INTERNET CELEBRITY PHILIP DEFRANCO TAPPED BY DISCOVERY TO HOST 'SHARK WEEK' PROGRAMMING EVENT DRIVEN ENTIRELY BY SOCIAL MEDIA
– DeFranco to Also Host Anniversary Countdown Special ‘SHARK WEEK’S 25 BEST BITES’ –
July 25, 2012
(Silver Spring, Md.) — To celebrate 25 years of the pop culture phenomenon SHARK WEEK, Discovery Channel is putting viewers in control with YouTube Celebrity Philip DeFranco at the helm. For the first time ever, fans on social media will determine what appears on Discovery Channel in “Shark Week Chompdown.” Beginning Sunday, August 12th at 9PM – the kickoff of the 25th anniversary of SHARK WEEK – fans can take to Twitter and SHARK WEEK’S Facebook page to vote on which item a massive mechanical megalodon shark – featured in the show “Sharkzilla” – will crush with its huge hydraulic jaws.
Philip DeFranco, of The Philip DeFranco Show on Revision3 will host the nightly event, asking people to Tweet their votes using hashtags that will appear on the screen and to vote through a live poll on Facebook. The results will be tabulated and the item garnering the most votes that night will fall victim to the shark’s 6” long razor-sharp teeth and crushed to bits for all the country to see.
DeFranco will also host “Shark Week’s 25 Best Bites” on Thursday, August 16th at 10PM E/P. The one-hour program is a jaw-dropping look back at the greatest breaches, bites, and brushes with the ocean’s apex predator. DeFranco takes viewers on a fast-paced ride “Into the Shark Bite,” with “Sharks After Dark,” living through a “Sharkbite Summer” and how to protect oneself from a “Great White Appetite.” From shark attacks to never-before-seen camera angles, and featuring insights from some of the veteran wildlife filmmakers behind the shots, the countdown culminates with the greatest shot in SHARK WEEK history.
Tune in to the Discovery Channel on Sunday, August 12th to celebrate 25 years of the ocean’s apex predator taking over the network – and don’t say we didn’t warn you!
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.1 million U.S. homes, can be seen in over 180 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.7 billion cumulative subscribers in 209 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through more than 147 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 Revision3. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.