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Tag: discovery+

  • Discovery and BBC sign major global content partnership And agree on future of uktv channels

    Discovery and BBC sign major global content partnership And agree on future of uktv channels

    MUMBAI: Discovery, Inc. and BBC Studios today jointly announce a series of agreements, reigniting their historic relationship with a significant multi-million pound global content partnership spanning a library of premium factual series to power a new global streaming service, and a bespoke development deal for BBC Studios’ iconic genres of natural history, animals, adventure, science, travel, space, history and civilization documentaries.  Additionally, the two companies have concluded the future of UKTV’s channels business in the UK with a structured split that complements the strategic focus and commercial business of both organizations.  

    The new 10-year content partnership, effective in all territories outside the UK, Ireland and Greater China, will make Discovery the exclusive global home of BBC landmark natural history programmes in SVOD, including the Planet Earth, Blue Planet and Life collection of titles, the recently lauded Dynasties and others, as well as future BBC-commissioned landmark series from BBC Studios, following their linear transmission.   Discovery also acquires SVOD rights to hundreds of hours of BBC programming across factual genres.  All of this iconic content will form one of the pillars of a new global streaming service, which will also include some of the best of Discovery’s programming library, original content created for the service, and experiences and offerings that go well beyond video.  The service will launch by 2020 and will form a key part of Discovery’s unique and growing portfolio of direct-to-consumer services that will enable fans to ‘view and do.’  These services will also be made available to distribution partners for retail.   

    Discovery and BBC Studios have also signed a bespoke development deal to create new landmark factual content for Discovery that furthers audiences’ discovery of the world for both linear and digital distribution.   This deal reunites the two media and entertainment brands that worked together on unrivalled natural history series such as Planet Earth, Walking with Dinosaurs, Life and Blue Planet.   The two companies will co-fund a dedicated development team within BBC Studios.
     

  • Discovery to broadcast live from egypt with unprecedented access to mysterious archaeological site

    Discovery to broadcast live from egypt with unprecedented access to mysterious archaeological site

    MUMBAI: Egypt remains a land shrouded in deep mystery and wonder. Discovery announced it will broadcast live from Egypt in search of ancient artifacts and open an Egyptian sarcophagus for the very first time. The 2 hours live special, ‘EXPEDITION UNKNOWN: EGYPT LIVE, will air on Monday, April 8. In India, ‘EXPEDITION UNKNOWN: EGYPT LIVE’ will be deferred live at 11:00 hrs IST with a repeat at 18:00 hrs IST on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD World.

    “This is Discovery at its best, as we seek to uncover history that has been buried in the sands of Egypt for millennia,” said Nancy Daniels, chief brand officer, Discovery & Factual. “I’m excited as Josh Gates takes us on one of his most ambitious expeditions yet.”

    The live 2-hour multiplatform event will be hosted by adventurer and avid explorer Josh Gates, who will be joined by world-renowned Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass, and Mostafa Waziri, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt. The epic event will be produced by Discovery Studios and Ping Pong Productions in association with Big Dreams Entertainment with Leslie Greif as executive producer.

    Viewers will have the rare opportunity to see the inner chambers of an excavation site, where archeologists recently uncovered a network of vertical shafts leading to an underground network of tunnels and tombs with 40 mummies believed to be part of the noble elite.

    The massive underground complex of chambers is a treasure trove of antiquities – all laying undisturbed for thousands of years. But there are several chambers yet to be explored – and many more discoveries to be revealed, including a mysterious limestone sarcophagus found buried deep within the complex. The identity of the mummy inside has been a mystery for 3,000 years… Possibly until now.

    Followers of @Discovery on Instagram will be given a behind the scenes look during the live broadcast with additional insights and exciting moments led by our team of expert archeologists and historians. Viewers are also invited to join conversation on Twitter using hashtag #ExpeditionUnknown for a chance to be featured on-air and watch past seasons of EXPEDITION UNKNOWN on Discovery GO. Host Josh Gates can be found on Facebook: @joshgatesofficial, Twitter: @joshuagates, and Instagram: @gatesygram.

