A much anticipated move is the Discovery Lifestyle Networks launch, expanding and rechristening its bouquet offering in Asia. The portfolio fortification began with India launching Discovery Travel and Living in October '04, ahead of the rest of the region. By Q2 2005, the portfolio will include Discovery Travel and Living (relaunch of Discovery Travel and Adventure), Discovery Home and Health (women focus) and Discovery Real Time (men and lifestyle focus).
At National Geographic Channel (NGC), it is interesting to watch how it is gradually expanding its core of nature and animals into more broad-based areas like structures and inventions; the erstwhile stronghold of Discovery. What makes this genre a popular is its unique nature of programming.
The sheer resources involved in the scale of productions make it difficult to find commercial viability in a single country, terrestrial TV context.
For the broad English-speaking pay-TV regional audience; TV viewing is increasingly becoming an act of 'suspending intellect'. To that end, this programming genre is evergreen, as it makes for some visually-arresting vicarious pleasures, from the comfort of the proverbial couch.