Upfront Update: Discovery's Show-and-Tell/Don't Tell Hours - Simon Applebaum

The fun of Discovery Communications' annual New York multi-hour, multi-network upfront presentation, year in and out, is guessing what will be played up and what will not. Comes across as watching the classic game show You Don't Say! live in front of you. To adapt what host Tom Kennedy dittied at the close of every episode, it's often not what Discovery says that counts, it's what they don't say.

This April's edition takes the guesswork to another level because of what this company has accomplished over the last six months: turn Discovery Kids into The Hub with Hasbro as co-manager; relaunch Discovery Health as Oprah Winfrey Network/OWN, having Oprah's Harpo production company in the "co" role; bring back Discovery Health a month after OWN's debut as a reconstituted diginet with Fit TV (Discovery Fit & Health) and launch 3net, the ambitious 3D 24/7 network in partnership with Sony and Imax. Just to cloud the guesswork even more, Discovery announces this particular upfront morning to dump its groundbreaking HD Theater this fall for Velocity, devoted to all-HD content for upscale men that stresses car, leisure and adventure topics.

If you've got game and want to guess the contents of Discovery's 2011 format, be my guest, breathe and stop reading. When you've cast a vote, continue...

Venue: The retro-Cinerama stage look Nickelodeon successfully realized at its Jazz At Lincoln Center showcase last month is catching on. For this Lincoln Center crowd, three large screens were connected on a single frame, hovering a few feet above the stage. All featured clever animation of Discovery's globe logo breaking apart and reassembled as the audience walked in. United, they made the company's always jaw-dropping montage video at the start even more effective. The place also features some of the best post-presentation cuisine around. Grade: A

Presentation: Smart move by organizers and Discovery CEO David Zaslav to begin with a recap of those recent channel makeovers, including videos on Discovery Fit & Health and Velocity. Not very smart: a quick reference to 3net and no video of its original programming, with Zaslav commenting on the fly that "We're now leading in 3D." Last year, the ceremony ended with 3net as the audience wore glasses to see a closing montage. Extremely hard to believe something couldn't be done to give the service a better showcase, especially when a week later, 3net announces production on a Civil War miniseries running this fall and more important, discloses plans to enter the original scripted series marketplace. Discovery/Sony/Imax should rectify this gaff by doing a separate event for advertisers and press, just as Discovery did for The Hub a few weeks ago and will do next month for its Latino-targeted networks (Discovery Espanol and Discovery Familia). The rest of the time demonstrated what Zaslav called the company's commitment to "better brands, better channels, better storytelling." Some highlights: Rosie O'Donnell's song-and-dance preview of her new OWN show (using the song Roxie from Chicago); various TLC reality personalities hosting the channel's portion of the proceedings (in place of new president Amy Winter); Andy Samberg reacting to his new job as Shark Week host this summer; Penn & Teller's glasses prank involving an audience member, and Morgan Freeman walking out to heartfelt applause on behalf of his Through The Wormhole Science Channel (soon to be Sci) series One lowlight:Curiosity, Discovery Channel's highly-touted multiyear series involving founder/chairman John Hendricks, left everyone curious over when it will debut. No information given out during or after the presentation, and all Hendricks did was take a bow from his orchestra seat. Grade: B

News Value: The variety of networks Discovery manages leaves considerable room for news discovery. At mothership Discovery Channel alone, P&T's Secrets Of The Universe, Best In The Business and Live On A Wire (the latter with a live stunt episode) look like winners, along with spring 2012 miniseries Frozen Planet. TLC appears ready to test new directions with Gypsyville, Homecoming, I Kid (think Kids Say The Darndest Things with Brad Garrett playing Art Linkletter) and Off The Rez (Native American mother/daughter duo on a basketball scholarship quest). Hillbilly Handfishin'could be the next Animal Planet hoot if the clip played for it is indicative. As for OWN, promising new series there include Confronting, Sweetie Pies, I Owe You My Life and a look at choreographer Louie Spencer. Grade: A-minus

Host: Mostly from the executive suite, taking turns on stage depending on the network in view. No matter who was on--Animal Planet president Marjorie Kaplan, counterpart at Investigation Discovery/Military Channel Henry Schleiff, etc.--things ran smooth, accompanied by video after video. Grade: A-minus

Overall Grade: B-plusApplaud Discovery for packing a lot to swallow in two hours, and for the most part, being successful at it with all the networks in its stable. However, 3net blew an opportunity to make waves as the net most likely to jump-start 3D TV interest with the public. And what gives with Curiosity?

Final thought: Discovery Communications no longer has a major role with BBC America, although that channel will be part of Discovery's booth at The Cable Show this June in Chicago. When will BBC America bring us a solo upfront event? Just raising the subject.

Until the next time, stay well and stay tuned! Simon Applebaum is host/producer of Tomorrow Will Be Televised, the Internet radio/podcast-distributed program about the TV scene. Tomorrow runs live at 3 p.m. Eastern time, noon Pacific time, over www.blogtalkradio.com, with replays available 24/7 at www.blogtalkradio.com/simonapple04. Podcasts are downloadable from ITunes.com and other Web sites arranged by Sonibyte (www.sonibyte.com). Have a question or reaction? E-mail it to simonapple04@yahoo.com.

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