The Age of Discovery
Note: A slightly different version of this post originally appeared on my Blogger site on June 20th, 2005.
Chief executive Judith A. McHale of Discovery Communications Inc.
Annys Shin, writing in the Washington Post, provides a fascinating and insightful glimpse into the "exotic" and apparently quite profitable strategy of The Discovery Channel, now 20 years old.
According to Shin, the runaway success of shows like American Chopper, Virtual History, and MythBusters is attributable not to luck but to coherent strategic vision, one Discovery's CEO, Judith McHale, describes as "conservatively aggressive". As the article spells it out, the strategy includes a judicious mix of overseas expansion, related and unrelated diversification, a focused product/market scope, targeted acquisitions, and perhaps most importantly, the creation of compelling content:
If only all twenty year olds were as well-adjusted, globally aware, and goal-directed!
myth busters ceo executives
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Chief executive Judith A. McHale of Discovery Communications Inc.
Annys Shin, writing in the Washington Post, provides a fascinating and insightful glimpse into the "exotic" and apparently quite profitable strategy of The Discovery Channel, now 20 years old.
According to Shin, the runaway success of shows like American Chopper, Virtual History, and MythBusters is attributable not to luck but to coherent strategic vision, one Discovery's CEO, Judith McHale, describes as "conservatively aggressive". As the article spells it out, the strategy includes a judicious mix of overseas expansion, related and unrelated diversification, a focused product/market scope, targeted acquisitions, and perhaps most importantly, the creation of compelling content:
(McHale attributes) the company's success to several strategic decisions, including an early move to own its content, which allowed Discovery to expand internationally and into other media, and a later choice to stick to factual programming and not be "distracted" by offering traditional entertainment.
The advantage of sticking to the stories of bugs or motorcycle makers, McHale said, is that by doing so, Discovery "taps into a common human characteristic to explore places and to say, 'I didn't know that.' "
If only all twenty year olds were as well-adjusted, globally aware, and goal-directed!
myth busters ceo executives
Open Track Backed At:
Cao's Blog
Jo's Cafe
Outside the Beltway
10ft2ft