Discovery Science gets facelift

Discovery Networks EMEA will roll out a new look and schedule for its Discovery Science channel across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in June.

Following a similar relaunch in the US, Discovery will rebrand the channel with a 3D logo and on-air idenity and premiere a raft of programmes across Benelux, the Nordics, North and South-East Europe, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa from June 1.

The eight-part series Prophets of Science Fiction, directed by Ridley Scott, will get its international premiere on the channel.

Also airing for the first time across EMEA is scientific adventure series Stuck With Hackett, as well as all-new Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman and Headrush, featuring Kari Byron from Mythbusters.

Paul Welling, senior VP and head of channels at Discovery Networks Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, told C21 the move was part of a drive to make science more entertaining and less “dry,” led by on-screen talent.

He said: “The thinking behind it is that science can be entertaining and we want to take it out of the classroom. The new branding is based around science being everywhere.

“When we put talent on screen they have to be passionate experts, they have to be characters with expertise.

“The majority of content will be from the US mother brand but we are introducing a lot more tailoring of local content, so we are looking for local faces to front shows and make Science feel closer and more local to the audience. We’re also taking content from third parties, such as The Gadget Show World Tour [from Channel 5 in the UK]. ”

Discovery Science is currently available to 68 million households across the globe. A similar redesign and relaunch of the Polish version will follow later this year.