GLOBE
A Quarterly Newsletter from Discovery Communications Volume 3, Number 1, April 2010
FEATURED ARTICLES:
A Message from David Zaslav
Discovery Communications is off to a great start in 2010 with strong first
quarter financial results driven by continued operational execution and an
improving economic environment. The ratings strength exhibited across
Discovery’s diverse portfolio throughout last year was sustained in the first
quarter and, with an improved global advertising environment, we were able
to further monetize that increased viewership.
Discovery Communications
Announces Global Launch
of TLC p.2
Domestically, advertising revenue in the first quarter grew by 9% with ratings
up across the portfolio, including exceptional performance at Investigation
Discovery (ID) and Animal Planet. ID continues to be one of the fastest
growing networks on cable with 26 consecutive months of growth. It had its best quarter ever with
viewership up 60%. Similarly, Animal Planet also has now delivered 26 consecutive months of yearover-year delivery gains including its highest ever viewership in the first quarter.
TLC also performed strongly and is now a top 10 network for women with 15 series delivering more
than one million viewers. At Discovery Channel, first quarter performance was highlighted by the
landmark television event LIFE, which averaged 4.5 million viewers over its run and was the most
watched program on the network in more than 10 years, even besting its predecessor PLANET EARTH.
Discovery’s exposure to an improving ad market and our sustained investment in programming is also
paying dividends internationally. Ratings across Discovery’s international platforms were up 17% in
the first quarter and the ad market continued its sequential improvement that began in the second
half of 2009. The result was advertising growth of 35%, excluding foreign currency fluctuations.
Animal Planet Goes
“Surprisingly Human” With
New Campaign p.3
Moving forward, Discovery remains focused on continuing to strengthen our existing content and building
additional assets that we expect will provide long-term value, such as OWN, The Hub and the international
rollout of TLC, while at the same time delivering real operating leverage and margin expansion.
David Zaslav is President and Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Communications and serves on the company’s Board of Directors.
LIFE Delivers Record Viewership for Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel’s epic five-week series, LIFE, concluded on
April 18 in the U.S. as cable’s most-watched event in its timeslot
(excluding sports) and delivering an average of 4.5 million total
viewers. Following a simulcast of the premiere telecast across seven
Discovery networks in March, the series had fans returning week
after week to get a glimpse of breathtaking animals and plants
in habitats from the deepest depths of the oceans to the furthest
points of the globe.
Discovery U.S. Networks
Deliver Record Ratings in
First Quarter p.7
Ranking number one in the network’s key persons 25 to 54 and 18 to 48 demographics, the series also
reached a cumulative audience greater than 2007’s PLANET EARTH (78 million cumulative viewers vs.
64 million). Additionally, in March, the online destination for LIFE (www.discovery.com/life) propelled
the Discovery Channel site to its second highest month ever with 18.5 million page views.
GLOBE
Dan Riskin Named Host of Discovery Channel’s Multi-Year Event CURIOSITY: THE QUESTIONS OF LIFE
Discovery Channel and Discovery Studios
have named Dr. Daniel Riskin as host of
CURIOSITY: THE QUESTIONS OF LIFE.
An award-winning evolutionary biologist,
Riskin has appeared in Animal Planet’s
MONSTERS INSIDE ME and
History Channel’s EVOLVE. He
holds a PhD in Zoology from
Cornell University, and has done
post doctorate work at both Brown
University and Boston University.
In the Fall, he will begin as an
Assistant Professor in the department of
Biology at the City College campus of the
City University of New York.
While much of his own research has been
focused on the biomechanics of bat flight,
Riskin is broadly trained as a zoologist, and
has expertise on a wide range of animals,
from elephants to shrews, and from fruit
flies to whales. His work has been published
in prestigious science journals including
The Journal of Experimental Biology and Nature.
First announced in September 2009 and
premiering in 2011, Curiosity: The
Questions of Life is a multi-year,
multi-platform, multi-disciplinary project
to answer the fundamental questions
and enduring mysteries of our time. Sixty
episodes will be produced by Discovery
Studios over the course of five years.
Discovery Kids Becomes The Hub
on 10-10-10
The program will premiere on Discovery
Channel in January 2011 on Sundays at
8:00 p.m. The series also will have a global
presence airing across Discovery networks
in over 180 countries around the world.
