DISCOVERY CHANNEL CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF INNOVATION, EXCELLENCE AND GROUNDBREAKING NONFICTION PROGRAMMING
– Week-Long Programming Event Begins June 13 at 9PM ET/PT –
(Silver Spring, Md.) – Throughout its 25-year history, Discovery Channel has held strong to its commitment to tell its viewers the most amazing stories, introduce them to some of the most fascinating people and creatures on the planet, and transport them to most breathtaking locations in the world. During the week of June 13, 2010, Discovery will commemorate its first 25 years by hosting celebrations on air, online and in the heart of communities around the globe.
The number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery was born from the vision and dedication of a young man from Maryland, John Hendricks. More than 25 years ago, Hendricks mortgaged everything he owned to realize his dream: the first cable network in the United States dedicated to providing high-quality documentary programming. On June 17, 1985, John Hendricks launched Discovery Channel to 156,000 subscribers; today, the network reaches more than 100 million subscribers in the U.S. alone and globally, Discovery Communications has more than 100 networks in over 180 countries, touching 1.5 billion subscribers.
“Discovery has inspired a generation and become a state of mind,” said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel and President of Science Channel. “I’m proud to say that Discovery has ignited the passion inside all of us to be curious, explore and be more engaged with the natural world. It is this curiosity and commitment to telling amazing stories that drives us to create the best content on television every single day. We have many more adventures ahead of us.”
From Sunday, June 13 through Saturday, June 19 at 9PM ET/PT, Discovery Channel’s 25TH ANNIVERSARY WEEK features a look back at the people, places and events that have shaped the network – and the world – over the past 25 years (including favorite moments chosen by Discovery family members including Mike Rowe and the MythBusters), as well as a look towards the future. The full programming schedule follows (all times ET/PT):
* 25 Years of Discovery (Sunday, June 13, 9PM)– In this anniversary special narrated by Mike Rowe, famous faces and fans alike will call out their favorite Discovery moments. We’ll also revisit the most extraordinary things we’ve ever seen on the network.
* Dirty Jobs: The Dirty Truth (Monday, June 14, 9PM) – In a world full of sentimental platitudes like “Teamwork is the Answer,” Mike Rowe serves up an alternative to worn out clichés with six hard-earned lessons gleaned from his 250+ DIRTY JOBS. Mike also presents a new roster of role models: 25 regular people who discovered long ago that the road to job security is not always paved with conventional wisdom.
* Deadliest Catch / After The Catch (Tuesday, June 15 at 9PM/10PM) – Cable’s #1 non-sports program continues its sixth season followed by the season premiere of AFTER THE CATCH, where America’s favorite captains come together on land to share their stories of excitement and danger on the Bering Sea.
* MythBusters Top 25 Moments (Wednesday, June 16, 9PM) – In this two-hour episode, Adam, Jamie, Grant, Kari and Tory reveal their top 25 most memorable myths and moments from the series. They have a lot to choose from – over the past eight years, they’ve produced 191 episodes featuring 738 myths and 2,326 experiments. The team explains what makes each of these “best” myths so special, providing an insider’s view into what it’s like to be a MythBuster.
* Scariest Moments at Sea (Thursday, June 17, 9PM) – This special spotlights some of the scariest moments from three of the world’s most dangerous fisheries: Bering Sea crab fishing, North Atlantic pelagic long-lining (swordfish and tuna fishing) and offshore lobster fishing.
* Discovery Saved My Life (Friday, June 18, 9PM) – This one-hour special recounts six incredible stories of people who survived deadly situations thanks in part to life-saving tips seen on the Discovery Channel. The special features a variety of real-life situations, including a young man escaping the jaws of an 11-foot alligator, a couple stranded in their car braving freezing conditions for over a week before finding rescue, and a teenager fighting to stay alive after falling through the ice in a local pond.
* Man Vs. Wild: Top 25 Moments (Saturday, June 19, 9PM) — Adventurer Bear Grylls reveals his top 25 favorite MAN VS WILD moments, which include disgusting, fearful, and exhilarating clips from each of the series past four seasons.
Discovery Channel is also inviting fans to help celebrate the network’s 25th anniversary by sharing their discoveries — both big and small, global in nature or personal – online atmydiscovery.com and through Twitter using the hashtag #mydiscovery. Visitors to mydiscovery.com can browse text, picture and video discoveries by topic and timeline, in addition to adding their own. Throughout the 25th Anniversary week, favorite fan tweets will be featured on Discovery Channel during primetime programming.
On Friday, June 18, Discovery Communications employees will get into the anniversary celebration mode. Every Discovery office worldwide will take part in “Discover Your Impact Day,” an opportunity for employees to volunteer in their communities for the day and reinforce Discovery’s mission to satisfy curiosity and make a difference in people’s lives. Community service opportunities are organized around three themes core to Discovery’s DNA: land (planting trees, cleaning up a park, etc.); water (working with a marine group, installing water barrels in community gardens, etc.) and people (working with children, cleaning up schools and playgrounds, etc.).
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.1 million U.S. homes, can be seen in over 180 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
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 includingHowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
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