Discovery to Launch Green Initiative in Latin America

MIAMI, August 10: Discovery
Networks in Latin America will launch Descubre el Verde, a multiplatform
initiative promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle that kicks off with the premiere
of Planet Earth: The Future on the
Discovery Channel in the region tomorrow.

The announcement follows the
recent launch of Discovery Communications’ global multiplatform Planet Green
initiative, which includes the first 24/7 eco-lifestyle TV network, launching
in the U.S. in early 2008.

Descubre el Verde will launch
in Latin America through branded Planet Green programming specials, interactive
tools and dedicated Spanish and Portuguese online destinations, as well as the
region’s Discovery en La Escuela, an
educational programming block which airs Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to
12 p.m. on the Discovery Channel and is presented to schools free of charge.
The initiative will be supported by Discovery Communications’ $50-million
investment in original content that celebrates, preserves and protects the
environment.

Descubre el Verde will kick off
with the premiere of Planet Earth: The Future on Discovery Channel tomorrow at 8 p.m., which tells the stories behind
the astonishing images captured in the documentary mini-series Planet
Earth. In the fourth quarter of this year,
a Planet Green-branded programming block will launch on Discovery Channel, with
weekly encore presentations of popular programs. Additionally, Planet Green
programming blocks will launch on Animal Planet and Discovery Travel &
Living across the region in early 2008.

Programming will include
content on the environment, conservation, eco-design and organic living, as
well as the upcoming series Ten Ways to Save the Planet, which will premiere in 2008 and feature real
scientific experiments from around the globe that may help save the planet.
Descubre el Verde will also include original interstitials that will educate
viewers on small, everyday changes they can make to help preserve the planet
and promote an eco-friendly lifestyle.

The dedicated Spanish and
Portuguese online destinations will provide a forum for people curious about
their world and how they can make a difference, and will feature an array of
consumer resources including tools for measuring consumer’s carbon footprint;
relevant tips on how to “green” homes, cars, yards and offices; and reliable
status reports on climate change, polar melting, deforestation, endangered
species and the environment’s impact on animal behavior. This regional online
destination will become part of the soon-to-launch global planetgreen.com site.

Now in its tenth year, Discovery
en La Escuela will support the Descubre el
Verde initiative, beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, by exploring
themes that educate the students about their environment—climate,
temperatures, ecosystems and physics. Students will also learn how they affect
their environment and how they can contribute to the care and conservation of
their surroundings.

As part of the Planet Green
initiative, Discovery Communications is also creating an international advisory
board made up of the world’s most preeminent scientists, researchers,
innovators and environmental leaders. The Planet Green Advisory Board will advise and
support the company’s program development, partnership outreach and corporate
innovation activities. The company will also work with a broad coalition of
well-established partners to produce relevant and entertaining programming,
provide timely, reputable information, and inspire individuals to make a
difference. Discovery Networks will look for similar partners in Latin America
to help provide relevant information for their distinct audiences.

“Descubre el Verde reflects a growing demand for green
programming and resources tailored to the specific needs of Latin American
audiences,” said Enrique R. Martinez, the executive VP and managing director of
Discovery Networks Latin America. “The initiative further strengthens our
leadership in Latin America and establishes Discovery as a credible resource
for programming and information on eco-living and issues that impact our
environment.”