Discovery Channel India Celebrates 25 Yrs of Exploration & Curiosity

Throughout its 25-year history in India, Discovery Channel has held strong to its commitment to tell its viewers the most amazing stories, introduce them to some of the most fascinating people and creatures on the planet, and transport them to most breathtaking locations in the world. On August 15, 2020, Discovery will commemorate its 25th anniversary in India by hosting celebrations on air, online and in the heart of communities around the country. To mark the milestone, Discovery has launched a new campaign #KeepExploring with noted actor Rahul Bose doing the voice-over. The network is also unveiling a slew of blue-chip documentaries and specials across genres such as Adventure, Survival, Mystery, and Wildlife to celebrate the 25th anniversary. The breath-taking line-up for the next few months includes titles including ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls’, ‘Expedition Unknown’, ‘Savage Builds’, ‘Mysteries at the Museum’,’ Body Hack S3’ and ‘Walking The Elephants’ among many more.

“Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content. In these twenty-five years, Discovery has emerged as the foremost, the most trusted broadcaster in real-life entertainment in the country,” said, Megha Tata, Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery. “We are proud to say that Discovery has ignited the passion inside all of us to be curious, explore and be more engaged with the natural world.  We will further accelerate our efforts to showcase never-seen-before Premium Discovery titles, must-watch documentaries, India originals and exclusive acquisitions.”

“I have been a passionate Discovery watcher and fed hugely on science, travel and nature shows when the channel was initially launched in India. Being a part of this campaign took me down memory lane – How The Universe Works, Man vs Wild…I can go on,” said, Rahul Bose. “I love the thought #KeepExploring - because that’s what Discovery leads you to do - explore new places, new concepts, new ideas for the future that you never dreamt existed. It urges people to go beyond the limits of human imagination.”

Over the past 25 years, Discovery has launched iconic, all-time favorite shows, such as ‘Morgan Freeman’s Through The Wormhole’, ‘How The Universe Works’, ‘How It’s Made’, ‘How Do They Do It?’, ‘Storm Chasers’, ‘You Have Been Warned’, ‘Man Vs Wild’, ‘MythBusters’, ‘Expedition Unknown’, ‘Walking The Himalayas’, ‘River Monsters’ and ‘Gold Rush’ et al.

In India, the channel has launched series of impactful shows on Indian armed forces including ‘India’s Paratroopers – Earning the Badge’, ‘Revealed: LOC’,’ Battle Ops’, ‘Revealed: National Defence Academy’, ‘Revealed Siachen’, and 1965: India’s Battles and Heroes’  and Breaking Point franchise on ‘Air Force Academy’, ‘Indian Submariners’, ‘High Altitude Warfare School’, ‘Women Fighter Pilots’ and ‘Commando School Belgaum’.  Discovery’s ‘Man vs Wild with Prime Minister Modi’ is the highest rated show in the genre till date followed by ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls and Superstar Rajinikanth’.

Discovery Channel was launched in India on 15th August 1995.  India’s most trusted and leading infotainment channel is available in seven languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali. Discovery India, today, offers 14 channels, and has recently launched India’s first real-life entertainment streaming application Discovery Plus.

Discovery Channel and Discovery Plus To Capture Live Splashdown Return of SpaceX Crew Dragon on Aug 2

Discovery and Science Channel announced today it will capture the incredible live splashdown return of the NASA launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft after docking the past two months at the International Space Station (ISS). SPACE LAUNCH LIVE: SPLASHDOWN a multiplatform event, will air live on Sunday, August 2 at 22:30 hrs. on Discovery. Viewers can stream the HD version of the LIVE feed starting 23:00 hrs. on Discovery Plus.

This past May, Discovery and Science Channel worked with The Washington Post to document the first crewed mission from the United States since the end of the shuttle program in 2011. This successful NASA launch from Kennedy Space Center was a partnership between NASA and SpaceX, marking the first U.S. crewed mission to orbit on a privately built spacecraft. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley traveled to the ISS in the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, propelled by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. 

Scott Lewers, Executive Vice President of Multiplatform Programming, Factual & Head of Content, Science, said, “With the incredible access of The Washington Post, we spent over a year documenting SpaceX’s journey to become the first private company to launch American astronauts into space and we’re excited to see their safe return back to Earth. Our live coverage will take viewers inside their incredible journey home.”