    As a prelude to EXPEDITION UNKNOWN: EGYPT LIVE, Discovery channel and Discovery HD World will premiere special Egypt based series Expedition Unknown – Great Women Of Ancient Egypt, Expedition Unknown- Egypt’s Lost Queens Surviving Exodus on 7th April from 12:00 hrs IST to 15:00 hrs IST.

    EXPEDITION UNKNOWN: EGYPT LIVE (w/t) is produced for Discovery Channel by Discovery Studios and Ping Pong Productions in association with Big Dreams Entertainment. For Big Dreams Entertainment, Leslie Greif is executive producer. For Discovery Studios, Sandy Varo Jarrell, Peter Isacksen and Jason Sklaver serve as executive producers. For Ping Pong Productions, Brad Kuhlman, Casey Brumels and Josh Gates are executive producers. For Discovery Channel, Howard Swartz is executive producer.

  • Mini Mathur and Cyrus Sahukar re-unite after 4 years to host Discovery SCHOOL SUPER LEAGUE (DSSL) POWERED BY BYJU’S- The Learning App

    Mini Mathur and Cyrus Sahukar re-unite after 4 years to host Discovery SCHOOL SUPER LEAGUE (DSSL) POWERED BY BYJU’S- The Learning App

    MUMBAI: Multi-talented personalities Mini Mathur and Cyrus Sahukar have united after 4 years to be the host of India’s biggest ever integrated school quiz show Discovery SCHOOL SUPER LEAGUE (DSSL) POWERED BY BYJU’S- – The Learning App. Conceptualized at a never-before scale, the on-ground leg of DSSL has reached out to an unprecedented 12,300 plus schools touching over 43 lakh students in the age-group of 8 to 14 years across the nation.

    The on-air six-episode phase of DSSL premieres April 28 on Discovery Channel, Discovery HD World, Discovery Science, and Discovery Kids. The quiz will feature teams from 29 states and 1 Union Territory (Delhi).

    Speaking on the occasion, Mini Mathur, said, “I'm a complete quiz head and love being part of shows which unearth the true hidden knowledge potential of children of India. The role of a quizmaster is not as simple as it may seem – one needs to make the children comfortable & uninimidated so that they are unfazed with the occasion and can remember their facts as and when the time arises… and yet keep the energy of the game high. I am excited to be part of DSSL because the process of identifying team of each state has been very exhaustive. I admire both brands – Byju’s and Discovery and it is a pleasure to work closely with them. Byju’s is an amazing start-up story in the field of education while Discovery is a global leader in real life entertainment – to which my kids are also hooked to.”

    “The scale of DSSL is amazing. The fact that the on-ground phase touched more than 43 lakh children, and only 60 made it to the TV round tells you a deeper story that the standard of quiz would be very high; the competition intense. I am excited to be amongst such talented bunch,” said, Cyrus Sahukar. “I look forward to hosting the quiz with close friend Mini Mathur and together we will make sure it turns out to be fun, exciting and an engaging show.

  • Jim Sarbh to debut on TV with Discovery thought provoking, first of kind series, ‘Planet Healers’

    Jim Sarbh to debut on TV with Discovery thought provoking, first of kind series, ‘Planet Healers’

    MUMBAI: Good looking and versatile actor Jim Sarbh who has been a delight to watch on big screen in movies such as Sanju, Neerja and Padmavat is soon going to make his debut on television with Discovery Channel’s new series ‘Planet Healers’.  Jim Sarbh will host the thought provoking, first of its kind series featuring 8 start-ups who are working tirelessly to find innovative solutions to environmental hazards that we face today.

    Jim Sarbh will give the audience a deep dive into how these start-ups are focusing on complex and the same time extremely important issues like unplanned urbanization, electronic waste management, air pollution, fuel recycling et al. He will also be seen playing an integral role in educating viewers about the current environmental concerns and will give a reality check on how these hazards are impacting our planet.

