Discovery Communications Inc. is forming an integrated travel-media business that will include Travel Channel, online assets including Travel’s site (travel.discovery.com), recently announced broadband offering Travel Channel Beyond and on-demand and mobile platforms, officials said Wednesday.
Discovery Travel Media will be the company’s first business unit that combines all assets related to a single category into a vertically integrated organizational structure.
“Discovery Travel Media will better target audiences who are spending more and more time online,” DCI CEO Judith McHale said in a prepared statement. “This segment is growing rapidly and is currently underserved. Research shows that Discovery and its related assets outpace other media brands for trusted travel information, and Discovery Travel Media is well-positioned to provide travelers with the information and services they want and need.”
Pat Younge, Travel Channel’s executive vice president and general manager, will become full business manager for Discovery Travel Media. Younge will continue to report to Discovery Networks U.S. president Billy Campbell, and Discovery Travel Media will operate as part of the networks operation. The transition is effective immediately.
“Travel Channel is now in more than 84 million U.S. cable homes, so to be able to systematically leverage our unequaled travel-video archive across a range of high-growth media platforms affords us the opportunity to further build brand awareness and develop new revenue drivers,” Younge said in a prepared statement.
“In the coming months, we will be aggressively exploring partnerships with a range of major travel-service aggregators, as well as acquisitions of aligned businesses, as we build out the assets of Discovery Travel Media,” Younge added.
