Discovery Channel going (more) Lib

[Lynne]

News
01/04/2006 10:49:18 EST Ted Koppel and Others Join Discovery
By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - Ted Koppel has joined the Discovery Channel to make news documentaries, bringing his former top producer and eight other ex-"Nightline" staff members, the cable channel announced Wednesday.
Koppel was named managing editor of Discovery, and his first program for the network is due next fall.

The longtime ABC News anchor left "Nightline" after 25 years in November. The late-night news show he originated has continued on ABC with three new anchors.

Koppel will host and produce long-form programming examining major global topics and events exclusively for Discovery, said network President Billy Campbell. Discovery is available in more than 90 million of the nation's 110 million homes.

Koppel will also conduct some of the town hall-style meetings that were a staple of "Nightline" programming, Campbell said.

He's joined by Tom Bettag, his former executive producer at "Nightline," who left ABC with Koppel. A Discovery spokeswoman would not immediately identify the other former "Nightline" staff members to join him.

 

[Lynne]

News
01/04/2006 10:49:18 EST Ted Koppel and Others Join Discovery
By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - Ted Koppel has joined the Discovery Channel to make news documentaries, bringing his former top producer and eight other ex-"Nightline" staff members, the cable channel announced Wednesday.
Koppel was named managing editor of Discovery, and his first program for the network is due next fall.

The longtime ABC News anchor left "Nightline" after 25 years in November. The late-night news show he originated has continued on ABC with three new anchors.

Koppel will host and produce long-form programming examining major global topics and events exclusively for Discovery, said network President Billy Campbell. Discovery is available in more than 90 million of the nation's 110 million homes.

Koppel will also conduct some of the town hall-style meetings that were a staple of "Nightline" programming, Campbell said.

He's joined by Tom Bettag, his former executive producer at "Nightline," who left ABC with Koppel. A Discovery spokeswoman would not immediately identify the other former "Nightline" staff members to join him.

 

[Lynne]

News
01/04/2006 10:49:18 EST Ted Koppel and Others Join Discovery
By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - Ted Koppel has joined the Discovery Channel to make news documentaries, bringing his former top producer and eight other ex-"Nightline" staff members, the cable channel announced Wednesday.
Koppel was named managing editor of Discovery, and his first program for the network is due next fall.

The longtime ABC News anchor left "Nightline" after 25 years in November. The late-night news show he originated has continued on ABC with three new anchors.

Koppel will host and produce long-form programming examining major global topics and events exclusively for Discovery, said network President Billy Campbell. Discovery is available in more than 90 million of the nation's 110 million homes.

Koppel will also conduct some of the town hall-style meetings that were a staple of "Nightline" programming, Campbell said.

He's joined by Tom Bettag, his former executive producer at "Nightline," who left ABC with Koppel. A Discovery spokeswoman would not immediately identify the other former "Nightline" staff members to join him.

 

[BigWarden]

Maybe he'll get his own fashion makeover show .... Seems as if that's the only type of show running on Discovery and TLC these days.

 

[BigWarden]

Maybe he'll get his own fashion makeover show .... Seems as if that's the only type of show running on Discovery and TLC these days.

 

[BigWarden]

Maybe he'll get his own fashion makeover show .... Seems as if that's the only type of show running on Discovery and TLC these days.

 

[JonJ]

You want to talk about the Discovery Channel going Lib, watch the Discovery Times Channel!

 

[C-pher]

You want to talk about the Discovery Channel going Lib, watch the Discovery Times Channel!

What's funny is that the History Channel is part of Discovery and they are not that way.

 

[Skald]

Don't forget The Military Channel is also part of Discovery.

 

[Lynne]

You want to talk about the Discovery Channel going Lib, watch the Discovery Times Channel!

What's funny is that the History Channel is part of Discovery and they are not that way.

There's been a couple shows on the HC that has leaned a touch to the left, but not as many as Discovery itself. I don't get the Discovery Times Channel...although some of their productions have aired on Discovery. I expect left leaning when I hear it's by DT.

 

[mark056]

I'd say that the people who own the Discovery Channel, History Channel and Military Channel are very shrewd business persons. What is broadcast on cable has less to do with ideology and more to do with $$$$$$. Since "demographic niche" programming is where we are at today, it would only make sense to appeal to as many sectors as possible because afterall you want to sell those advertising dollars.

I think sometimes we wish that the people who cater to our beliefs and tastes are really like us and think like us, where the reality comes in, is that we are merely marketing statistics. It's important that all bases are touched. Back in the day when we had three networks and no more than four or five channels (three in many areas) network programmers had to reach across a broad spectrum of America to attract viewers. This, BTW, is one of the reasons today that we are less of a consensus culture, in my opinion, because cable TV does encourage fragmentation. When everybody watched Gunsmoke on Saturday Night, or Johnny Carson every weeknight, there was always something to talk about at the office the next day....again, so many of our problems today have more to do with the loss of sharing common experiences...in my opinion.

The bottom line is that it is all about the bottom line.

Mark