Discovery Channel Online represents a significant commitment to programming deep, original non-fiction entertainment exclusively for the Web and a Web audience. It is our belief that the Web could become the fourth mass medium. To that end we are embracing a programming metaphor and investing seriously in creating daily entertainment that can build and sustain a large, loyal, and ultimately demographically desirable audience. The content is created for this audience whom we know are interested in topics on science, nature, history and technology and are anxious to explore new media. New stories in a variety of presentation formats are added every day to encourage return visits. Overall unity of the site is achieved by using consistent typography and an intuitive navigation scheme. We want to be sure that whatever direction the technology goes, Discovery will
be an influential participant in its development. We see a chance to help define the medium, not as an extension of our efforts in television, or publishing, but as a new network with its own rules, its own audience.