New Chief Puts His Stamp on Discovery

David M. Zaslav, the NBC executive hired recently to run Discovery Communications, began to put his own stamp on the company yesterday by eliminating superstar producer Billy Campbell's job, removing and shuffling other executives, and having most major departments report directly to him.

In all, five executives will leave the Silver Spring company, it was announced yesterday.

Zaslav said he was cutting Campbell's position of president of U.S. networks as part of the restructuring, which he said would "eliminate layers."

"The real focus here is to create a lean and aggressive organization," Zaslav said in an interview yesterday. "In doing that, we are taking a look at all the layers in the company. Billy Campbell was a fantastic executive who brought great leadership and success to the company. But looking at how we're going to grow, the decision to eliminate that job was a signal we're going to be against layers and for a culture of performance."

Zaslav was appointed chief executive in November, succeeding Judith A. McHale, who announced in August that she would leave the company Dec. 1. Until Zaslav was hired, there had been much speculation that Campbell would take over the job.

"I think David has accurately recognized that there's no room in the company for two heads, and Billy has clearly been running the show. I don't think anyone expected him to stay," said Jack Myers, who publishes a newsletter on the media industry.

Campbell was president of Miramax Television in 2002 when he left to become Discovery's president, and his arrival was heralded as a major coup, a sign that the company could attract high-level network talent. A prominent Hollywood television executive, he came to oversee the cable company's television channels as they ramped up digital and video-on-demand efforts.

When Campbell agreed to join Discovery, the company said that his West Coast star power would help the channel "move to the next level" of cable dominance.

Zaslav's departure from NBC to join Discovery in November was described as another major win for the company.

In announcing the changes to Discovery staff in an e-mail yesterday, Zaslav said the moves mean a stronger focus on Discovery's content. The company will grow by investing in new media and businesses that relate to each of the company's channels, he said in the interview.

The elimination of Campbell's position means five groups will now report directly to Zaslav: the Science Channel, TLC, Discovery Travel Media, Animal Planet Media and Discovery Kids Media, and Discovery Health Media Enterprises.

Jane Root, president and general manager, will oversee the Science Channel. David Abraham, who was president and general manager of TLC, will leave the company at the end of March. Marjorie Kaplan, general manager of Discovery Kids Media, will become the president of both that department and of Animal Planet Media, which are being consolidated under one executive. Maureen Smith, who was general manager of Animal Planet, will leave.

"If it works," Zaslav said, "we will see a bigger and stronger Discovery."

Other changes include the formation of a new Discovery Studios, which will house the Discovery Production Group, Discovery Films and Discovery Creative Resources. Clark Bunting, formerly head of U.S. production, will become president of the group and report to Zaslav.

Greg Ricca, an independent consultant who previously was chief operating officer at MTV Networks International, will soon join Discovery as president and chief executive of Discovery Networks International.

Dawn McCall, another well-known and long-term executive who was Discovery Networks International's president, will leave the company. Myers called the move "a little bit more of a surprise." McCall had been instrumental in helping increase Discovery's presence by increasing its number of cable operators in the United States. She also helped the channel expand its presence internationally.

A new Emerging Networks Group will form to include the Military Channel, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Home Channel and Discovery HD Theater. The company has begun a search for a leader of the group.

The one person Zaslav brought with him from NBC is Adria Alpert-Romm, who will become the new senior executive vice president of human resources. Alpert-Romm will replace Pandit Wright.

Zaslav also hired Tom Wolzien, whom he has known for 20 years, to be a consultant to work with senior management on Discovery's overall strategy. Wolzien formerly ran the media practice for Sanford C. Bernstein and Co., where he covered Liberty Media, which owned half of Discovery.