korean country manager Hee-Man Lee and his team will be folded […]

Spike, Channel 5 win ‘bidding war’ for BattleBots

Viacom networks Spike UK and Channel 5 will broadcast the ABC mech combat format BattleBots in the UK after what its distributor described as a “bidding war”. The show will go head to head in the UK with BBC Two rebooted Robot Wars, which has a similar format as both series were born out of […]