Video Interview: Discovery’s Luis Silberwasser

NEW YORK: Luis Silberwasser, the executive VP and chief content officer for Discovery Networks International (DNI), talks about TLC’s international rollout, as well as the strategy for local markets.

Although based in Miami, Silberwasser is in charge of the company’s recently created production and development unit dedicated to developing global content for Discovery’s portfolio of international networks in 210 countries and territories worldwide. In this role, he taps into his previous experience as senior VP of the content group for Discovery Networks Latin America/US Hispanic.

As he explains in this video interview, he is very focused on rolling out TLC internationally, particularly in Europe. The channel is on its way to being in 75 different markets and reaching 100 million subscribers by the end of this year. TLC International includes shows from the U.S. channel but it will also need content that resonates locally.

To that end, as Silberwasser explains, his team has very quickly ramped up its development efforts and there is already local production going on in Poland and Sweden, with Russia in the future.