Beverly Hills, California – Discovery Communications announced on July 8 that it will rename Discovery Fit & Health to Discovery Life Channel (DLC), debuting on January 15, 2015. Profiling ordinary people in extraordinary situations, DLC presents an unfiltered look at real relationships – from patient and doctor to husband and wife or parent and child – while also emphasising people as they face hardships, take risks and, ultimately, persevere. Discovery Life Channel will fuse the most successful current programming from Discovery Fit & Health’s library of health, medical, and factual programming with new series that explore life’s unexpected challenges and the moments that really matter.
Currently in 47 million homes, DLC will target an audience of P25-54 with an emphasis on women. It will remain under the purview of Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, and Discovery Life Channel. Jane Latman will continue to serve as General Manager while retaining her post as SVP of Development for Investigation Discovery.
“This transition signifies Discovery’s commitment to providing audiences with the very best non-fiction content on television, and we are excited to unveil a reinvigorated network that aims to attract new viewers while delivering the high-quality and high-stakes programming our current audience loves,” said Schleiff. “Broadening to Discovery Life Channel gives us a chance to make bigger, bolder programming choices while always, central to our brand mission, revealing life at its most critical turning points.”
“Life is messy, life is beautiful, life is unpredictable. Discovery Life Channel showcases the resilience it takes to be human through incredibly relatable, profoundly personal stories that capture the full spectrum of human emotion,” said Latman. “More than just entertainment, our programming takes viewers on an authentic ride through life’s triumphs, troubles, and transformations while capturing the laughter – and the tears – that come along with it.”
Initially focusing on anthologies including Medical Mysteries at 8pm, Trauma Drama at 9pm, and Medical Incredible at 10pm, the network will profile baffling medical mysteries, extreme conditions and behaviours that show people facing life’s unplanned moments. Discovery Life Channel will continue to showcase network staples that are true fan favourites, such as Mystery Diagnosis, Medical Detectives, and Untold Stories of the ER, and will introduce new programming that showcases life-altering moments, whether medical, emotional, or psychological.
With more than 10 new series and specials in development, Discovery Life Channel is currently working with top industry producers for a full slate of original programming. Three initial titles in the development pipeline include:
Families on the Brink
There are many issues that can bring a family to a crisis point – whether it’s a black sheep, an eating disorder, or an addiction. This series follows one of the world’s most successful relationship experts as she works to bring families who are a falling apart back together again.
Ripped Kids
An increasing number of pre-teens are tossing aside the remote control and ice cream in exchange for dumbbells and a protein shake. This series profiles the world’s strongest kids as they compete for strength on stage, following the parents who are trying to raise them as typical kids back home.
Tales from the Maternity Ward
The most incredible true stories from inside the busiest delivery rooms in America are brought to life in Tales from the Maternity Ward. These are first-person accounts by real obstetricians, nurses, and neonatal staff as they relive their experiences with bizarre, mysterious and often humorous medical cases involving childbirth, labour and delivery.
Discovery Life Channel will remain the on-air destination for mental health, women’s health, babies and pregnancy, fitness, and overall wellness. Additional programming announcements and partnerships for Discovery Life Channel will be revealed in the coming months. The network will live online at DiscoveryLifeChannel.com.
