Having probably moved a bit too much into the entertainment space last year, Discovery is now turning back to documentaries and factual.
Speaking in a panel discussion entitled Brand value in The Age of Curiosity at a conference in Bucharest attended by Broadband TV News, Paul Welling, SVP, head of channels Discovery Networks CEEMEA, added that the company’s programming strategy involved great, authentic characters; magnetic storytelling, unveiling those stories at the right pace; and getting the balance right between factual and entertainment.
Welling also said that although Discovery spends $2.5 billion a year on its content globally, how it is spent is changing a lot, with a shift away from just linear. It has a definite desire to broaden its viewing base while still keeping its core audience.
Speaking in the same panel discussion, Bogdan Bucurei, marketing director, UPC Romania, said that the cable operator is a “curiosity enabler”, offering its subscribers a wide variety of content.
Its line up currently consists of 37 HD, 188 SD and two 3D channels, with the company being the only provider in Romania to offer 3D channels.
He also said that UPC Romania would be introducing Horizon in the country next year.
Other participants in the panel discussion included Christian Brent, SVP, global research & audience strategy Fox International Channels. Arnaud Simon, SVP, content and production, Eurosport, and Roxana Grigorean, PR manager Samsung Romania.
Simon said Eurosport recent re-branding was much more than a redesign of the shop window, involving upgrading content and investing heavily in securing premium rights.