    “I don’t believe in the separation between mankind and nature. Mankind is nature. It is only natural, that nature would find a way to heal itself, through mankind. I am excited by this Discovery’s new series “Planet Healers” and the startups on it. Hope more people stretch their imaginations in the direction of conservation and preservation of our large, wonderful, home.” said host Jim Sarbh.

  • Discovery pays tribute to the Armed Forces with Republic Day special line-up

    Discovery pays tribute to the Armed Forces with Republic Day special line-up

    MUMBAI: Discovery Channel, India’s leading destination for factual entertainment, will celebrate Republic Day with a special line-up of shows dedicated to Indian Armed Forces. The channel will air best of shows from Breaking Point franchise– Indian Air Force Academy, High Altitude Warfare School, Indian Submariners as well as Revealed franchise – National Defense Academy and Siachen. The 5 hour long special line-up, offering unprecedented access to the intense, grueling training programs of all wings of Indian Armed Forces, will premiere on Republic Day, January 26, starting 12:00 noon

    Breaking Point: The Indian Submariners:

    The special show will give viewers a window into the world of complex, high-technology platform like the Submarines who acquire their strength from stealth in a very colloquial manner through the eyes of a common man, and anchor, Harman Singha, who will take audiences into a world which has never been explored before – a journey to live the life of an Indian Submariner; from the classroom to the officers Mess through Escape Training School; to diving to the depths of the seas on board the INS Sindhukirti.

    Breaking Point: Indian Airforce Academy:

    The show offers a never seen before look into the training imparted at India’s premier Air Force training institution – Air Force Academy located at Dundigul, Hyderabad which is instrumental in shaping the future Air Warriors. Breaking Point: Indian Air Force Academy, packed with emotions including grit, pride, fear and utmost patriotism, captures the life of 4 cadets – Mudit Tewari, Priya Sharma, Amogh Bhandralia and Kartik Thakur – who are in various stages of their training at the Academy.

    Breaking Point- High Altitude Warfare School:

    Located in Gulmarg, HAWS is a globally acclaimed institution which trains Indian soldiers and attracts soldiers from friendly countries for high & super-high-altitude warfare. The show is first of its kind on Indian Television detailing the rigors of training at HAWS.  It will give viewers a glimpse of how the soldiers learn the art of mountain and winter warfare; HAWS is the training ground for all High-Altitude Warfare. Each moment of the show takes the viewer a step closer to how the soldiers are transformed into glorified mountain warriors of the Indian Army. 

    Revealed- National Defence Academy:

    One of the most reputed training academies globally, the National Defence Academy, popularly known as the NDA, holds the distinction of being the first tri-services academy in the world. This show will take viewers inside this fascinating and enigmatic institution, to understand what makes the NDA so exceptional. Steeped in tradition and lore, the one-hour long film delves into the academy’s focus of instilling the qualities of a soldier into a young cadet who in the future will go onto serving his nation with courage and pride and covers the three-year journey of cadets as they make their way through the course.

    Revealed- Siachen

    The Siachen glacier located in the Karakoram range in the Himalayas is the world’s highest and coldest battleground with army posts at over 21,000 feet. To stay atop on this 77 km long glacier at 5,400 meters altitude means the Indian soldiers have to defy all their physical, mental and emotional limits to safeguard the motherland. The special show will take viewers through the extreme frontline and what it takes to keep the Siachen glacier secure. It will present the remarkable chronicles of the soldiers and their formidable challenges to manage the battlefield where temperatures reach minus 60 degrees.

  • Infotainment went the local way in 2018

    Infotainment went the local way in 2018

    MUMBAI: In 2018, the one common phenomenon that the whole television industry witnessed was the hijack and capture of part of its territory by OTT platforms wooing audiences with original content. That was the time when TV space woke up to secure its presence and fill in the gaps with localised content where it required the most. One of the genres that decided to focus on localising content was infotainment.