Beyond television, The CURIOSITY Project
will have an exclusive and extensive web
component, specific content produced for
Discovery Education and adult education
opportunities through partnership with
Experius Academy (a lifelong learning
destination for adults founded by Discovery
Founder and Chairman John Hendricks),
and a network of academic institutions
around the globe.
Discovery Kids will become The Hub on
October 10, featuring entertainment and
educational content with HD programming
drawn from Discovery’s library of awardwinning children’s educational shows and
Hasbro’s rich portfolio of entertainment
and educational properties built over the
past 90 years. The Hub’s online home,
Hubworld.com, will offer kids access
to video clips, interactive games and
community features. In preparation for the
launch, Discovery in March announced the
expansion of its U.S. HD network portfolio
with the addition of the high-definition
simulcast of Discovery Kids.
Discovery Communications Announces Global Launch of TLC
In March, at Cable Congress 2010 in Brussels, Discovery Communications announced the
global rollout of TLC, one of the fastest-growing female lifestyle channels in the United
States and home to top-rated shows including LA INK, CAKE BOSS and SAY YES TO THE
DRESS. The international version of TLC had its global launch on March 4 in Norway and
will be available in more than 75 markets reaching more than 100 million households by
Spring 2011, making it the most widely distributed female lifestyle channel brand in pay-TV.
The programming on TLC international will focus on lifestyle, travel, the environment,
parenting, home improvement and human interest stories. In addition to the lifestyle
programming already available on TLC in the United States, the international female
channel will provide high-quality factual entertainment programming from across
Discovery’s vast portfolio of channels, including Investigation Discovery, Planet Green and
Animal Planet, along with newly commissioned programming of regional interest.
2
Animal Planet Goes “Surprisingly Human” with New Campaign
The “Surprisingly Human” campaign is a continuation of Animal
Planet’s brand transformation begun in February 2008 to dramatically
expand the network as a
powerful, competitive and
surprising
entertainment
U N D ER
WAT ER
H AV E A LE G EN D S N O
destination with a major
LO
PL A C E
TO H ID E. N G ER
shift in strategy, brand
The campaign tackles viewers’ pre-conceived notions about Animal
and content. Since the
Planet head-on and dispels them with real examples from the
shift, Animal Planet has
network’s top programs. It features three of Animal Planet’s branddelivered 26 months
defining hit shows, RIVER MONSTERS, PIT BOSS and WHALE WARS,
of continuous ratings
punctuated by the new “Surprisingly Human” tagline. The campaign
growth, a seven-year
concept, “It’s Not About,” makes a bold statement about what the
drop in median age
brand is not and then effectively communicates what the new, more
and the highest total
entertaining Animal Planet is. Spots from the campaign appeared via
day delivery among
local broadcast on AMERICAN IDOL, LOST, SURVIVOR and DANCING
persons 25 to 54 in
WITH THE STARS. In addition, out-of-home placement featured a
the network’s history.
“station domination” of the New York City Times Square subway station
and subway trains throughout the city in April as well as trade ads.
Animal Planet is on the move again with a new audience insight
about the brand. Animal Planet is not only about animals, it’s about
people, and real compelling human stories made more intense, more
fun, more frightening, more alive and more entertaining because of
the world we share with animals. This insight underlies the network’s
new campaign and tagline: “Animal Planet. Surprisingly Human.”
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MYTHBUSTERS Explode onto iPad plus New Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch from across Discovery’s Brands
In the first quarter, Discovery Digital Media vastly expanded its mobile portfolio with the launch
of several new branded app experiences for consumers including the company’s first iPad app for
Discovery Channel’s Emmy-nominated series, MYTHBUSTERS.
Delivering a wholly re-imagined fan experience designed specifically for the iPad, the
MYTHBUSTERS app features a state-of-the-art interactive video experience, immersive
game play and easy integration with Twitter and Facebook, all in a dynamic physics-based
experience. Additionally, MYTHBUSTERS fans can engage through a new iPhone app,
which also launched in March.
