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Discovery Reorganizes, Appoints Exec to Oversee Two Flagship Networks

Jan 12, 2011  •  Post A Comment

Discovery Communications has reorganized its management structure, including picking an executive to fill the newly created position of group president, Discovery and TLC Networks, the company announced today.

The new post will be filled by Eileen O’Neill, it was announced by President and CEO David Zaslav.

“Eileen is a home-grown Discovery talent with a 21-year track record of success that is nothing short of astounding,” Zaslav said. “Each network she led has been infused with creativity, innovation and content that breaks through the clutter of the television landscape. Most recently, her big, bold swings at TLC have transformed that network and driven it into the top 10 for women with an incredible 31 series averaging more than 1 million viewers in 2010.”

Discovery Channel President and General Manager Clark Bunting will report to O’Neill, as will TLC Chief Operating Officer Edward Sabin, who is serving as interim General Manager of TLC, the company said in its announcement.

Hit shows developed under O’Neill’s tenure as president and general manager of TLC include “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” “Sister Wives” and “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.”

Also announced today was the promotion of Marjorie Kaplan to president of Animal Planet and Science Networks. Science Channel General Manager Debbie Myers will report to Kaplan.

Henry Schleiff, president and general manager of Investigation Discovery and Military Networks, adds new responsibilities for Discovery’s Emerging Networks, Planet Green and FitTV, with Laura Michalchyshyn, president and general manager, reporting to him while the company develops a strategy to move these networks toward future growth.

One Comment

  1. In the last four years, I’ve had four, (yes, that’s four), different General Managers at Discovery Channel. David Zaslav fires them all. The last one, Clark Bunting was by far the worst. Poor Clark doesn’t have an original idea in his head, preferring to hide at the gym “perfecting” his karate “expertise”. The biggest mistake Clark made was to surround himself with even bigger idiots who directly reported to him. These SVPs and EVPs single handedly drained all the creative energy and vision out of the network – while Clark sat in his office whining and berating the employees who were trying to save Discovery and himself. I’ve never worked for a more deceitful and mean spirited person, who was so uninspiring to work for that I’m surprised he lasted the full year. Clark didn’t even stay and help when a crazed killer entered the Discovery building last spring. Instead Clark abandoned his team and drove away – WITHOUT TAKING ANYONE WITH HIM! It’s Discovery’s dirty secret that Clark Bunting was the only person who did this. But that’s Clark, our fearless leader.
    I want to welcome Eileen O’Neill to Discovery Channel with open arms. Not only because she is a genius and a fearless programmer and surrounds herself with sharp top management, but because she is not Clark Bunting.

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