    There were days when only syndicated content was the staple of the broadcasters to survive in the market. The year 2018 finally saw their efforts paying off as viewers stayed glued to their TV screens. Original content broke all the walls by wanting the audiences to have more of it. However, the FICCI M&E report 2018 estimated  that BARC’s enhanced rural panel weightage would reduce the viewership of genres like infotainment. The factual genre occupies only about one per cent of total TV consumption.

    Players like Discovery, History TV18, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Epic TV and Sony BBC Earth rolled up their sleeves with the intent to stay out of the box by offering self-produced content, keeping in mind the evolving taste buds of the Indian audiences. It is usually tricky to change audiences’ viewing habits when they have forever been fed with a plethora of syndicated content. But during the year, there came a time when Sony BBC Earth leapfrogged Discovery in terms of ratings, that was ruling the infotainment genre for almost a decade, within a year of its launch. The channel increased its market share from 22 per cent to 26 per cent in the six metro cities.

    It was a tough competition for both Sony BBC and Discovery channel that fought sportingly to win the battle and emerge as the dominant player in the market. Speaking about being on the leadership front, Discovery claimed to enjoy a 23 per cent market share in the All India Urban (2+) area.

    In an earlier interview, Sony Pictures Network English cluster business head Tushar Shah told Indiantelevision.com that the category which is supposed to be informative along with entertainment in it is missing the first half. But for Sony BBC Earth, the rise from the sixth position to the top has been quick. Sony BBC Earth stood at 5 per cent market share at launch and took up 22 per cent within a year backed by a strong distribution network, strategic content line-up and strong marketing innovations.

    One major move was the shift of Epic from a general entertainment channel (GEC) to infotainment. It proved to be a success as the channel’s market share scaled up from 3 per cent to 15 per cent. History TV18 also dived into serving local content.

    The genre wasn’t just about the hindi speaking market, in fact, it observed an upward arc due to regional support as well. Broadcasters found Tamil and Telugu as viable regional languages to launch into. Discovery and National Geographic channels are the only exceptions having Bengali language in their kitty. Epic TV is the only one with Hindi language. It is also the only channel that has all India-centric content while the rest of the players have a mix of syndicated content and home-grown shows. If you take into account Discovery Tamil, the channel's share of the pie grew by four per cent. That placed the Discovery network miles ahead of anyone else with a national market share of a massive 42 per cent.

    As far as Adex is concerned, the year 2017 led to a growth of 1.8 per cent, whereas it led to 1.9 per cent during FY18. Moreover the growth in the year FY17-18 was witnessed to be 2.38 per cent and the lifestyle genre dropped down to 2.24 per cent.

    While local content will continue to be a major part of broadcasters' move for 2019 as well, we can only wait and watch what new innovations will they launch to engage a larger section of the audience.

  • Discovery to add Ladies European Tour to GOLFTV roster as it continues to expand the ‘digital home of golf’

    Discovery to add Ladies European Tour to GOLFTV roster as it continues to expand the ‘digital home of golf’

    MUMBAI: Discovery and the Ladies European Tour have today announced a new partnership that will see GOLFTV showcase the foremost players and events in European women’s golf.  The agreement features multiplatform live rights to all Ladies European Tour events, as well as the next two Solheim Cups in 25 countries in Europe* – including Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden – and brings even more premium golf content and programming to GOLFTV.

    The partnership will bring coverage of the Ladies European Tour and the Solheim Cup together, in many markets, with the PGA TOUR and European Tour on GOLFTV, the global live and on-demand video streaming service that is launching in January 2019. Fans will be able to follow all the world’s greatest golfers, all year round, with a growing portfolio of content that will make GOLFTV the premier destination for golf entertainment worldwide.

    GOLFTV’s live coverage of every Ladies European Tour event includes the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, Hero Women's Indian Open and Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana season finale, as well as the Golf Sixes on GOLFTV.  

    The biggest team event in women’s golf will also feature on GOLFTV, with live coverage of the next two editions of the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2019, and at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, in 2021. GOLFTV will also present a wide range of Ladies European Tour content and programming on demand, including highlights and features with leading players.