On the heels of last year’s tremendous success of Discovery Channel’s iPhone app, a new
iPhone app for TLC launched in February. The app features a robust collection of video
clips from the network’s top shows, the ability for users to share clips via email,
Facebook and Twitter, plus easy access to lifestyle guides from Food to Style.
Additionally, two of Discovery’s flagship online destinations, Planet Green’s
TreeHugger.com and Animal Planet’s Petfinder.com, launched new apps for iPhone
and iPod touch. The Petfinder app allows users to search for adoptable pets based
on location and view pets available in their area and nationwide, using criteria such as
breed, age, size, species and gender. The TreeHugger app gives users access to the site’s rich content offering, including news,
opinions, product information and multimedia entertainment.
A Quarterly Newsletter from Discovery Communications April 2010
3
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Discovery Channel Passes Landmark 100-Million Subscriber Milestone
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Curiosity
Years of Satisfying
The world’s #1 nonfi
ction media company
In its silver anniversary year, Discovery Channel has passed the 100-million subscriber
mark. According to Nielsen Universe Estimates for May 2010, the network is now
distributed to 100.1 million U.S. homes.
Now the second-most widely distributed cable network in the U.S., and the number
one channel worldwide, Discovery Channel is distributed to 380 million subscribers in
more than 180 countries. From its first program on June 17, 1985, called ICEBERG
ALLEY, to groundbreaking documentaries and natural history epics WALKING WITH
DINOSAURS, RAISING THE MAMMOTH, PLANET EARTH, the annual rite of
summer, SHARK WEEK, and most recently, LIFE, Discovery Channel continues to
be the leader in nonfiction programming.
YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA
The Stars Come Out for Discovery U.S. Networks Upfront Presentations
In April, Discovery’s U.S. networks
conducted upfront presentations for
advertising clients in Chicago, Los Angeles
and New York. Each network previewed its
slate for the upcoming 2010/11 upfront
season, including OWN, which presented
10 new shows in addition to the five it
had previously announced. Oprah Winfrey
herself presented the slate in New York,
including the announcement of the followup to the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” which
she will host in primetime on OWN, called
OPRAH’S NEXT CHAPTER.
Shania Twain, President and CEO David Zaslav, Oprah Winfrey and will.i.am
ID’s Paula Zahn with Discovery Founder and
Chairman John Hendricks
4
TLC’s Kate Gosselin with President of
Advertising Sales Joe Abruzzese.
Boxer Mike Tyson, who introduced his
upcoming series on Animal Planet and
President and CEO David Zaslav
Discovery Channel Announces Development
Deal with Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Television and DreamWorks Animation
Discovery Channel
Tops Household Reach in Japan
Discovery Channel has announced that it is working to develop a new mini-series project
with Academy® Award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Television and
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., entitled FUTURE EARTH (wt). DreamWorks Television
and DreamWorks Animation will co-develop this future project, of which Spielberg will
personally oversee development.
FUTURE EARTH aims to be an epic mini-series examining what life on Earth will be
like in 25, 50 and 100 years. The mini-series will draw from a vast number of sources,
including the leading futurists, scholars and great minds of today, to dramatize and
explore how various facets of our daily lives – health and medicine, technology, the
environment, the military, the economy and media – will evolve over the next century.
Discovery Channel ranked first for
household reach in the latest mechanical
Discovery Sites and Apps Recognized by the 14th Annual Webby Awards
On April 13, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences named the
Nominees and Honorees for the 14th Annual Webby Awards, the leading international
award honoring excellence on the Internet. Discovery.com, the online home for
Discovery Channel fans, received a nomination in the “Best Television Website”
category – along with The Colbert Report, Current TV, Project Runway and Sundance
Channel. Winners will be announced on June 14. Additionally, HowStuffWorks.
com, TreeHugger.com and Discovery Mobile nabbed six Official Honoree distinctions
(awarded to the top 15% of all work entered).
measurement-based joint survey of cable
and satellite specialty channels in Japan.
The survey, conducted during February
2010, measured 38 channels. Discovery
Channel ranked first among men 20+ and
50+, reaffirming its popularity among the
channel’s core target audience. Discovery Channel also rated well with female
viewers, at fourth and first among women
20+ and 50+, respectively. The channel
ranked fifth among boys and girls 4 to 12.
