Discovery Communications has unveiled its new senior leadership plan for after it finalizes its $14.6 billion acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive. The big news: Rich Ross, currently Group President of Discovery Channel and Science Channel, will be leaving the company.   In the other biggest portion of the exec…

Sam Worthington says he held off as long as possible meeting FBI agent and criminal profiler Jim Fitzgerald, whom he portrays in Discovery Channel's Manhunt: Unabomber, because Fitz, a profiler, would have been profiling Worthington, as the actor was trying to profile Fitz. Worthington did, he said, read Fitzgerald's…

Discovery Channel’s miniseries Harley And The Davidsons lept to 4.4 million total viewers with Live+3 viewing to become the most-watched single-network cable mini in 3.5 years, dating back to History’s The Bible. Discovery boasted this afternoon it’s the network’s most watched “series” ever, excluding documentaries…

Animal Planet has ordered a series tentatively called Penn Vet that takes viewers behind the scenes at the University of Pennsylvania’s highly competitive veterinary school. With more than 30,000 patient visits per year, and species ranging from guinea pigs to zebras, the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School…

Matt Stein has been named SVP Marketing for both Animal Planet and Science Channel. Beginning February 1, he will be responsible for creating and executing the vision for Animal Planet and Science Channel branding across all platforms including on-air campaigns, print campaigns, social networking and domestic…

Barry Levinson came to TCA to discuss Discovery’s The Killing Fields which debuted two nights earlier. The six-episode documentary series revolves around Detective Rodie Sanchez, 61, of Iberville Parish south of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has come out of retirement to work a cold case he investigated in ’97 of Eugenie…

Discovery Channel is spinning off its Deadliest Catch series, with a new series that explores the lives of Dungeness crab fishermen and their families in and around Newport, OR. Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove, which the network says is a working title, is set in one of the last remaining fishing towns along the edge of…

Marc Etkind is moving from Destination America to Science Channel, taking on the role of General Manager. He will report to Rich Ross, Group President of Discovery, Animal Planet and Science Channel, and oversee all aspects of programming, production, development, marketing, brand strategy and day-to-day operations…

From director Jennifer Peedom, Sherpa looks at how Mt Everest's Sherpa community united in grief and anger to reclaim the mountain following the deadly avalanche that struck on April 18, 2014, killing 16 of their members. Here in Edinburgh, Discovery Channel has unveiled plans to air the documentary in more than 200…

EXCLUSIVE: Just under nine months after its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, the documentary from the Oscar-winning director of The Cove is set to hit the big screen again. Ahead of its massive December 2 global broadcast by Discovery Channel, Racing Extinction will be released by Abramorama in theaters on…

Several big changes today at Discovery Communications: Discovery Channel chief Rich Ross was just named Group President for channels that will also include Animal Planet and Science Channel. Rita Mullin will continue to lead the Science Channel, but report to Ross. So will Animal Planet GM Rick Holzman. He had worked…

“We have the biggest network in the world behind us, we have the potential to change the world … geologically speaking – this is the biggest story in the world, bar none,” Racing Extinction director Louie Psihoyos told TV critics this morning at TCA of the documentary that Discovery Channel, in a network first, will…