Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Upfronts 06: Discovery Flips TLC Script with Tyler Perry

01/04/2016

Discovery Communications is pushing deeper into scripted programming, with TLC working with Tyler Perry, whose series have helped turn around OWN, its joint venture with Oprah Winfrey.

At an upfront presentation in Chicago last week and a press briefing in New York Thursday, Discovery, best known for its reality programming, announced it will also take scripted looks at the stories of the Unabomber on Discovery Channel and O.J. Simpson on Investigation Discovery.

Working from a script most large programmers are employing, Discovery also detailed its plans to use data to create more effective advertising as part of its One Discovery offering.

Were connecting our fans with your brands, Discovery ad sales president Joe Abruzzese told a packed house at media agency Spark. One Discovery will put your brands at the center of every consumer touchpoint.

Paul Guyardo, Discoverys chief commercial officer, said Discovery can be a powerful marketing platform to you and your clients across TV, digital, branded entertainment, Web native, audience delivery product, social media VR, talent and custom production.

He added that Discovery Go, the companys streaming app, is delivering an incremental audience with 50% of the streams coming from 18-to-34 year olds. With some TLC shows, between 60% and 70% of the streams are viewers from that millennial demographic, he said.

Discovery Engage, the companys ad sales data platform, houses high powered analytics for targeting, optimization and measurement to deliver greater effectiveness and impact for your ads, Keith Kazerman, head of advertising sales product strategy and development, told the Spark staff.

For example, if an auto company wants to reach a target audience in the market to buy a new car, Discovery would marshal data from Experian on potential car buyers then match those individuals with actual TV viewers using Nielsen respondent level data.

The Discovery Engage optimization engine utilizes sophisticated algorithms to find the best placements of your ads across our portfolio of networks to reach that specific target audience with the right message at that right moment, Kazerman said.

In the car example, Engage delivers a detailed and transparent schedule that pinpoints which networks, dayparts and programs that target audience is likely to view during the campaign.

Not only will we guarantee we reach your target audience and measure impressions, but well go one step further. Were one of the very few content companies that has access to set top box data, which provides us the ability to deliver true ROI measurability and determine the brand lift or sales lift generated by the campaign.

Kazerman said Discovery is in the marketplace developing a small number of partnerships with agencies and clients to launch Discovery Engage. These first movers will partner with us to shape the future of the use of data and technology in advertising, he said.

Discoverys networks also talked about upcoming programming strategies.

TLC is getting into the scripted business with Perrys series Too Close to Home, about a young woman working in Washington who gets caught up in a scandal and has to return to the small town where she grew up. The series is expected to premiere in the second half of 2016.

TLC is also getting back into the home category. One show features designer Nate Berkus, his husband Jeremiah Brent and their daughter Poppy as they renovate their own home.

TLC will be launching a new brand campaign using the theme I am, to highlight unique individuals different values and support them against bullies and critics.

Investigation Discovery also unveiled a new slogan: Real People. Real Stories.

The network, which grew last year to be No. 1 with women 25-54, will air 650 hours of original content next season, with program premieres on 360 nights.

Jumping into the suddenly popular O.J. genre, ID plans to air its version, executive produced by Martin Sheen, called Hard Evidence: OJ Is Innocent, which takes the point of view that Simpson didnt commit the crime and everything we thought we knew about this story was wrong, said general manager Kevin Bennett.

ID has also sent investigators to join law enforcement in Chillicothe, Ohio, where six women went missing and four have turned up dead. The case is ongoing, which means the story could change right up until the six-part series, The Vanishing Women, premieres on June 6.

In addition, ID will air a series of scripted movies that tell stories ripped from the headlines.

Discovery, which will air the scripted series Harley and the Davidsons, about the beginnings of the famed motorcycle company, is also working on Manifesto, about the FBI profiler who caught Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. The series is produced by Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunettis Trigger Street.

Science Channel is bringing back its Punkin Chunkin special after a few years in the patch and searching for a new generation of mythbusters with the series The Search for the Next MythBusters.

The network will also take viewers on a voyage to the largest planet with Mission Jupiter.

Animal Planet goes to the dogs with a series, Life of Dogs, to the vet with Texas Vets, and the Bronx Zoo with The Zoo.

Discovery is also offering native digital programming with two brands that target millennials.

One is Seeker, which aims to feed curiosity that helps viewers experience, observe and explore their world, Suzanne Kolb, executive VP and general manager of Discovery Digital Networks told Spark in Chicago.

The other brand is SourceFed Studio, which is more focued on comedy, including parodies of Discovery shows like Naked and Afraid.

This is content engineered to succeed across all digital and social platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and a soon to launch updated version of seeker.com, Kolb said.

Discoverys production facilities ca
LINK: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/upfronts-2016-discovery...
See more stories from bandc

Most recent headlines

11/12/2025

Zixi Names Roi Sasson Vice President, Engineering

WALTHAM, Mass. Video-over-IP software provider Zixi said Roi Sasson has joined the company as vice president, engineering....