Discovery Channel Magazine named “Best Magazine of the Year”
The Discovery Channel Magazine was named “Best Magazine of the Year” at the MPASPressmart Awards held in Singapore in March. The magazine also picked up two Silver
awards – “Best Feature Story of the Year” for Taste of Evolution and “Best Front Cover
Design” for its revamped September 2009 issue featuring Tribal Ink.
The MPAS-Pressmart Awards, organized by the Magazine Publishers Association of
Singapore (MPAS), honor the best in publishing in Singapore. This year saw close
to 150 entries across 17 categories from consumer, trade and contract publications.
The winners were selected by a panel of industry professionals from around the region
through a four-stage selection process.
The Discovery Channel Magazine is currently available in Australia, China, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
A Quarterly Newsletter from Discovery Communications April 2010
5
GLOBE
Discovery Launches New
Channels and HD Network
in India
Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific has
announced the launch of Discovery Science,
Discovery Turbo and Discovery HD in India.
Broadcast in English, the 24-hour channels
will bring a wide range of compelling,
distinct and groundbreaking content. The launch of the three new networks
expands Discovery’s portfolio in India to
six networks. Discovery broadcasts three
other networks in India including Discovery
Channel, the leading factual entertainment
channel; Discovery Travel & Living, India’s
only international lifestyle channel; and
Animal Planet, the only 24-hour channel
dedicated to wildlife. The three networks
reach 118 million cumulative subscribers
in India with programming customized in
English, Hindi and Tamil.
Liv Officially Launches in
Latin America
In April, Discovery Networks Latin America/
U.S. Hispanic (DLA/USH) officially
launched Liv, a new entertainment
television brand targeted to female viewers,
one of the fastest growing segments of the
consumer market. Liv will air 24-hoursa-day in Spanish and Portuguese and
replaces People+Arts.
Liv’s programming is comprised of exclusive
premieres of series created by some of
Hollywood’s most well known studios, such
as NBC Universal, Sony, CBS and Disney
and includes PARENTHOOD, MERCY,
LIFE UNEXPECTED, HAPPY TOWN and
HAWTHORNE, among other programs.
6
Discovery Familia Now Available on DISH Network
In March, DISH Network added Discovery
Familia to its DishLATINO service, making it
the network’s second largest distributor. The
recent launch builds on Discovery Familia’s
momentum as the fastest-growing Spanishlanguage network in the U.S.
Discovery Familia, the premier Spanishlanguage TV destination for learning and
entertainment, delivers quality content
for every member of the family with a
special focus on preschoolers and moms.
Offering a safe haven for young audiences,
the network’s Discovery Kids en Español
block encourages preschoolers’ thirst
for knowledge with fun and educational
programming including HARRY Y SU
CUBETA DE DINOSAURIOS, MILLY
MOLLY and POKO. Evenings on Discovery
Familia feature entertaining and poignant
shows about parenting, home, cooking and
travel such as DULCES SUEÑOS, CHEF A
DOMICILIO and ESPACIO VITAL.
Discovery Channel Is Number One in Asia-Pacific for 12th Consecutive Year
Discovery Channel clinched the number one spot for
the 12th consecutive year in the latest Pan-Asian Cross
Media Study (PAX) conducted by Synovate. The annual
survey provides international advertisers, advertising
planners and media owners with information on
media coverage and consumption trends
of consumers in Asia-Pacific.
In the same study, Animal Planet
and Discovery Travel & Living also
ranked among the top 10 regional
cable and satellite channels. In
addition, both channels achieved
double-digit growth in viewership
in many markets. Animal Planet’s
weekly viewership increased in
Australia (21%), Malaysia (17%), and Singapore (15%), while Discovery Travel & Living
registered growth in Thailand (60%), India (53%), and Indonesia (18%).
The study also revealed that Discovery Channel reached more than 60% of Top Management
viewers, and ranked as the top channel of choice among Affluent Adults, Business Decision
Makers, and Professionals, Managers, Executives, Businessmen, based on past month
viewership of cable and satellite respondents.
Watch with the World: Ratings Highlights
Season Six Premiere of DEADLIEST CATCH Blasts Ratings
Records with Largest Audience in Series History
its best first quarter in five years, TLC is now a top 10 network for
women and has had 11 straight months of month-over-month gains
among key demographics.
