Discovery adds drama veteran

Discovery Channel in the US has appointed a veteran film and TV producer who previously worked on Showtime’s Dexter to help oversee the network’s scripted offering.

John Goldwyn becomes an executive producer and will work closely with Rich Ross on new content following his recent appointment as Discovery president.

Goldwyn was most recently an exec producer on Gracepoint for Fox, and also formed his own prodco Michael/Goldwyn Productions with Lorne Michaels.

“John is a true visionary and over his nearly 30-year career has demonstrated a proven ability to connect with a diverse range of audiences spanning both film and television,” Ross said.

Discovery has been steadily ramping up its interest in scripted over the past 18 months, having aired Klondike in 2014, and ordering Civil War drama The West from Sundance Productions.

Factual drama content has become big business for factual channels, with Hatfields & McCoys and Vikings smashing ratings records on History, and Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy doing likewise for National Geographic Channel.