    Alex Kaplan, President and General Manager, Discovery Golf, said: “We’re excited to welcome the Ladies European Tour and Solheim Cup to the GOLFTV family, signifying another milestone in our journey to becoming the true ‘digital home of golf’ for fans.  As we prepare to launch the service, GOLFTV continues to build a portfolio of must-have content and events for golf fans. Our new relationship with the Ladies European Tour underlines our ambition to showcase women’s golf on a global platform, and feature the world’s greatest players, every week of the year.” 

    Mark Lichtenhein, Chief Executive, Ladies European Tour, said: “Building on our long-standing relationship with Discovery, it’s fantastic for the LET to be joining GOLFTV’s ground breaking new streaming service. Digital distribution has long been a critical component for women’s golf and it’s very exciting to now be positioned under one roof with the men’s game.”

    Under the agreement, Discovery will have the ability to sublicense the Ladies European Tour TV and digital coverage as part of a broader strategy to grow viewership of the Ladies European Tour, and for golf around the world. 

    GOLFTV’s portfolio, which already includes the PGA TOUR and European Tour, will also feature an exclusive global content partnership with 14-time major champion Tiger Woods. GOLFTV will collaborate with Woods on a wide range of content opportunities, including instructional videos to help players improve their game, and exclusive access into Woods’ tournament preparation. Starting later in 2019, the unique content will offer fans an authentic and regular look into the life, mind and performance of the game’s ultimate icon.

    Further information regarding GOLFTV programming and content will be announced in due course.  Fans can visit GOLF.TV for more information and sign up to keep up-to-date with the latest GOLFTV developments.

  • Respite for Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Discovery as TRAI assures no action till 10 Jan

    Respite for Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Discovery as TRAI assures no action till 10 Jan

    MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) operators  Tata Sky, Bharti Telemedia-owned Airtel Digital TV and Discovery Communication India were handed a breather on Wednesday after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) assured the Delhi High Court that it will not take any action against the trio until January 10, which is when the matter is scheduled to be heard next.

    Tata Sky is unlikely to upload its RIO for now unlike Discovery, which has already published the same on its website.

    Irrespective of the respite, the regulator’s counsel argued that the DTH operators must implement the TRAI order and regulations.

    A source familiar with the matter added that Discovery has complied with TRAI’s tariff order and regulations under protest.

    In 2017, Bharti Telemedia, Tata Sky and Discovery Communication India had filed petitions against TRAI, challenging its tariff order and the interconnect regulations.

    Unlike the position adopted by Star India wherein it questioned the regulatory powers of TRAI, the matter in the Delhi HC questions on the regulator’s power to wipe out deals that operators enter into to fix commissions and rates for customers.

    While the fate of the two DTH operators hangs in the balance in this matter, all other distribution platform operators (DPOs) continue to be bound by the tariff order.

    TRAI on Tuesday cautioned stakeholders against spreading  “concocted and fabricated facts” against its new tariff directive while releasing a list of TV channels along with their respective maximum retail prices as per information received from broadcasters.

    The TRAI statement insisted that the new tariff regime will bring about more transparency in the eco-system by “separating the network capacity fee and pay channel price” and added any “malpractice” from service providers will compel the regulator to intervene.

    Pointing out that a section of the broadcasting and cable industry was creating confusion by insinuating the new tariff regime will increase the monthly cost of consumers for watching television by making inaccurate comparisons, TRAI said comparisons were “skewed” and far from the “market discovered” prices of TV channels.

    Though the Pune Cable Operators Association a few days back said it’d move the Bombay High Court against TRAI’s new tariff regime as it could hurt LCOs’ earnings as also consumers, the regulator allayed such fears saying comparisons were not based on “reasoned analysis” and the standard interconnect agreements protected the revenue model of LCOs.

    The regulator also released the maximum retail price of 332 pay channels offered by broadcasters to subscribers.