This live event, capturing the first landing at sea for U.S. astronauts since 1975, is also made in partnership with The Washington Post and staff writer Christian Davenport, whose depth of experience allowed him to gain inside access to key players. Davenport is one of the country’s leading chroniclers of the space industry. His background and experience will add keen insight to the day’s event, as a co-host of the live broadcast. Davenport joined The Post in 2000 and was on a team that won a Peabody Award in 2010 for its work on veterans with traumatic brain injuries and has been on reporting teams that were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize three times. He is the author of two books, “The Space Barons: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos” (2018) and “As You Were: To War and Back with the Black Hawk Battalion of the Virginia National Guard” (2009). He has also served as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a fellow at the Alicia Patterson Foundation. 

“The Post has long covered this industry and continues to bring readers in-depth reporting on the new space endeavors with unparalleled access and compelling storytelling,” said Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, managing editor for The Washington Post.  “We are excited to once again partner with Discovery to deliver coverage of this historic event and bring our journalism to a live TV audience.” 

“We are honored to continue our partnership with Discovery and The Washington Post, to share this exhilarating new era in space exploration,” said Aaron Fishman, President of Unscripted at Storied Media Group. "The extraordinary cooperation we have received from NASA and SpaceX are reigniting enthusiasm in space among young and old audiences alike." 

The spacecraft is scheduled to splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean and would successfully conclude NASA and SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission. Temperatures on the return can spike up to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit on the exterior of the spacecraft due to the friction caused during re-entry. Regarding the spaceship’s return, SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk noted, “I think there’s an argument that the return is more dangerous in some ways than the ascent.”

Discovery and Discovery Plus’ live coverage will have unprecedented coverage of the spacecraft’s return as well as expert commentary from current and former astronauts, including Mike Massimino and Garrett Reisman, top engineers and other special guests, including adventurer and avid explorer Josh Gates.

TV personality Chris Jacobs will pick up where he left off as host of the live return. Jacobs has a long history with Discovery network live events, reporting live on-the-ground for EXPEDITION UNKNOWN: EGYPT LIVE as well as serving as the digital host during Nik Wallenda’s tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon in SKYWIRE LIVE and in Chicago for SKYSCRAPER LIVE. Jacobs was host for DISCOVERY LIVE: INTO THE BLUE HOLE, CHOPPER LIVE, GOLD RUSH LIVE and the live broadcast of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction for Velocity (now MotorTrend). In addition, he is the regular host for TLC’s LONG LOST FAMILY and serves as host of the popular automotive makeover show OVERHAULIN’ on MotorTrend.

Emmy Award-winning journalist David Kerley will also return as part of the reporting team. Kerley reported on aviation, railroads, the automobile industry and space for all ABC News broadcast and digital properties, including World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, ABC News Radio and ABCNews.com. His work has been recognized with Peabody and Edward R. Murrow awards as well as the prestigious Joan Barone award from the Capitol Hill Radio and Television Correspondents Association.

In addition to watching the return on Discovery at 22:30 hrs, Viewers can stream the HD version of the LIVE feed starting 23:00 hrs on Discovery Plus.Fans can also create photos and videos of themselves in space wearing life-like SpaceX helmets using Discovery’s Space Filter on Facebook or Instagram. Follow Discovery on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for the latest updates and join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #Splashdown. 

SPACE LAUNCH LIVE: SPLASHDOWN is produced for Discovery Channel by Storied Media Group. Executive producers for Storied Media Group are Aaron Fishman, Todd Hoffman and Michael J. Miller. For Discovery and Science Channel, Executive Producers are Gretchen Eisele, Scott Lewers and Caroline Perez. To learn more, go to www.discovery.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/discovery and on Twitter @Discovery.

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. 

Virat Kohli’s Apparel Line Wrogn and Animal Planet to Creatively Shine Light on Cause of Endangered Species

USPL’s apparel line Wrogn, in association with India’s leading wildlife channel Animal Planet, is launching a new collection - Animal Planet X WROGN. The apparel range aims to shine light on the cause of endangered species in a never-before-seen-or-done manner. Conceptualised by Black White Orange, Animal Planet’s licensing arm, each style in the range portrays an endangered animal including the Tiger, Sea Turtle, Gorilla, Sumatran Elephant and Panda, amongst others.

“I’ve been associated with Wrogn since inception and we take some exciting initiatives season after season. I couldn’t be happier that Wrogn is taking a step in the direction of creating awareness around animal endangerment.” Said, Virat Kohli, the face of WROGN.

Speaking about the collaboration, Megha Tata Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery, said, “Animal Planet has been striving hard to drive attention towards the importance of saving the endangered species in impactful ways. We are confident that this innovative collaboration with WROGN for this inspirational apparel line will help in spreading the message of conservation of endangered species as well as the wildlife.”

