Discovery Hires Bart Palmer As SVP Media Engineering
-- Joins Unified Global Media Technology Team --
October 11, 2007
(Silver Spring, MD) Discovery Communications today announced the appointment of veteran technology executive Bart Palmer as Senior Vice President, Media Engineering, in a move that completes a new, unified structure for the company’s global media operations team.
“We are creating a more efficient and cost-effective global operation, to achieve greater financial margins while delivering the highest quality programming around the world,” said John Honeycutt, Chief Media Technology Officer, to whom Palmer will report. “Bart is a proven executive with the right experience and skills to assume a key role in this streamlined structure for our network and technical operations.”
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to work across the global infrastructure Discovery uses to reach its worldwide audience,” Palmer said. “I look forward to seamlessly delivering the programming that makes Discovery the number-one nonfiction media company in the world.”
Palmer is responsible for efficiently linking broadcast and production centers globally, for engaging with production suppliers, and for overseeing Discovery’s ongoing move away from video tape and toward digital files. Discovery operates broadcast centers in Sterling, Va., for program distribution in the United States, and in Miami, London and Singapore for international program distribution.
Palmer recently was Senior Vice President of Engineering/Chief Technical Officer at Media-Comm/The Inspiration Networks in Charlotte, N.C., where he ran corporate and IT support services for three domestic networks and one international network. Earlier, Palmer was Director of Engineering at Fox Sports Network in Houston, where he oversaw a massive media technology infrastructure for 23 regional sports networks.
Additionally, Discovery announced the following promotions and changes in duties, all part of the reorganization process enacted by Honeycutt:
- Don Johnson to Senior Vice President, U.S. Media Operations. Johnson oversees domestic U.S. broadcast operations in Sterling, Va., as well as post-production and media logistics and operations at the Discovery technology center in Silver Spring. Johnson was promoted from Vice President, Network Operations.
- John Miller to Senior Vice President, Technology and Distribution. Miller leads two key teams: affiliate technology, and professional media technology research. He also is responsible for global satellite distribution strategy. Miller was promoted from Vice President, Technology and Distribution.
- Bob Sitrick, Senior Vice President of Live Events and Special Productions, to the Media Technology, Production and Operations team headed by Honeycutt.
- Tom Juska, Vice President of Media Management, to lead Discovery’s transition from physical media to digital file management. Juska also has responsibility for media asset management within the library at the Silver Spring technology center.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Through TV and digital media, Discovery's 100-plus worldwide networks include Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The Science Channel, Discovery Health and HD Theater. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Co. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.