INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY'S 2009-10 UPFRONT PROGRAMMING SLATE SATISFIES AUDIENCES WHO CRAVE MYSTERIES AND APPRECIATE GRIPPING STORYTELLING
� #1 Fastest-Growing Non-News Cable Network for Women 25-54 Builds Upon Its Success With Dynamic Slate of Original and Returning Series �
(New York, NY.) � Launched in January, 2008, Investigation Discovery is the premier destination, on air and online, for fact-based investigative content that draws audiences to the edge of their seats by unraveling the truth behind real-life mysteries. In its first year, the network launched 16 series, becoming the fastest growing network among its target audience, Women 25-54, for delivery in both primetime and total day, and ranking second for Women 18-49.1 This tremendous audience response also translated to the second highest length of tune in ad supported cable2 and engagement measures at the top of the industry.3
"Investigation Discovery has filled a void in the U.S. cable marketplace, delivering the highest-quality programming focused on fascinating stories of perseverance, courage and justice," said Clark Bunting, president and general manager of Discovery Emerging Networks. "This Upfront season, ID builds upon its success by partnering with top-tier talent, including entertainment icon Whoopi Goldberg and journalist Paula Zahn, to create brand-definitional programming that challenges our viewers on important issues shaping our culture and defining our world."
Honoring the valor and courage of selfless professionals ranging from emergency dispatch operators to law enforcement officers, as well as everyday heroes who unexpectedly rise to help people in need, Investigation Discovery's stories celebrate courage, justice and the human spirit.
Highlights of Investigation Discovery's 2009-10 upfront programming slate include:
NEW SERIES
ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN
Investigation Discovery and Paula Zahn take viewers on a visually compelling journey inside fascinating mysteries and investigations. Personal stories from the people closest to the cases, along with analysis from experts, will allow viewers to share the experience, through every twist and turn, until the episode reaches its dramatic conclusion.
THE WILL: FAMILY DIVIDED (wt)
Often surprising and always telling � the reading of a last will and testament is an illuminating moment in any family's history. THE WILL is a ten-part series that explores the family intrigue, legal wrangling and high emotions surrounding real-life stories of family inheritance. Whether the issue is life-changing sums of money, irreplaceable heirlooms or dynamics of family pride, the stakes within each episode hinge on the fascinating complexity of the laws governing wills, trusts and estates.
FORENSICS: YOU DECIDE
There are always at least two sides to every story, however only one of them is closest to the truth. FORENSICS: YOU DECIDE allows the audience to draw their own conclusion, testing their armchair forensic investigator skills and asking them to decide between the accuser's and accused's side of the story. The critical clues, forensic evidence and intriguing backgrounds are presented in FORENSICS: YOU DECIDE, but until the end of each episode, the audience is left guessing about what held up in court and ultimately what version of events signified the truth.
THE BUREAU
THE BUREAU profiles the modern Federal Bureau of Investigations and explores the determination required to solve some of the most mystifying crimes of the 21st Century. The challenges range from combating arsonists to tracking down terrorists and the goal is always to bring the culprits to justice. This series not only showcases the heroes behind high-profile investigations, but the role high-tech investigative techniques play in solving these extraordinary cases.
APHRODITE JONES FILES
Journalist and best-selling author Aphrodite Jones leads audiences through the twists and turns of true stories in an attempt to reveal the motivations of perpetrators. As an expert on high-profile trials with extensive experience covering cases that make headlines, Aphrodite Jones is passionate about the truth and determined to explain what drives people to violence. Using investigative work and never-before-seen interviews, APHRODITE JONES FILES breaks down the deception strategies of both notorious and previously unknown culprits, bringing understanding to cases that seem unimaginable.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG'S COLD CASES (wt)
Cold case victims are in danger of becoming forgotten by the public, but never by their loved ones. In this new series, produced by Whoopi Goldberg and her production company Whoop Inc, Investigation Discovery assigns an investigative team to reopen cold cases in hopes of solving the mysteries contained in the files. With an expert criminal profiler, a seasoned detective and a forensic specialist, this series uses cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned detective work to meticulously examine the facts of these cases. The series reaches out to ID's audience to provide leads that may help uncover the truth and ultimately bring peace to the loved ones of these victims.
DISAPPEARED
DISAPPEARED follows the unpredictable twists of missing person cases, tracking investigations aimed at solving how and why people simply vanish. While some of the resolutions are heartwarming and others tragic, many cases remain open to this day and continue to be a source of unbearable frustration for family members and friends. Each episode of DISAPPEARED begins from the time immediately before an individual vanished, searching for clues hidden beneath seemingly everyday behavior that may indicate the person left voluntarily. For the open cases that have gone cold, DISAPPEARED asks viewers to share fresh leads in hopes of deciphering what truly happened to the missing and whether foul play may be involved.
