John Ford

John Ford, a 25-year television veteran, is president of New Media, for Discovery Networks, U.S. In this position he oversees Discovery HD Theater™, Discovery Interactive TV, Discovery.com and Discovery's video-on-demand services.

A 12-year Discovery veteran, Ford was most recently president of Discovery Networks' Content Group, where he oversaw the programming for all Discovery domestic television networks and Discovery.com. During that time, Discovery Networks grew audiences and revenue across the board and earned numerous awards, including a Peabody Award and a record 13 Primetime Emmy nominations. And in May 2002, the group's flagship network, the Discovery Channel, achieved a new milestone when it was named the #1 consumer brand in overall quality in the U.S. (Spring 2002 EquiTrendSM Study by Harris Interactive).

Prior to his Discovery Networks post, Ford served as president of Discovery Health Channel and discoveryhealth.com, which he launched in 1999 and guided through the properties' first two years of growth, as well as the acquisition of rival channel, The Health Network.

Prior to his work at Discovery Health, since May 1996, Ford was the senior vice president and general manager of TLC (The Learning Channel) which he joined as head of programming in August 1991. Ford transformed TLC from a 15 million-home cable channel to a popular and profitable 69 million-home cable network. He spearheaded programming for the network, including program development, original production, on-air promotion, acquisitions and scheduling, and coordinated the channel's marketing and communications campaigns. Under his guidance, TLC won numerous awards, including two Peabody awards, several Emmys, A Primetime Emmy Governor's Award and The Golden Cable Ace award. Long-running series TRAUMA: LIFE IN THE ER, EXTREME MACHINES, SCIENCE FRONTIERS and A WEDDING STORY began during his term and still run on the network today.

Ford joined Discovery in fall 1989 as vice president, corporate programming partnerships and deputy to the senior vice president of the programming group for the Discovery Channel. In that role, Ford developed corporate investments in original television projects, coordinated programming budgets and oversaw the viewer relations and program information units.

Prior to joining Discovery, Ford was vice president, community development for public television station WHYY-TV, which serves both the Wilmington, DE and Philadelphia, PA markets.

Previously, Ford spent three years with the National Association of Public Television Stations in Washington, D.C. He has also worked as a consultant with The Aspen Institute's program on Communications and Society. Ford began his television career in 1976 at KERA, a public television and radio station in Dallas, TX. In addition, as a part-time actor, he has appeared in more than 30 commercials and industrial films and videos.

Ford holds a bachelor's degree in History from Duke University and a master's degree in Public Affairs from the L.B.J. School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin. He is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Banff TV Foundation's Board of Governors and other industry organizations.