Discovery HD Theater Spending Big on "Atlas HD"

I sat down with Discovery HD Theater chief Clint Stinchcomb at the NCTA National Show to talk about "Atlas HD," his network's ambitious world culture anthology program set to debut next spring. He told me that the first installment of the series will focus on China and will introduce viewers to Chinese topography, culture, politics and sports. Countries to follow in 2006 include Brazil, Australia and Italy, with France, India and Egypt slated for '07. There will be one new country each quarter, with simulcasts airing on the Discovery Channel in non-HD format. The series was originally slated to begin this year, but Discovery execs decided that it needed to be less encyclopedic and more narrative. Total cost of the 30-country series is expected to run about $65 million.