Discovery Channel Unveils LatAM 2002 Production Slate.

Discovery Networks Latin America/Iberia announced that it will commission and co-produce more than 50 hours of original content in 2002 from local producers, representing 17 specials and series and making up 20 percent of the overall schedule. Beginning in first quarter 2002, the new productions featuring Latin American story lines, will debut throughout the region on the Discovery Channel, People+Arts, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet and Discovery Health. Ryan Shiotani, Vice President of Programming for Discovery Networks Latin America/Iberia, made the announcement.

“Discovery’s ongoing partnerships with regional production companies allow us to continually evolve in the Latin American market by offering viewers the most relevant and topical programming tailored to their viewing preferences,” Shiotani said. “We continue to nurture the talent of local producers to ensure that new stories regarding this dynamic region will reach audiences in Latin America and beyond.”

Showcased in the Discovery Channel’s regionally focused schedule this year are a collection of programs that range in topics from science and technology to history and psychology. Conexión Discovery is a weekly series that puts Latin American viewers in touch with the latest in technology. Cenotes: Mysteries of the Yucatan is the story of a group of scientists and divers that lead an expedition to find the treasures of an ancient Mayan civilization in the Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Children of the Sun presents an extraordinary tale of the Japanese presence in Latin America. Virgen de Guadalupe: Entre La Fe y La Razon examines the theological and scientific studies about the image of the Virgin. And Garavito and Hernan Cortes explore the mind and personality of three highly notable figures in Latin American history.
People+Arts, a network known for offering viewers a compelling look at the human experience, will feature some of Latin America’s most sought-after entertainers with musicians such as Fito Paez, Caetano Veloso, Charly Garcia, and Joan Manuel Serrat, and Mexico’s legendary film star Maria Felix. Joining the list is the story of arguably the most controversial architect of the 20th century, Antonio Gaudi. Events being captured in this collection of rich programming include Survivors: 30 Years Later, the compelling story of the 30-member Uruguayan rugby team that crashed into an Andean mountaintop on October 13, 1972 and the choices they made in order to stay alive; and Miss Venezuela – a portrait of Venezuela’s reputation as a beauty-pageant superpower.

Discovery Kids offers a fun, interactive way for children to satisfy their natural curiosity with a collection of programs that open the doors to the world around them. Vigias del Sur Part 2 follows the adventures of four friends as they fight to preserve the environment in different parts of Latin America. A new season of Acceso Total is an all-access pass for Latin kids to visit any event anywhere in the world.

Animal Planet viewers will see more new episodes of Amigo Zoo, uncovering the emotional bonds between the animals and the people that take care of them, and Discovery Health will continue to air new episodes of Planeta Medico, offering insight and information on Latin America’s medical community evolution and the challenges they face ahead.