McHale Steps Down at Discovery

SILVER SPRING, August 2: Judith
McHale will step down as the president and CEO of Discovery Communications
on December 1 in order to “participate more directly in discussions related to
critical domestic and global issues,” the company said in a statement.

McHale will continue to
advise founder and chairman John
S. Hendricks on all of Discovery’s education business initiatives and will
continue to serve in a voluntary capacity as the chairman of the Discovery
Channel Global Education Partnership. "Judith McHale is one of the world’s
most talented executives, a media pioneer who has become a thought leader on so
many issues that concern our nation and our planet," said Hendricks.
"Throughout her distinguished career at Discovery, Judith has made an
unparalleled contribution towards making Discovery the phenomenal business
success and force for good it has become. The Discovery brand and our services
around the world are more respected and acclaimed than ever. Ratings and revenues
are up. Our education initiatives have launched and are a key part of our
future success, and our multiplatform strategy is propelling Discovery as an
industry leader."

"I am enormously
proud of all that we at Discovery have achieved together," said McHale.
"When I first came to Discovery, we were a small company with great
ambitions. Today we are the leading provider of factual media in the world with
over 100 networks distributed to over one billion subscribers in 170 countries.
In addition, we have expanded our efforts to reach consumers with the trusted
knowledge-based products and services they need to help navigate this
increasingly complex world."

Discovery will conduct a
search of both internal and external candidates for a new CEO to succeed McHale.
Discovery’s shareholder representatives from Discovery Holding Company,
Advance/Newhouse Communications and Cox Communications will serve on the
Discovery CEO Search Committee, which Hendricks will chair.