Speaking about the collaboration, Anjana Reddy - CEO, Universal Sportsbiz Pvt. Ltd said, “Animal endangerment is real. It’s a pressing issue and I’m aware that it really bothers the youth all over the world. We like the essence of this collaboration with Animal Planet as it enables people to wear their cause that they feel so strongly about and spread the word at the same time. The Rorschach art design is very interesting and hard to miss.”

Adds Bhavik Vora, Founder & CEO, Black White Orange Brands Pvt. Ltd, “In the tough times the world is going through, it is important to build something relevant. What better way to spread awareness on endangered species among the youth of today, than collaborate with leading players in the segment - WROGN and Animal Planet. We worked closely with the Animal Planet team for almost a year, to conceptualize the art that you see on the range and it's fantastic to see it come to life."  

The Animal Planet X WROGN apparel will be available in over 250 counters across retail channels like Shoppers Stop, Central, Pantaloons, WROGN’s exclusive stores, Myntra.com and on www.Wrogn.in.

Fujifilm India Organizes Virtual Workshop ‘Xperience’ with Commercial Photographer Zack Arias

Fujifilm India Private Limited, a pioneer in imaging technologies is organizing a Virtual Workshop ‘Xperience’ with Commercial photographer Zack Arias. The workshop will be hosted by Radhakrishnan Chakyat, Commercial Photographer and founder of Pixel Viilage YouTube Channel and go live on Fujifilm’s YouTube handle on 24 July at 7pm.

To inspire the passionate photographers at home, the company has invited Zack Arias to share his journey in photography and his amazing experiences with Fujifilm's range of cameras and lenses. Zack is an Atlanta-based editorial and commercial photographer who belongs to the growing circle of photographers enthused by the new camera. He started enjoying photography when he was about 15 years old and has been pursuing it as a career for over twenty years.

Zack started his journey with Fujifilm X100 camera and has been using it to travel the world.  With his excellent photography skills, he cherishes the Fujifilm range of cameras for their incredibly sharp lens, seamless performance, incredibly handy grip that it offers to all travelers. During the ‘Xperience’ webinar, Zack will be sharing his journey with Fujifilm and giving advice on how to choose the right gear for first-time buyers and professional photographers in the country.

Commenting on the webinar, Mr. Arun Babu, General Manager Electronic Imaging and Optical Devices Division, Fujifilm India Pvt Ltd, said, “As majority of the country's workforce is working from home, we at Fujifilm believe that it is essential to find leisure time during these challenging times. We have associated with renowned photographers such as Zack Arias and Radhakrishnan Chakyat to share insights, support our passionate customers through these educational sessions and help them dive deeper into photography and videography skills during their time at home.”

With this workshop, Fujifilm aims to teach various kinds of photography styles ranging from wedding, documentary, fashion and commercial photography to even shooting videos. Join the experts in discovering & sharing new techniques, smart tips, great fun and true passion.

Don't miss this opportunity! Mark your calendar to register yourself at https://fujifilmxindia.com/events/ffw51/  and login Fujifilm YouTube handle.

Is NetApp Set To Acquire Data Domain?

Storage vendor NetApp will acquire Data Domain that specializes in disk-based heterogenous back-up. Data Domain's portfolio will extend NetApp's ability to compete in the increasing number of installations wanting to minimize their reliance on tape.

Under the agreement that NetApp and Data Domain have entered into, NetApp will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Data Domain for $25 per share in cash and stock. The transaction is valued at approximately $1.5 billion.

"This combination is a great opportunity for both NetApp and Data Domain," said Dan Warmenhoven, chairman and CEO of NetApp.

"Data Domain is an innovative high-growth company with a complementary product line ideally suited for multi-vendor environments where customers want to minimize their use of tape for backup. NetApp has the distribution channels and international reach to offer Data Domain products to more customers, accelerating growth and market adoption. The combination of our two companies will increase NetApp's reputation for delivering both outstanding efficiency and operational breakthroughs to customers worldwide."

NetApp intends to operate Data Domain as a product line within NetApp's product operations organization. The Data Domain sales organization will be integrated with NetApp sales to maximize momentum and access new accounts.

"Notwithstanding the rapid record sales growth Data Domain has experienced over the past 5 years, with NetApp's distribution channel and customer base, we have an opportunity to accelerate even further," said Frank Slootman, president and CEO of Data Domain.

The Data Domain portfolio brings a complementary offering to NetApp, expanding NetApp's reach in the market for heterogeneous disk-based backup. Data Domain's portfolio will extend NetApp's ability to compete in the increasing number of installations wanting to minimize their reliance on tape. The Data Domain acquisition increases NetApp's ability to capitalize on the growth of disk-based backup adoption, especially as data deduplication gains traction.

cxotoday.com