    As per the  MRP list released by TRAI, NHK World Premium’s HD version is the costliest TV channel in the group at a stated price of Rs 1,800.

    Though most TV channels are running against time to meet the year-end deadline to disclose MRPs and also conclude signing of agreements with distributing platforms, the issue of tariff is unlikely to settle down soon as TRAI itself has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to get clarifications on the issue of 15 per cent cap on discounts on channel pricing. 

  • Discovery strikes agreement with European Tour to expand GOLFTV portfolio and establish the ‘digital home of golf

    Discovery strikes agreement with European Tour to expand GOLFTV portfolio and establish the ‘digital home of golf

    MUMBAI: Discovery and the European Tour have announced a new partnership that will see GOLFTV continue to expand its portfolio and move towards becoming the established ‘digital home of golf’ for fans around the world. 

    The wide-ranging agreement includes international multi-platform live rights, in selected territories,* to all European Tour events and the next two Ryder Cups**, as well as Discovery collaborating to further grow the European Tour’s digital platforms, showcasing the Tour’s innovative content worldwide.

    The partnership will bring coverage of the European Tour and Ryder Cup together under GOLFTV, the global live and on-demand video streaming service launching in January 2019. Fans will be able to follow all the world’s greatest players, week in and week out, with a growing portfolio of content that will make GOLFTV an unmissable destination for golf entertainment worldwide.

    GOLFTV will carry more than 40 European Tour events per year starting in January*. These events will include:

    Every Race to Dubai event throughout the season.
    All Rolex Series events, including the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Aberdeen Standard investments Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, Italian Open, Turkish Airlines Open, Nedbank Golf Challenge and season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
    All World Golf Championships (WGC)*** events, including the Mexico Championship, the Dell Technologies Match Play, the FedEx St. Jude Invitational and HSBC Champions.
    Golf Sixes and the Hero Challenge.
    The European Challenge Tour and Staysure Tour.

    Following Team Europe’s victory in Paris in September, live coverage of the next two Ryder Cups from Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, in 2020 and Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Italy, in 2022 will be available to fans in selected territories through GOLFTV**.

    Alex Kaplan, President and General Manager, Discovery Golf, said: “Welcoming the European Tour and The Ryder Cup into the GOLFTV world is a significant step in our journey to becoming a premier global destination for golf entertainment. To offer fans the chance to watch some of the biggest tournaments of the year week in and week out, featuring the world’s greatest players and their national heroes, is the perfect foundation of must-have content that fans can’t live without.”  

    “To become the true ‘digital home of golf,’ we know we must think differently and go further than anything that has been done before,” Kaplan continued. “Forging a deeper relationship with the European Tour to help develop and grow its digital assets is a perfect example of that, and it highlights our long-term aim to build a true ecosystem around golf, leveraging Discovery’s global presence and expertise to achieve this at scale.” 

    Keith Pelley, Chief Executive, European Tour, said: “Discovery has a very a strong vision for GOLFTV as a multi-platform destination for golf and we are delighted to be combining our global reach in 2019.

    “Our partnership with Discovery, combined with our other broadcast deals, means that every fan in every territory will now be able to watch the European Tour. This new partnership is therefore an exciting move for us, allowing us to showcase the stars of the European Tour and our innovative content to a new audience,” Pelley concluded.

    From January 2019, Discovery will hold live European Tour rights in the following markets (please see Notes to Editors for full market list):

    Exclusive linear and digital rights in markets including Italy, Romania, Russia, Spain (sublicense agreed with Movistar+), Turkey; 
    GOLFTV digital streaming rights in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  Portugal, Balkan countries, Eurasia, India, Latin America, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and a number of territories in Asia; 

    Moving beyond a traditional rights agreement, Discovery will partner with the European Tour on the operations of its digital platforms from 2019. Leveraging Discovery’s proven record in maximizing multi-platform engagement and commercialization around the world’s biggest and most watched sports events, the partners will work together to grow the European Tour’s digital assets, including the global website, the European Tour apps, and exploration of new local websites and local European Tour social media accounts, helping to showcase the Tour’s innovative digital content to a global audience.

