Discovery Communications Reviews

Pros

Great work environment, outstanding resources available at all times for extra learning, nice workers comp package for full-time hires, quality product

Cons

very corporate, not very familial

Advice to Senior Management

I would hope for a less corporate feel, without sacrificing the efficiency

Pros

Company that truly believes in supporting home/work balance. Execs are not always consistant in direction.

Cons

Top management can be wishy-washy - this spreads down the organization to lack of direction.

Advice to Senior Management

Be clear. Convey the big picture to ALL emplyoees. Don't overlook middle management - they hold the company together.

Pros

Discovery is a great brand to have on one's resume and the colleagues were some of the best. With the exception of the support functions, the staff at Discovery are bright and vibrant, and it's easy to make friends who conduct themselves with sincerity both professionally and socially.

Cons

If you enter Discovery on a contract, don't expect to ever be converted to a permanent position.

The divide between management and executives is vast and self-perpetuating. Everyone below the position of manager is deemed expendable and this is evident when you compare the turnover rate between management and executives.

Promises of career development and salary review (because annual raises are a joke) are simply tools used by management to obtain greater mileage from executives, so be sure to only stay long enough for your own growth because you need to implicitly understand that the company will show no loyalty toward you.

Advice to Senior Management

Fear stifles.

Pros

Can watch TV shows before air

Cons

Where do I begin?
Promotions based on who you know.
EXTREMELY corporate
EXTREMELY "clique-y"
Bad culture / no interaction
No one is your "pal" here - quite the opposite.

Advice to Senior Management

I'll save my breath - I just rather not say anything. Please read CONS to get an idea of how things are run here.

Pros

Great benefits, brand recognition allows for easier sales opportunities, great support, nice people, great marketing & resources at your disposal.

Cons

They reward selfishness. Transparency is lacking, so many people cheat their way up easily. Some VPs, Directors, Managers should not be in the positions that they are in, it seems like they are not qualified or competent, making their teams suffer. Not much room for promotion.

Advice to Senior Management

Please stop rewarding selfishness. Transparency is lacking, so many people cheat their way up easily. It turns off people who are team players and get burned.

Pros

The people are great. The benefits are amazing. I loved being right in downtown Silver Spring. I also was proud of what Discovery creates and puts out in the world.

Cons

The biggest downside of Discovery is trying to keep up with rapidly shifting priorities. It was also very frustrating to watch as they laid off so many employees who had been with the company for so long and had contributed so much to make Discovery what it is.

Advice to Senior Management

It is really hard on your employees when you point them in one direction, they throw their hearts into what you asked them to do - and then you change course suddenly. Of course this happens sometimes, but over and over gives your employees whiplash.

Pros

Discovery used to be a good place under Judith Hale, the former CEO. There was creativity, idea sharing, and great salary.

Cons

This is now a public company. As the CEO is a multi-millionaire, he doesn't care about regular employees who work long hours (some of whom don't get paid overtime for fear of losing their jobs). Also, this place prides itself on being female friendly. I've seen many men get passed up on higher level jobs because they're not with the popular management clique.

Advice to Senior Management

Zaslav has got to go! Under his watch , there has been NO major new series that has been successful..

Pros

benefits for the family was good and the 401 was something should have invested in was I was much younger and first with the company.

Cons

the company was and has closed it's retail locations. not much advancement for moving up with in the company. It was ok

Advice to Senior Management

you more than likely will have to start from the ground up but I guess if you have the time and means you will do just fine.

Pros

Outstanding benefits
Great coworkers
Well known and respected product

Cons

Executive leadership treats workers as expendable pieces
Programming has gone down hill
Forced integration with HSW handled horribly by management

Advice to Senior Management

Focus more on treating your workers with respect. No one is fooled by the 'integration' with HSW, aka another round of downsizing and reorgs. Programming should return to its roots, rather than the horrible reality TV theme that the majority of shows now have. Really, you have to do FOUR shows about midgets????

Pros

Great Brands, Great People, Hardworkers

Cons

Fear of Management
Missing areas - Job growth and development
Constant worry about job justification
Promotions very difficult if you are an internal employee

Advice to Senior Management

Promote from within
Don't lose great people
Communication with employees is key