The powerhouse that is Discovery’s lifestyle programming—from HGTV to Food Net to TLC, ID, Travel Channel and more—stands largely on the visionary foundation of the company’s chief brand guru. After successfully uniting Scripps’ and Discovery’s lifestyle brands, Finch of late has been focusing on cross-network opportunities that drive ratings and capitalize on brand partnerships. She bet big and hit it out of the park with “A Very Brady Renovation,” whose September premiere delivered HGTV its biggest audience in more than two years, and the biggest viewership that day outside of the debut of “Monday Night Football.” Look for more magnetic content across linear and digital nets in the coming year, including the reboot of “Extreme Makeover,” Discovery-style. When it comes to current women’s roles on TV, Finch is a big fan of Amazon’s “Fleabag.” “I love seeing a female character allowed to be raunchy and rude for the sake of laughs. It’s about time.”
What specifically does your company do to support and elevate the women who work there?
Discovery has always been inclusive and supportive of women in all ranks. We have a large number of female leaders at the company and thanks to Discovery’s mentoring program, many of us are active mentors for the next generation of female leaders at Discovery.
Which current shows best reflects the kind of women’s roles you like to see and why?
“Fleabag.” I love seeing a female character allowed to be raunchy and rude for the sake of laughs. It’s about time.