In addition to TLC, Discovery Communications’ Emerging Networks
each experienced their best quarter ever during the first quarter with Investigation Discovery (ID), Science Channel and Military
Channel all posting double-digit delivery increases among their
target audiences.
DEADLIEST CATCH returned for its sixth season on April 13 garnering
a massive 3.1 household rating, making it the highest-rated episode
in series history. The excitement surrounding the success of season
six is bittersweet, however, as the show lost one of its stars, Captain
Phil Harris, in February. The entire Discovery family was deeply
saddened by the passing of Capt. Phil after complications related
to a stroke.
The episode posted double-digit gains when compared to the yearago timeslot and triple-digit gains versus timeslot norms year to date,
drawing in more viewers than ABC’s DANCING WITH THE STARS,
CBS’s NCIS and NBC’s THE BIGGEST LOSER among key demos.
Following DEADLIEST CATCH, the all-new series CONSTRUCTION
INTERVENTION was the number four cable telecast in its timeslot
among men 25 to 54 and the number five cable telecast among men
18 to 49. The episode posted double-digit gains when compared to
timeslot norms on the network year to date.
The ratings success of DEADLIEST CATCH and CONSTRUCTION
INTERVENTION made Discovery Channel the number one cable
network in primetime on April 13 for men.
TLC and Discovery Communications’
Emerging Networks Ratings Soar in 1Q10
Driven by new and long-running series,
including LITTLE PEOPLE BIG WORLD,
HOARDING: BURIED ALIVE, CAKE BOSS,
LA INK and WHAT NOT TO WEAR,
TLC had 15 programs averaging
more than one million viewers in
the first quarter, including 11
series that averaged more than
1.3 million viewers. Delivering
Investigation Discovery delivered its best quarter ever in key
demographics and continues to be the fastest growing network in
cable, excluding sports networks. In addition, March marked 26
straight months of year-over-year growth among households – a mark
that dates back to the network’s launch in January 2008. The top
series contributing to this success were premieres of original series I
(ALMOST) GOT AWAY WITH IT,
DISAPPEARED and ON THE
CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN.
HOW IT’S MADE, METEORITE
MEN and MANTRACKER
helped drive Science Channel’s
record performance, while Military Channel was led by premieres of
WORLD AT WAR and CIA SECRETS, which posted double-digit gains
versus the prime average in key demos.
Animal Planet Starts 2010 with a Bang
Animal Planet continued the wave of success the network rode
in 2009 into the start of 2010 with its best quarterly prime time
delivery in seven years among people and women 18 to 49. The
network also registered its best
ever quarterly total day delivery
across key demographics on
the strength of both new and
returning series and specials.
New series FATAL ATTRACTIONS
was the top performing series in
the first quarter with more than
one million viewers. The debut
of the series was Animal Planet’s
most watched telecast since RIVER MONSTERS in May 2009. PIT
BOSS also resonated strongly with female viewers as the network’s
second best performing series. KILLER ALIENS was the top rated
special ranking among Animal Planet’s 10 most watched primetime
telecasts of the quarter with more than 1.1 million viewers. The first
quarter also marked nine consecutive quarters of primetime growth
among 18-to-49-year-old viewers and six straight quarters among
25-to-54-year-old viewers.
A Quarterly Newsletter from Discovery Communications April 2010
7
GLOBE
Investigation Discovery Garners Record Ratings High for
Return of ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN
The debut of the sophomore season of ON THE CASE WITH PAULA
ZAHN on April 18 garnered Investigation Discovery’s highest
household delivery ever with more than half a million viewers,
beating competitors including Hallmark, WE, Oxygen, Nat Geo, CNN
and MSNBC in its timeslot among key demographics.
Hosted and executive produced by
Emmy Award-winning journalist
Paula Zahn, ON THE CASE
unravels shocking investigations
that have dominated headlines,
and intriguing original stories
uncovered exclusively for ID’s
audience. The network has
announced that ON THE CASE has
been renewed for a third season.
