DISCOVERY PROMOTES SCOTT LEWERS AND JENNIFER WILLIAMS TO KEY EXECUTIVE ROLES
September 19, 2018
Discovery Channel announced today it has promoted two executives from within. Scott Lewers has been upped to Executive Vice President of Multiplatform Programming and Digital Media. Jennifer Williams will now serve in the newly-created role of Executive Vice President of Global Talent Management and Brand Strategy and Operations, Discovery and Factual.
“Scott and Jennifer know what it takes for a network to run successfully,” said Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery and Factual. “I’m thrilled to have Scott take on an even greater creative role as we build out our multiplatform and digital strategy. Jennifer has been my go-to person across the various network business areas, and I greatly rely on her strong and strategic point of view.”
Lewers, who most recently served as Senior Vice President of Multi-Platform Programming and Digital Media at TLC, will now be responsible for Discovery’s content strategy and schedule, research/insights, multiplatform live content and pre-shows as well as the overall digital strategy for Discovery and Science Channel.
While at TLC, Lewers helped drive many of the network’s most innovative efforts including ‘bingeable’ nights of premiere television and driving growth in prime-time viewing of nearly 20 percent. He also developed the first digital original series on TLCGo, “90 Day Fiancé: What Now?” and the successful launch of TLC’s first original series with Snapchat, “Royal Wedding.”
Prior to TLC, Lewers served as Discovery Channel’s Senior Vice President of Programming, responsible for overseeing all aspects of program planning for Discovery Channel and spearheaded new types of content for the network, including Shark After Dark, a live late-night talk show airing during Shark Week. He has also championed Discovery’s digital content, such as the record-breaking Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda, which won an Emmy® for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Multiplatform Storytelling. He also received a 2012 Sports Emmy® Award for Outstanding New Approaches Sports Event Coverage for his part in the team effort in bringing to Discovery Channel, Space Jump Live, Felix Baumgartner’s death-defying leap from space to Earth.
Before joining Discovery, Lewers held senior programming roles at Oxygen Media/NBCU and Lifetime Entertainment. Lewers will continue to be based in Los Angeles and report directly to Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery and Factual.
Williams most recently served as Head of Global Talent Management and Operations, leading a team that oversees over 2,000 of Discovery Communications’ on-air talent around the globe. In her new role, she will now lead the Global Talent Management and Operations teams in New York, Los Angeles, Maryland, Knoxville and London supporting Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel as well as Eurosport and Discovery’s International brands, among others. Williams’ long-established talent management career includes working on such iconic Discovery series as Gold Rush, Deadliest Catch, MythBusters, Alaskan Bush People, Fast N’ Loud, Shark Week, Alaska The Last Frontier; Animal Planet’s The Crocodile Hunter; and TLC’s Cake Boss, Trading Spaces, Say Yes to the Dress, The Little Couple, Kate Plus 8, Counting On and Sister Wives.
As a key member of the executive team, Williams will also be responsible for developing and driving the network’s Factual (Discovery Channel and Science Channel) overarching business strategies and operational efficiencies, serving as a key network partner and liaison for Ad Sales, Finance, Distribution and Digital as well as leading and executing special projects and developing partnership opportunities.
Williams will also expand her leadership by managing the strategic alignment of all revenue-related functions (including Ad Sales, Affiliate Sales, International and Finance) and oversee alignment of business needs and strategies related to production, content, rights, talent and time-buys. In this unique role, she will also help connect various business areas to ensure continuity and work closely with the various business areas and outside producers, agents and related talent across each of the networks. She will also evaluate brand strategies and priorities as well as act as the operational lead on all key corporate initiatives.
Williams’ career with Discovery has spanned more than 20 years, where she has worked across various business divisions including Legal Affairs drafting affiliate deals, then Business Affairs for over 10 years negotiating and drafting production and talent deals before launching the Global Talent Management and Operations Team at Discovery.
She will be based in New York City, and dual report to both Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery and Factual, as well as David Leavy, Chief Corporate Operations and Communications Officer for Discovery Communications.
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 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, 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 leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.