PRISON WIVES
This captivating series introduces audiences to women who have fallen in love with and married a prisoner behind bars. PRISON WIVES examines the compassion and selflessness behind these stories of love, however unexpected. These unconventional families provide audiences a look inside prison life and what keeps these relationships together, for better or worse, richer or poorer.
PAPERBACK MYSTERIES
This series travels inside the minds of some of America's most popular mystery novelists, exploring how their books cross over from fact to fiction. Some mystery writers use real-life cases as inspiration for their narratives to complement the creativity that springs from their imaginations. As each episode of PAPERBACK MYSTERIES unfolds, an author discusses the specifics of a trial that acted as a muse, while taking audiences through the twists and turns of the case as only a true storyteller can do.
INCREDIBLE HEROES
In a blink of an eye, anyone can find themselves in a life-threatening situation where you may need to react out of courage or impulse to save countless others. INCREDIBLE HEROES showcases tales of bravery where ordinary people reacted heroically in extraordinary situations. Whether they disrupted a shark attack or ran into a burning house, this series examines the psychology behind these valiant acts and explores what makes people put their lives on the line and attempt to overcome unthinkable challenges.
I, WITNESS
Through first-person accounts from those who were actually there, I, WITNESS shares people's personal perspectives on dramatic events that captured the attention of the nation. In each episode, viewers relive the heart-pounding action of unique stories like a pilot making an emergency landing without landing gear, a driver witnessing a bridge collapsing in front of his or hr car or a neighbor digging through rubble in the wake of a devastating tornado. I, WITNESS dives into personal experiences to see the unimaginable unfolds.
RETURNING SERIES
THE SHIFT
One of Investigation Discovery's most successful new series, THE SHIFT returns with another full season following the work and lives of a highly effective team of homicide detectives within Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. With exclusive access, THE SHIFT takes an in-depth look at the teamwork, intuition and tenacious commitment required to provide justice for the victims, their loved ones and the entire Indianapolis community. Focused on the efforts of some of the best homicide detectives in the country, THE SHIFT chronicles IMPD's "middle shift" and its chain of command, from the initial radio call requesting officers at the scene to the ultimate satisfaction of clicking the cuffs on a suspect.
DALLAS DNA
DALLAS DNA chronicles the legal drama and the astounding ramifications behind a pioneering unit within the Dallas County's District Attorney's office, where post-conviction DNA testing is being used to clear the innocent, as well as confirm the guilty. A new era of justice is emerging in Dallas County, Texas where the Conviction Integrity Unit has been tasked with re-examining hundreds of petitions submitted by inmates seeking post-conviction DNA testing and reinvestigating the cases that could be examples of injustice. Some of the cases profiled in DALLAS DNA result in exonerations, where inmates are released after decades behind bars for crimes they did not commit.
CALL 911
Using actual 911 recordings, CALL 911 lets the gripping conversations between operators and callers speak for themselves. These powerful human dramas are captured on tape, revealing the heroism of the emergency operators and the courage of those calling out for help. Combined with interviews of those involved, these dramatic stories unfold in real time as the operator, victim, and law enforcement experienced them.
EXTREME FORENSICS
This series features a combination of the sharpest detectives and cutting-edge forensic science to unlock the answers to shocking puzzles and perplexing cases. The stories profiled in EXTREME FORENSICS often involve suspects who try to outsmart authorities, only to be captured due to the use of forensic science. This series highlights the amazing science behind these investigations and showcases the role of forensics in the search for justice.
SOLVED
In each episode of SOLVED, elite law enforcement officers share their first-person accounts of how they cracked their career-defining cases. They explain how incredible investigation techniques, intuition, perseverance and pure luck combined to break cases wide open and put the guilty behind bars.
About Investigation Discovery
Investigation Discovery (ID) is the source for fact-based investigative content about culture, history and the human condition. ID, the premiere destination for real investigations, is expanding partnerships with leading news organizations, production companies and well-known talent to bring the strongest analytic, factual investigative and current affairs programming to more than 52 million U.S. households. Providing the highest quality programming focused on fascinating stories of human nature from the past to the present, Investigation Discovery's in-depth documentaries and series shed light on justice, valor and compassion within our society. For more information, please visit investigation.discovery.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
1. Source: Nielsen, Live +SD, NHI Calendar, Time Period-Based Dayparts, 01/01/07-01/26/08 vs. 01/27/08-02/22/09 ID #1 for W25-54 total day delivery, #2 for W18-49 (only to CNN in election year), #2 for HH and P2+ in total day (only to MSNBC).
2. Source: Nielsen NHI Calendar, Total Day L+SD among W25-54, Time Period Based Dayparts (Dec'08).
3. Source: Simmons Media Engagement Study (Spring 2008).
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