Discovery’s .coms Kick Off the Year with Record Uniques
and Page Views
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Discovery Communication’s portfolio of U.S. websites posted its
highest delivery ever in January 2010 (24.2 million unique visitors
and over 340 million page views), followed by the second-best
month ever in March. Among the highlights, HowStuffWorks.com
averaged 9.3 million unique visitors in the first quarter, beating
2009 levels each month by 80-105%. Other strong performers
include: Discovery News, which launched as an independent site in
November and grew its audience by
four times between December 2009
and January 2010 and Petfinder.com,
which leads Discovery’s websites in
traffic with nearly 155 million page
views in March.
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fans and contributed to Discovery.
com’s second-best month to date with
18.5 million page views in March
2010 and, buoyed by the successful
launch of TLCCooking.com last year,
TLC.com drew in over 2 million unique
visitors and just under 13 million page
views in January alone. Additionally, Animal Planet posted its best
ever online performance in January (1.4 million unique visitors and
13.2 million page views), also generating its second-highest number
of unique visitors (1.2 million) to date in March.
8
Discovery en Español Delivers its Best Quarter Ever Ranked
as the #1 Pay-TV Network on Weekends
Discovery en Español closed the first quarter with its highest quarter
ever since the network became measured in 2005. The network
delivered double-digit growth among 18-to-49-year-old viewers, far
outpacing all other Spanish-language pay-TV networks.
Additionally, Discovery en Español ranked as the number one
Hispanic pay-TV network on weekends during primetime, surpassing
Galavision among 18-to-49-year-old adults and men and tying for
the top spot among women.
Discovery Channel Achieves Record Audience Levels in
Latin America
Delivering its highest ratings in five years in the first quarter,
Discovery Channel is now one the five most-watched channels
across Latin America and number one
in nonfiction programming. Growth was
driven by programs such as THE DA VINCI
SHROUD, KING TUT UNWRAPPED and
DID THE MOB KILL JFK?
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and Colombia, two of the most
important markets in Latin America.
In Mexico, the channel reached its
highest audience levels in the last five years. Discovery also
maintained its ranking as one of the four most-watched pay-TV
channels in Colombia among adults 25 to 54.
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Animal Planet’s RIVER MONSTERS Snares Gigantic Ratings
In its second season premiere, titled “Death Ray,” Animal Planet’s
RIVER MONSTERS lured in a record audience. The show brought in
more than 1.7 million viewers and ranked as Animal Planet’s best
season premiere ever among
people 18 to 49 and people 25
to 54. The season premiere of
RIVER MONSTERS scored a
1.3 household rating, ranking
among the top five advertisersupported cable programs at
10 p.m. It was the second-best
regularly airing telecast ever for Animal Planet, trailing only the April
2009 premiere of RIVER MONSTERS “Killer Catfish.”
Tune In: Programming Highlights
Bear Grylls Encounters WORST CASE SCENARIOS on Discovery Channel
MAN VS. WILD star Bear Grylls is featured in a
new Discovery Channel program, WORST CASE
SCENARIOS, based on the best-selling urban
survival book of the same name. In the new
series, Bear leads everyday people through
techniques to get out of situations that can
be harrowing and happen in a matter of split
seconds. What if your car hits a patch of ice on
a windy road and catapults into a lake? What if
you are in an elevator and it starts to plummet?
These are situations which any of us could find
ourselves. These situations are produced and
presented to Bear and he brings his unmatched
physical prowess and survival know-how to
these and many more.
Animal Planet Rolls Out Full Slate of New and Returning Series
The two most successful series in Animal Planet history return
with the debut of new seasons of RIVER MONSTERS: SEASON
2 in April and WHALE WARS in June. The new season of RIVER
MONSTERS finds host Jeremy
Wade with his sights set on the
giant snakehead, the goliath tiger
fish, the giant stingray and more,
while Capt. Paul Watson and the
crew of the Sea Shepherd continue
their action against alleged illegal
whaling operations.
New series debuting on Animal
Planet in May and June include
SECRET LIFE OF ELEPHANTS, a
two-hour special on May 16 that
gets viewers up close and personal
with one of the most endangered
beasts in Africa; LAST AMERICAN COWBOY, a new series premiering
on June 7 that explores the lives of traditional ranchers; and, LAST
CHANCE HIGHWAY, an
eight-part series beginning
June 19 that focuses
on
two
individuals’
monumental mission to
give unwanted dogs one
last chance for survival.