11/12/2025

LG Ad Solutions Expands Local CTV Data Coverage

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. In a move that highlights the growing competition between broadcasters and CTV platforms for local advertising, LG Ad Solutions has announ...

11/12/2025

Boston Conservatory Earns Several Best of Accolades in 2025

Boston Conservatory Earns Several Best of Accolades in 2025 Highlights include a faculty Grammy win, a seventh consecutive year on Playbill's list of co...

11/12/2025

Lawo, SMPTE To Conduct ST 2110 Practical Lab

RASTATT, Germany Lawo and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) have partnered to launch the SMPTE ST 2110 Practical Lab, an immersive ...

11/12/2025

Comcast's Xfinity Revamps National Video Plans

PHILADELPHIA Comcasts Xfinity operating brand has announced the launch of new national video plans with all-in pricing that the operator said will provide custo...

11/12/2025

Analyst: Pay TV Video Subs Rise for First Time Since 2017

After eight years of declines, MoffettNathansons new Cord Cutting Monitor for Q3 2025 shows that pay TV subscribers to linear TV packages rose by 303,000, the f...

11/12/2025

Happy Holidays from Berklee

Happy Holidays from Berklee Enjoy this years holiday student-performance video. December 10, 2025 By Office of the President Dear Berklee community, As w...

11/12/2025

Shane Lowry, Oti Mabuse and Brendan Fraser among the guests on this week's Late Late Show Christmas Special!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Irish golfing hero Shane Lowry...

11/12/2025

The RT Sport Sportsperson of the Year Nominees 2025 Revealed

RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier ti...

11/12/2025

Ride Into Adventure With Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories' Series in the Cloud

Hunters, saddle up - adventure awaits in the cloud. Journey into the world of M...

11/12/2025

Fair City star Stephanie Kelly revealed as fifth contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

Sash is ready to samba as Fair City star Stephanie Kelly is revealed as the late...

10/12/2025

Sound-Alike Commercials Are Part of Sports' Soundtrack

Sound-Alike Commercials Are Part of Sports' Soundtrack Johnny Cash for Coca-Cola is the latest in a long litany of sonic approximationsBy Dan Daley, Audio ...

10/12/2025

Immersive Sound Is Logical Next Step for Sports Venues

Immersive Sound Is Logical Next Step for Sports VenuesSound-systems suppliers are sanguine, but the market has its challengesBy Dan Daley, Audio Editor Wednes...

10/12/2025

The Romans Built Arenas for Immersive Sound 2,000 Years Ago

The Romans Built Arenas for Immersive Sound 2,000 Years AgoThe historic Arena of Nimes in France is still in use todayBy Dan Daley, Audio Editor Wednesday, De...

10/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Audio Workshop Hits on Immersive, Virtualized, and Next-Gen Streaming Workflows

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Audio Workshop Hits on Immersive, Virtualized, and Next...

10/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview: Audio Spotlight

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview: Audio SpotlightBy SVG Staff Wednesday, December 10, 2025 - 8:21 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story Highlig...

10/12/2025

SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the Sounds of Powder and Ice at Milano Cortina with a Behind the Scenes Tour of OBS and NBC's Audio Set Ups

SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the sounds of powder and ice at Milano Cortina wi...

10/12/2025

Advancements in Audio Technology: Capturing the Atmosphere of Live Sports

Advancements in audio technology: Capturing the atmosphere of live sports By David Davies Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:27 Print This Story Although wor...

10/12/2025

Everything Smelled of Popcorn: The Art of Bringing the Complex Sound of Esports to Fans With Sound Supervisor Matt Gilbert

Everything smelled of popcorn: The art of bringing the complex sound of esports ...

10/12/2025

2026 Sundance Film Festival Unveils 97 Projects Selected for the Feature Film and Episodic Program

Top L-R: Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!, Hanging by a Wire, Broken English, Buddy C...

10/12/2025

You're in Control: Spotify Lets You Steer the Algorithm

For the first time, Spotify is giving users the power to steer the algorithm. Gustav S derstr m, Spotify's Co-President, CPO, and CTO, shares the vision beh...

10/12/2025

L3Harris to Produce Additional Solid Rocket Motors for Precision-Guided Artillery System

L3Harris' new contract for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Insensitive ...

10/12/2025

US Space Force Expands Offensive Space Programs Through L3Harris Foreign Sales

L3Harris Meadowlands system has been designed with an open architecture software system that allows for more flexible and efficient software updates. This capab...

10/12/2025

Football Shifts TV Viewing Towards Ad Supported, Nielsen's Q3 2025 Ad Supported Gauge Finds

During this interval, streaming comprised the majority of ad supported TV (46.4%...

10/12/2025

Bitcentral Names Venture Capital Exec Rick Arnold to Board

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. Bitcentral, a provider of production, asset management, playout and streaming workflow solutions, has named technology veteran Rick Arnold...

