HGTV hires programming pair

HGTV has brought in execs from fellow US cablenet Investigation Discovery (ID) and New Zealand producer NHNZ to bolster its programming and scheduling teams.

Liz Brach

Sara Burns has joined the home and lifestyle network from Discovery stablemate ID as senior VP of scheduling and programme strategy, while Liz Brach has arrived from factual-focused prodco NHNZ as senior director of programming.

Based in New York and reporting to Julie Taylor, senior VP of US scheduling and programme strategy, Burns will steer HGTV’s long-term programming planning and spearhead collaborative efforts between its various teams.

Burns was part of the ID launch team in 2008 when it was rebranded from Discovery Times Channel. She served as director of programming and manager of programming for both ID and Military Channel.

Sara Burns

Brach, meanwhile, will report to Betsy Ayala, senior VP of programming and development. She will develop and supervise series and specials for the channel, which became part of the Discovery portfolio when the factual giant bought out Scripps Networks Interactive.

At NHNZ, Brach was VP of production and development for the company’s US clients, including Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic and PBS. Prior to joining NHNZ, she was senior director of development and programming for Discovery Networks International, where she oversaw development and production of global series and specials.