    Discovery will focus on developing and optimizing key aspects of the European Tour digital operation, such as technology, monetization and advertising. The European Tour will continue to provide content and editorial services for the digital platforms, and service its existing news and media clients.

    Under the agreement, Discovery will also have the ability to sublicense TV and digital coverage, in the markets for which it holds exclusive rights, as part of a broader strategy to grow viewership of the European Tour. These markets, pending activation date of the full live rights, include Albania, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain (sublicense agreed with Movistar+), Turkey and Ukraine.

    GOLFTV’s portfolio, which already includes the PGA TOUR, was boosted by a separate announcement last month which saw GOLFTV strike an exclusive global content partnership with 14-time major champion Tiger Woods. GOLFTV will collaborate with Woods on a wide range of content creation opportunities, including deep-dive instruction to help players improve their game, and exclusive access into Woods’ tournament preparation. The unique content will offer fans an authentic and regular look into the life, mind and performance of the game’s ultimate icon.

    Further information regarding GOLFTV programming and content will be announced in due course.

  • DISCOVERY TO BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THE LARGEST SUBMERGED SINK HOLES IN THE WORLD

    DISCOVERY TO BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THE LARGEST SUBMERGED SINK HOLES IN THE WORLD

    MUMBAI: Located 46 miles off the coast of Belize, the Blue Hole is known around the world for its crystal-clear water and its abundance of sharks and sea life. But this remote spot has only ever been fully explored once – back in 1971 by legendary ocean expert Jacques Cousteau himself. But what mysteries lie at the greatest depth of this ancient sink hole that is millions of years old? Discovery announced today it will take viewers to the bottom of the Blue Hole and document its findings in an all-new, 2-hour special called Discovery LIVE: Into The Blue Hole premiering Monday, December 3 at 2:30 AM on Discovery. The special will also air globally. A repeat of the show will be broadcast on the same night at 8:00 pm in India on Discovery and Discovery HD World. As a prelude to Discovery LIVE: Into the Blue Hole, Discovery and Discovery HD World will showcase a 3-hour special series ‘Revealed: Earth’s Unsolved Mysteries’ on December 02 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

    “Venturing into the unknown as well as exploring the world with new technology in the name of science and entertainment has always been at the core of Discovery’s DNA. We’re thrilled to be bringing such a major expedition to Discovery,” said, Scott Lewers, EVP Multiplatform Programming and Digital Media.

     The Blue Hole has never been mapped or even plotted – and while many speculate what is at the bottom – the exact answer remains unknown. To find out, Discovery has tapped a team of the world’s leading explorers who will venture down to its bottom in a fully-manned submersible.

     The on-board exploration team will include businessman/philanthropist Sir Richard Branson; explorer Fabien Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau; and Erika Bergman, the submersible’s pilot. The mission will be the very first time since 1971 that anyone has attempted such a feat.

     Discovery will pick up from where Cousteau left off – exploring the Blue Hole in real time and attempting to shed light on its many mysteries. The team will also have access to a fully equipped second submersible with additional lighting that will allow them – as well as viewers – to see as much as possible.

     The 2-hour special will also explore a variety of sea-related topics such as how the Blue Hole was created, how technology has evolved since Cousteau’s first mission, and will delve into the many legends surrounding this unique spot, which has attracted diving enthusiasts from around the globe.

     The broadcast, hosted by marine biologist Luke Tipple (featured on Discovery’s Shark Week) and presenter Chris Jacobs (host of TLC’s "Long Lost Family” and Velocity’s “Overhaulin'”), will document the team’s descent into the Blue Hole; however, that is not the only mission. Vessels will continue exploring the Blue Hole for 2 weeks after the dive and track the site. The data collected will help construct real-life models of the Blue Hole’s geographical features to help researchers and scientists from around the world understand how changing sea levels affected its formation and to provide key information about climate change patterns.