Nat Geo Wild Takes Fox Reality Slot

WASHINGTON D.C./LOS ANGELES: Nat Geo Wild is set to launch in the U.S. in the spring of 2010, taking the place of Fox Reality Channel and, like National Geographic Channel, to be operated as a joint venture of Fox Cable Networks (FCN) and National Geographic Ventures (NGV).

Nat Geo Wild, already well established internationally, will be available in the U.S. with standard and high-definition live feeds, alongside an on-demand offering. FCN will be offering platforms the opportunity to transition carriage of Fox Reality Channel’s nearly 50 million subscribers to Nat Geo Wild.

Rich Battista, the president of Fox National Cable Networks, said: "The domestic launch of Nat Geo Wild is another step in the strategic evolution of our national cable channels. We continually look to develop content extensions for our diverse portfolio of networks, and National Geographic is one of the world’s iconic brands—offering a slate of exceptional shows that can be enjoyed by the entire family."

Nat Geo Wild is the fastest-growing channel of the National Geographic portfolio of networks. It launched in August 2006 and is now available in Hong Kong, Singapore, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and other territories in Europe. Nat Geo Wild HD launched in the U.K. in March 2009 and is also available in Poland. Additional launches are expected globally. Geoff Daniels, the senior VP of development and production for National Geographic Channels International (NGCI), has been named executive in charge of programming for Nat Geo Wild, reporting to executive VPs of content for NGC and NGCI, Steve Burns and Sydney Suissa, respectively. Nat Geo Wild will be managed in the U.S. by Steve Schiffman as general manager.

David Haslingden, the CEO of National Geographic Channels Worldwide and Fox International Channels, commented: "Nat Geo Wild first launched over three years ago and has been extremely successful in Europe and Asia as natural history resonates across a wide range of demographics, cultures and nationalities. Technological developments, especially high definition, have allowed us to tell fantastic stories of our natural world in more compelling and engaging ways than ever before. I’m delighted the channel is coming to America and enormously optimistic about its growth here and around the world."

"National Geographic is dedicated to inspiring people to care about the planet by presenting the most compelling and visually dynamic science, exploration and history across all our media platforms," added John Fahey, the president and CEO of the National Geographic Society. "Wildlife programming is core to our brand and with the urgent conservation challenges facing wildlife, this is the right time for us to focus on what is a favorite genre for many."

Nat Geo Wild’s schedule is still being finalized, but premiere programs include Africa’s Lost Eden, Casey Anderson Programs, Rebel Monkeys, Mystery Gorilla and National Geographic’s Wildest Moments.