The Discovery Channel has a new boss and he’s hoping to change the face of the network. First order of business: make sure the Eaten Alive fiasco never happens again.
During the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena on Thursday, Discovery president Rich Ross said that “authenticity” will be the key word for the new direction of the network. “It’s really important that we look into this incredible brand and make sure that’s what we stand for,” Ross said, reports TheWrap.
Eaten Alive promised that host Paul Rosolie would actually be eaten alive by an anaconda, but last month’s live special didn’t deliver that. Discovery later had to defend the special, noting that Rosolie’s true mission was to raise awareness for the Amazon rainforest and its wildlife. Rosolie himself told Jimmy Kimmel that people complaining “missed the point.”
But Ross admitted to reporters Thursday that the promotion of the show was “misleading.”
“I don’t believe you’ll be seeing a person being eaten by a snake in my time [at the channel],” Ross added.
According to Variety, Ross is also hoping to expand Discovery’s audience beyond men. He also wants to bring more scripted limited series to the network, an effort to be overseen by producer John Goldwyn. John Hoffman, who worked on HBO documentaries, has been brought in to help bring in better produced documentaries.
image of Rich Ross courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFevents.com