Discovery Channel Appoints Ken Schwab To Senior Vice President of Programming
November 4, 2008
(Silver Spring, Md.) Discovery Channel today announced the appointment of veteran television executive Ken Schwab to Senior Vice President, Programming, as a key position on the network's senior leadership team to begin in January 2009.
"With the appointment of Ken, the network's leadership team is further bolstered to be the best in the business," said John Ford, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel, to whom Schwab will report. "Ken's 14 years of experience at Turner and his time in public broadcasting make him a perfect programming executive to drive Discovery Channel forward. His proven track record and his deep knowledge of programming ensure that Ken will be a key player on the Discovery team."
In Schwab's new role at Discovery Channel, he will be responsible for planning, directing, and executing the programming strategy for the flagship brand. Working closely with Ford, Schwab will create a development and overall strategic plan and direction for the network. He will have oversight of all programming activities, including program planning, scheduling and programming budgets. In addition, he will work closely with new media to further integrate the content on both platforms. Schwab will also partner with the network's Development team to guarantee that all content aligns with corporate and division strategies.
Schwab joins Discovery Channel from his most recent post as senior vice president of programming for TBS and TNT, where he was responsible for oversight of all programming, scheduling and acquisition selection strategies for the two networks. Taking over TBS in 2003, Schwab revamped the network's line-up of top-rated comedies - Family Guy, The Office, My Name is Earl, and Tyler Perry's House of Payne - that is resulting in record ratings growth among young adult demos.
While at TNT, Schwab transformed the programming line-up with hall of fame dramas, such as Bones, Cold Case, Law & Order and ER, in conjunction with the network's "We Know Drama" branding. His aggressive programming moves resulted in five consecutive years of total-day wins and solid primetime growth among key demos.
In conjunction with the linear channels, Schwab also had oversight of the series programming for TBS and TNT's online destinations - tbs.com and tnt.tv -- with streaming and VOD tied to network strategy to ensure complementary offerings.
Prior to joining TNT, Schwab served as senior vice president of worldwide program planning and acquisitions for Turner Entertainment Group, where he identified and analyzed potential product for the networks worldwide. Most notable was the unprecedented output deal with DreamWorks SKG, in addition to being instrumental in the company's licensing of Law & Order.
Schwab joined Turner in 1994 where he developed and ran the programming department of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), designing the programming model for the acclaimed classic movie network hailed by critics and consumers alike as one of the most smartly scheduled networks on television.
Schwab joined Turner Broadcasting after a 10-year career in public broadcasting, holding various positions in programming scheduling and acquisitions.
About Discovery Channel
DISCOVERY CHANNEL (DSC) is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which reaches 98.1 million viewers in the US, can be seen in over 170 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.