Investigation Discovery Unveils Robust Slate of Original Programming
Investigation Discovery has announced the return of its most
successful series including DISAPPEARED, I (ALMOST) GOT AWAY
WITH IT, MAIN STREET MYSTERIES, THE SHIFT and ON THE
CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN. The network also announced the return
of updated editions of broadcast television’s most popular and
prestigious news magazine
shows, DATELINE ON
ID and 48 HOURS ON
ID. And, this summer, ID
expands its partnership
with CBS, launching 60
MINUTES ON ID. This
new, customized version
of the award-winning series, hosted by correspondent Scott Pelley,
will include updates and new footage of work by well-known 60
Minutes correspondents, chosen exclusively for ID’s audience.
PSYCH WEEK on Discovery Health Opens the Dialogue on Mental Health
More than one in four Americans meet the criteria for having a
mental illness, but we rarely see or hear about it. This May,
Discovery Health will open a meaningful dialogue on mental health
with PSYCH WEEK, a weeklong programming event from May 2
through May 6.
With premieres airing nightly at 9 p.m., PSYCH WEEK will profile
individuals dealing with a spectrum of afflictions and addictions,
from anxiety disorders and schizophrenia to multiple
personalities and bizarre compulsions.
PSYCH WEEK kicks off with two back-to-back premiere programs,
beginning with ANXIOUS, an hour-long special chronicling the
journey of two people battling severe anxiety disorders as they
attempt to control their anxiety to ultimately reclaim their lives,
and ENRAGED, an hour-long special following the daily lives of two
individuals whose intense, uncontrollable anger has wreaked havoc
on their lives and on their loved ones.
A Quarterly Newsletter from Discovery Communications April 2010
9
GLOBE
DISCOVERY IMPACT: MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Discovery Communications Provides Hope for Haiti
Discovery Communications contributed to relief efforts in
Haiti following the devastating earthquake which struck the
nation. Through its partners GlobalGiving, The Red Cross and
International Federation of Red Cross, Discovery employees made
direct donations to relief efforts, with Discovery matching funds
up to $250,000.
Discovery Education Brings School Superintendents and Affiliates
Together to Celebrate the Use of Technology in Classrooms
Discovery Education is partnering with local school districts,
superintendents and affiliates across the country to showcase how
broadband-powered digital education resources play an integral
role in engaging today’s students.
Additionally, Discovery worked with The Ad Council, The Red
Cross and Save the Children to air Haiti Relief PSAs across its
U.S. networks, and to post banner ads on its digital platforms.
Similar efforts were undertaken at Discovery’s networks in Europe
and Latin America. The Help for Haiti Telethon program also aired
on Planet Green and Discovery Health in the U.S. and on Discovery
Home & Health and People+Arts in Latin America.
Superintendents in several states from Florida to Maryland have
recorded spots being broadcast to local communities through
affiliates that build awareness of how broadband technology makes
digital education possible. Building on Discovery Education’s
ongoing collaborations with its valued industry partners to support
education and student achievement, the program will continue
throughout the year featuring school districts from across the country.
Discovery Education and the Siemens Foundation Partner to
Advance STEM Education
Discovery Education and the Hawaii State Department of
Education Team up to Engage Today’s Tech-Savvy Students
Demonstrating their commitment to science education and
responding to President Obama’s recent call to action to improve
science literacy among American students, Discovery Education,
the Siemens Foundation, Oak Ridge Associated Universities and
the College Board kicked off a new nationwide initiative called the
Siemens STEM Academy.
Discovery Education and the Hawaii State Department of
Education have commenced a statewide partnership providing K-8
educators and students in
222 public schools across the
islands access to Discovery
Education streaming Plus and
Discovery Education Science.
In
addition,
educators
will
receive
high-quality
professional
development
designed to help them integrate this content and other educational
technologies into their instruction.
The Academy is designed to advance science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) education in the United States by
engaging educators from across the country through hands-on
multimedia professional development opportunities.
