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DISCOVERY EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEER TO MAKE AN IMPACT ACROSS THE WORLD

3,000 Employees Across Five Continents will Volunteer in more than 140 Activities that Benefit the Land, Water and People of Our Planet

June 14, 2011

Contact - Tammy Shea
VP, Corporate Communications
240.662.6506

(Silver Spring, Md.) - On June 17, Discovery Communications, the world's #1 nonfiction media company, will host its second annual Discover Your Impact Day, a company-wide volunteer effort led by Discovery's workforce. Employees in more than 20 countries and 35 offices will roll up their sleeves and work in teams to give back to their local communities.  Together, employees honor founder and chairman, John Hendricks' original vision to make a difference by giving back to the source of Discovery's greatest stories and most stunning images, our world.

"Discover Your Impact Day harnesses the generosity and collective power of our employees to make a difference around the globe," said President and CEO, David Zaslav. "Discovery's greatest assets are our talented, creative employees who are passionate about supporting the communities where they work and live. This initiative is another great example of that continued commitment."

At more than 140 project sites across five continents, Discovery volunteers will contribute their time and energy by building community gardens, working with animals, serving veterans and refurbishing local schools and community facilities. Highlights from some of the projects taking place around the world include:

  • Silver Spring: Nearly 1,100 employees will work at 40 different sites in and around Discovery's global headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. One group of employees will spend the day at the Armed Services Retirement Home, organizing and throwing an outdoor picnic for the residents. Paul Brown of Discovery Channel's Auction Kings will join another group of employees at Martha's Table revitalizing the building's exterior. Other employees will spend time painting and landscaping at three local YMCAs in Silver Spring, Ayrlawn and Bethesda. TLC's DC Cupcakes sisters, Katherine Kallinis and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, will work alongside 100 volunteers at historic Glen Echo Park to assist with landscaping and summer restoration projects.
  • Los Angeles: Three teams of employees will spend the day volunteering at local nonprofit organizations, including a group joined by Ariel Tweto of Discovery Channel's Flying Wild Alaska, who will be painting and beautifying the campus of Fair Avenue Elementary School.
  • London: Fifteen groups of employees will dispatch to different sites in and around London to support local community groups. One team will spend the day cleaning and painting the facilities at Clean Break, a fringe theater company that offers education, support and advocacy for at risk women.
  • Romania: Employees in the Romania office will travel to the Carpathian Mountains to work at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary constructing a new enclosure for rescued bears.
  • Denmark: In partnership with the Red Cross, employees based in Copenhagen will spend the day fishing with 40 children from a local orphanage. Fishing experts from "Fisk & Fri" magazine will join the event to give pointers and fish with the children and employees.
  • China: Employees have partnered with the Love Zere Welfare Foundation to accompany a group of orphans affected by the 2010 earthquake in Quighai Province for a day of sightseeing and fun in the Forbidden City.
  • Mexico: In partnership with TEAMS, a local community-based organization, employees will build bicycles to be delivered to children from local rural areas, providing transportation to attend school.

Images can be found at:

http://press.discovery.com/us/discovery-corporate/programs/discover-your-impact-day/

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 200 countries. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 130-plus worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as US joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net, the first 24-hour 3D network. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools and owns and operates a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

About Discovery Impact

Through its Discovery Impact programs, Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCAB, DISCK) leverages the power of its brands, businesses and employees to give back to the world. From programming that inspires and educates to annual events that make a direct impact on the communities in which we live and work, Discovery strives to celebrate, support and sustain the majesty of the earth's people, animals and natural beauty. For more information about how Discovery is making an impact, please visit: http://impact.discovery.com.