Discovery goes after rich men who love toys with new Velocity channel

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Discovery Communications thinks there is an untapped market in men making more than six figures and is launching a new cable network to cater to their needs.

Velocity, described by the company as an ‘upscale male lifestyle network,’ will make its debut later this year. Discovery is taking its HD Theater channel and rebranding it. Most of the shows will be about toys for boys.

‘From multimillion-dollar auctions and incredible auto makeovers to high-stakes gaming and insider guides to “the good life,” Velocity will touch on all the subjects that appeal to the upscale man,’ Discovery said of its new channel.

‘It is going to be a game changer,’ declared Discovery Communications President David Zaslav of the new channel.

“In the same way that a car once defined the person who drove it, Velocity will define the viewer who watches it,” said Robert S. Scanlon, senior vice president of the new network.

‘Velocity’ follows a Discovery trend of putting new formats on established real estate. Last year, it partnered with Hasbro on a makeover of its Discovery Kids channel, which is now known as the Hub. Earlier this year, it dropped Discovery Health to launch OWN, a cable network that is co-owned by Oprah Winfrey.

-- Joe Flint