The Whole World is About to Get a Bite of "Shark Week" as "Fintastic" Event Goes Global

Annual Television Event and Global Entertainment Franchise Will Now Reach All 220 Countries and Territories

Discovery's shark-programming sensation is back and will swim into more living rooms and onto more screens than ever before, expanding to all of its more than 220 countries and territories this year. For the first time ever, SHARK WEEK will launch on the same day on Discovery Channel and Discovery en Español in the U.S., as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom and Argentina on June 26. The worldwide rollout will continue from the midnight July sun in Norway to the dog days of August in Mexico to the blazing heat of "summa" in Australia and New Zealand, and more.

SHARK WEEK has become a pop culture event that transcends television. This year, "finatics" across the globe can tune in to SHARK WEEK, SHARK WEEKEND, SHARK MONTH or even SHARK SEASON, depending on their location. Or, they might find sharks in a virtual reality shark cage or Facebook live event.

Discovery will also partner with nonprofit Oceana to draw attention to the plight of sharks and the rising threats they face around the world. "Finatics" will be challenged to "get their shark on" as part of a worldwide campaign that will educate Discovery's vast fan base and enable them to take action on behalf of sharks everywhere.

"One ripple can lead to a huge wave, and at Discovery, we see a much bigger opportunity as SHARK WEEK moves from the U.S. to the whole world," said Marjorie Kaplan, President of Content, Discovery Networks International. "We want everyone, everywhere to be able to celebrate with us and at the same time develop a deeper appreciation for the critical role of our oceans' apex predator. SHARK WEEK is the event of the summer, and arguably, the year. For some of our key markets, now the programming will sync up and 'eventize' the programming, and in others, we'll do SHARK WEEK programming that best serves the local audience."

SHARK WEEK will be supported by marketing, stunts, events and promotion on a local basis. One of many examples is Poland's brand-new programming event SHARK WEEK ONLINE, which will allow viewers to watch SHARK WEEK programming anytime and anywhere. Promotion will also include social media activations around the globe to showcase the power of the brand and generate excitement among fans from all time zones.

Remember - it's always SHARK WEEK somewhere!

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.