10/12/2025

TV Tech Announces Winners of 2025 Best in Market Awards for M&E Tech

TV Tech is delighted to reveal the winners of the 2025 Media & Entertainment: Best in Market Awards....

10/12/2025

AIMS, VSF, AMWA, EBU To Hold Inaugural IPMX Testing, Certification Event

BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), the Video Services Forum (VSF), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the European Broad...

10/12/2025

DirecTV Launches Peacock Games

In a notable example of how pay TV operators are integrating streaming services into their lineup and using those services to retain or attract subscribers, Dir...

10/12/2025

Chaos Brings Real-Time Rendering to Maya and Houdini

Today, Chaos builds instant feedback into the viewport, connecting Maya and Houdini to Chaos Vantage's real-time path tracer. Artists can now assess 3D asse...

10/12/2025

Smeup doubles capacity with Cubbit under a new agreement...

Smeup, a key partner for companies engaged in digital transformation, today announced the expansion of its adoption of Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud s...

10/12/2025

Mediagenix Strengthens Its Security Posture with ISO 2700...

Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, today announced two significant milestones...

10/12/2025

HDR10+ Technologies Unveils HDR10+ ADVANCED Dynamic Metadata Technology

BEAVERTON, Ore. HDR10+ Technologies, LLC has announced that they will soon begin the licensing and certification of devices, content, and services that support ...

10/12/2025

SMPTE, EBU, ETC Publish Report on AI's Impact on the Media

SMPTE has joined forces with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) to publish an updated report on AI and its impact o...

10/12/2025

Clear-Com Appoints Kris Koch as New Director of Sales - N...

Clear-Com is pleased to announce the appointment of Kris Koch as Director of Sales - North & South America. In this expanded leadership role, Kris will oversee...

10/12/2025

Mavis Camera Launches Film Kit Unlocking LUT Workflows an...

Mavis today announced the latest version of Mavis Camera (v7.4), a major update to its professional iOS camera app, headlined by the launch of Film Kit - an opt...

10/12/2025

Creamsource Taps Industry Heavyweight Markus Zeiler as Gr...

Creamsource, renowned for its Vortex series of cinematic lighting, is laying the groundwork for its next phase of growth with the addition of Markus Zeiler as G...

10/12/2025

Digital Alert Systems Introduces DAS3-DC-PS DASDEC-III DC...

Digital Alert Systems, a global leader in emergency communications solutions for media providers, today announced that the DAS3-DC-PS, a new DC power supply opt...

10/12/2025

Riedel and Racing Electronics Announce Strategic Partners...

Riedel Communications today announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Racing Electronics, a premier provider of motorsport communication equipment in...

10/12/2025

GALSNGEAR Announces 2026 Leadership Retreats on East and...

#GALSNGEAR is launching two signature leadership retreats in early 2026, designed to equip women in media, entertainment, and technology with the tools to lead...

10/12/2025

CVP Launches Global Price Guarantee for Seamless Internat...

Providing worldwide customers with total confidence through transparent, all-inclusive pricing CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video...

10/12/2025

Securing the Future of Broadcast TV in the U.S.

With the Federal Communications Commission working on new rules for the deployment of NextGen TV, next year promises to be an important one for both the future ...

10/12/2025

Former Charter CEO Tom Rutledge to Receive Cable Centers Bresnan Award

DENVER Tom Rutledge, director emeritus and former president and CEO of Charter Communications, will be honored with the 2026 Bresnan Ethics in Business Award by...

10/12/2025

Cadent Acquires YouTube Measurement Firm VuePlanner

NEW YORK Novocap's Cadent has acquired VuePlanner, a YouTube video ad planning, optimization, and measurement company in a deal that will help Cadent expand...

10/12/2025

3 Ways NVIDIA Is Powering the Industrial Revolution

The NVIDIA accelerated computing platform is leading supercomputing benchmarks once dominated by CPUs, enabling AI, science, business and computing efficiency w...

10/12/2025

How NVIDIA H100 GPUs on CoreWeave's AI Cloud Platform Delivered a Record-Breaking Graph500 Run

The world's top-performing system for graph processing at scale was built on...

10/12/2025

Opt-In NVIDIA Software Enables Data Center Fleet Management

As the scale and complexity of AI infrastructure grows, data center operators need continuous visibility into factors including performance, temperature and pow...

10/12/2025

Avoid Playlist Conflicts: Scheduling Back-to-Back Special Playlists

In preparation for the madness of March, here are some important reminders for scheduling back-to-back Special Playlists. The first Special Playlist MUST end b...

10/12/2025

VEON's Rising Capital Markets Profile Strengthened by Inclusion in Key Global Indices

10 Dec 2025 VEON's Rising Capital Markets Profile Strengthened by Inclusion...

10/12/2025

VEON Recognized for JazzCash, Kyivstar and Jazz at the World Communication Awards 2025

10 Dec 2025 VEON Recognized for JazzCash, Kyivstar and Jazz at the World Commun...