Discovery Communications said it plans to help rebuild the tornado ravaged city of Greensburg, Kansas, with Leonardo DiCaprio as the centerpiece of the launch of its new Planet Green Channel.
“Eco Town,” a 13-part series, will be the “centerpiece of the launch of Planet Green,” David Zaslav, CEO of Discovery said at the Television Critics Association meeting in Los Angeles Friday.
The new channel is being created out of Discovery Home and will launch in the first quarter of next year with 50 million households.
Mr. DiCaprio will be one of the series’ executive producers.
Greensburg was destroyed by a tornado on May 4. The reconstruction will be done using environmentally friendly, energy efficient materials and technology.
The project was brought to Discovery by Mr. DiCaprio and Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films & Television.
Mr. Zaslav also said that Discovery will be spending more on the programming and marketing of the Science Channel next year. The company is also planning to launch international versions of Science Channel.
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Comments (4)
Discovery Communications et al. are dangerous idiots if they do nothing to ensure that highly tornado-resistant construction is used in rebuilding Greensburg. My web page (URL entered in your template) will link to information on it. I mailed City Manager Steve Hewitt an info packet & offer to work in all aspects of rebuilding 5/6/07; so far he has ignored me. So has the Governor. Discovery ought to know better, with its science bent. I have a B.A. in Geography & have studied tornado-resistant construction options most of my life; DiCaprio has no formal educational qualifications for this whatsoever. When the next tornado damages a rebuilt Greensburg, they can't say I didn't warn them - and give them info on options for better buildings. Where do you think resources for rebuilding come from - Mars? No, they come from the natural world on Earth, ultimately, even if they're recycled. If you want to do some reporting, ask those government officials about all my efforts at communication, education, and job applications.
Posted by Jean SmilingCoyote | July 14, 2007 6:51 PM
Cheers to Discovery Networks!
In the Northern California region, Green living has been a lifestyle for an increasing number of families who have migrated from Southern California and the Bay Area in pursuit of a more responsible way of living. Our small low power TV production crew has begun documenting these households in their daily routines of recycling, self-propelled transportation, and the use of solar energy. We look forward to sharing these stories with the Planet Green viewers in the near future.
Keep up the good work, Discovery!
Posted by DAVID JOLLIFFE | March 20, 2008 2:14 PM
Wow, Jean, get over yourself!
Posted by John | April 24, 2008 2:36 PM
I agree, get over yourself Jean. Maybe if we had built green and lived greener decades ago, tornados like the Greensburg tornado would not happen. Violent tornados are a result of the climate changes brought on by our own stupidity.
Posted by Jamie | May 13, 2008 12:59 PM