Discovery Inks Content Deal With Colombian Government

Discovery is expanding its focus to Colombia.

The cable network has partnered with Ministry of Information Technology and Communications to produce content for and about Colombia n a bid to promote and encourage television production training programs in the region.

The deal will bring Colombian content to Discovery's networks in the country, with an advisory board of international experts overseeing the effort and ensuring that subjects of the co-productions -- which are intended to the country's past and present -- appeal to all audiences.

"Colombia is a very important market for Discovery Communications, and we are building on the great programming success we have had to date," Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav said in a statement announcing the news Thursday. "Discovery is committed to investing more in the local economy, collaborating with the creative community, and working with the Colombian government to produce high-quality programming about this exciting and vibrant country."

The first co-production is expected to bow on Discovery and Colombian public television this year and comes after the cable network opened an office in the country in a push to enter the local market.

“Discovery Communications became interested in our country because of the maturity of the local content industry and the foreign investment policy of the current government, which has made a great effort as part of its Plan Vive Digital to create quality convergent public television,” TIC Minister Diego Molano Vega said.