Discovery Health Chief Reid Departs

Discovery Health Channel senior vice president and general manager Bob Reid will exit his post in mid-February. But that may not mark the end of his relationship with Discovery Networks U.S.

Company president Billy Campbell is talking to the veteran producer Reid about a possible production deal with Discovery. Discovery Health VP of Programming Eileen O’Neill will take over as interim general manager until a new chief is found. Reid is the latest in a parade of executives to leave Discovery in recent years.

Former Travel Channel GM Steve Cheskin was bounced last May and former top programmer John Ford left in February 2003. Back in March 2002, then-Discovery President Jonathan Rodgers jumped; he now heads African-American-oriented cable network TV One.

At the network level, executive departures in recent years have included: TLC General Manager Jana Bennett; husband-and-wife team Michael Quattrone, head of the Discovery Channel, and Kathy Quattrone, another former general manager of Discovery Health; and Charley Humbard, head of digital networks.