People: Clark Bunting
DISCOVERY'S ANIMAL PLANET
Everyone loves the Discovery Channel--perhaps the hottest site in cable TV today--and its sister network, The Learning Channel. Key to that success was Clark Bunting, '77, M.A. '84, Discovery Networks' senior vice president for programming since 1989.
In June, Discovery launched its third advertiser- supported service, Animal Planet, focusing on 'all animals, all the time.' Bunting runs all its operational, programming and management aspects. 'This is the most exciting thing I've been involved with since the early days of Discovery,' says Clark. 'It's going to rock. It taps into something people feel passionate about.' While seeking to offer 'a full bouquet of digital services,' says Clark, focus groups revealed 'a much bigger market segment than we suspected, one we could only address with a new network.' Clark and his team put it together in six weeks. 'It was the fastest launch I've ever done,' he says with a chuckle. 'It kept me off the streets.'
Layered atop the lifestyle interest is 'daypart' programming: mornings aim at elementary students, featuring singer-scientist Acorn, The Nature Nut; early afternoons aim at pet owners; Prime Time targets families with Human Nature, hosted by Olivia Newton-John, and game shows like Wild Guess. 'If you have kids, you want a safe haven on TV,' says Clark, the father of Ryan, 5, and Kaitlyn, 8.
Clark's met his wife Karen at MSU and now live in Potomac, MD. 'We try to have some fun--be irreverent, but not laugh at animals. So far television has organized around formats. We're organizing around a set of fascinations--animals, pets, natural history and science. That's the next generation.'
An advertising major from Rochester, Clark enjoyed MSU because 'my professors were also practicioners--people with hands-on experience. Recently I've been reconnecting with MSU in a number of ways (internships and support for research). You can go home again. I'm delighted, and frankly proud to be associated with the growth of the university and to help make it a vibrant place of learning.' Clark can help that someday by returning to campus--loaded with hands-on experience--to teach.