The initiative is made up of the following four elements: the “Siemens
Teachers as Researchers” (STARs) program, a two-week residential
professional development and research immersion opportunity
for select middle and high school teachers at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, the country’s largest multipurpose national research
laboratory; the “Siemens STEM Academy” institute, a week-long
immersion program that will enable 50 select teachers to gather
and engage with critical science thinkers and peers, and see realworld applications of STEM subject matter; the “STEM Academy
Online” portal, a national online portal and community at www.
siemensstemacademy.com designed to foster STEM achievement
by providing educators with a place to collaborate, exchange and
connect about all things related to STEM education; and the
“Science Connect” monthly webinar series that gives educators
the chance to interact with today’s eminent scientists and thoughtleaders and extends that experience to their students through
customized, standards-based content. For more information on the
Siemens STEM Academy, go to www.siemensstemacademy.com.
10
The partnership was introduced to Hawaii educators on March
8 with a day of professional development keynoted by Discovery
Education’s Chief Spokesperson for Environmental Education,
Philippe Cousteau. This event kicked off a series of professional
development events held at 29 sites throughout Hawaii reaching
more than 870 educators.
Discovery Education streaming Plus, the digital media-based
learning service scientifically shown to increase academic
achievement, has more than 150,000 digital learning objects,
including videos, interactive activities, images, articles and more,
which integrate seamlessly into any curriculum.
Discovery Education Science is an online instructional service
for elementary and middle schools supporting science inquiry
with content developed for and tied to state science standards.
Discovery Education’s effective professional development services
ensure educators have ample opportunity to learn how to utilize
new technologies and integrate them into classroom curricula.
A World of Discovery: Facts & Figures
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than
1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 180 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity
through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet
Green and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media
services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
Property Counts
Cumulative Global Subscribers
1.5 billion
Countries & Territories
185
Worldwide Networks
120
Languages
39
Network Entertainment Brands
28
Network Subscribers (in millions)
U.S. Networks
As of
March 2010
As of
March 2009
100
99
TLC 99
98
Animal Planet
97
96
Discovery Health 76
73
Science Channel 66
56
Discovery Kids 59
60
Military Channel 57
54
Investigation Discovery 56
53
Planet Green 55
53
FitTV 53
47
HD Theater 32
25
Discovery en Español 7
7
Discovery Familia 3
1
Discovery Channel International Networks As of
March 2010
As of
March 2009
Discovery Channel 279
269
Animal Planet 242
233
Discovery Travel & Living 180
173
DMAX Germany/UK 44
43
Discovery Science 42
36
Discovery Home & Health 38
33
Discovery Kids 29
25
Liv
22
22
Discovery World 17
14
Discovery Real Time 15
19
Discovery Turbo 15
12
Discovery HD 14
4
Investigation Discovery 13
8
Discovery Knowledge 11
11
Shed 10
10
Quest
9
n/a
TLC Canada 8
8
Discovery Civilization 5
3
Discovery Historia 1
3
Digital Media Highlights
Discovery’s online digital media properties, consisting of 16
U.S. brand destinations, including Discovery.com, TLC.com,
AnimalPlanet.com as well as HowStuffWorks, TreeHugger and
Petfinder, attracted an average of more than 23 million cumulative
unique monthly visitors.
Subscriber numbers as of March 31, 2010. U.S. figures according to The Nielsen Company and internal data review where Nielsen data is not available. International figures according to internal
data review and external sources, where available. U.S. Hispanic networks are distributed to U.S. subscribers, but are operated by and included as part of Discovery International Networks for
financial reporting and management purposes. Internet traffic data from January 1 to March 31, 2010, according to comStore, Inc.
A Quarterly Newsletter from Discovery Communications April 2010
11
GLOBE
LOCATIONS
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
One Discovery Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
TEL: 240-662-2000
DISCOVERY NETWORKS
ASIA-PACIFIC
3 Changi Business Park Vista
#03-00
Singapore 486051
TEL: 65-6510-7500
DISCOVERY NETWORKS
UK/EMEA
Chiswick Park Building 2
566 Chiswick High Road
London - W4 5YB, England
TEL: 44-208-811-3000
DISCOVERY NETWORKS
LATIN AMERICA/U.S. HISPANIC
6505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Suite 190
Miami, FL 33126
TEL: 786-273-4700
discoverycommunications.com