Discovery Communications among Working Mother's Best

Named for Eight Straight Years by Working Mother Magazine

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 26 -- Working Mother magazine has named Discovery Communications a 2007 Working Mother Best Company for Working Mothers. Leading a significant and ongoing culture shift, Discovery is using company-wide benefits and programs to ensure the retention and advancement of working mothers.

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“Every year our winning companies raise the bar for what it means to be an employer of choice for working families,” said Carol Evans, CEO and President, Working Mother Media. “Discovery Communications not only offers essential benefits like flextime and telecommuting—they go above and beyond with a range of best practices and policies to ease the difficulties for working parents and their families. Their supportive culture makes a huge difference to employees who want to be great moms and great workers.”

Added Suzanne Riss, the editor in chief of Working Mother magazine, “As a working mother myself, I understand how absolutely essential it is for companies to find ways to nurture the personal and professional lives of employees. I commend Discovery Communications for conceiving and effectively implementing programs and benefits that offer an inspiring paradigm for the rest of corporate America: it is possible to be both family-friendly and financially successful.”

Discovery Communications has earned a place on Working Mother magazine’s Best Company list for eight consecutive years. Discovery, located in Silver Spring, Md., has long been a leader in addressing the varied needs of a diverse workforce. Discovery launched its signature LifeWorks@Discovery Program nearly ten years ago as a broad initiative to help create a culture of wellness and a great place to work. The initiatives focus on family and dependent care support, health and wellness, flexibility and employee involvement in the community. Lifeworks programs include an on-site Wellness Center serving as a primary medical care facility, work/life resource and referral services, financial services and legal assistance, lactation services, nutritional and physical fitness benefits, family learning institute, flexible work schedules, emergency child and elder care, customized dependent care consultations, massage therapy, on-site dry cleaning, car wash, and adoption assistance among others. Discovery will add to the list of employee benefits when an on site childcare center opens in the company’s Silver Spring, Md. headquarters in summer 2008.

“We are thrilled that Working Mother magazine has recognized, for eight straight years, Discovery Communications as one of the best companies for working mothers,” said Adria Alpert-Romm, Senior Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Discovery. “We are committed to providing the most supportive atmosphere possible for our valued employees, who are among the best in their fields. On-site health care, fitness and education reimbursement, counseling services, and flexible hours and telework are all elements of our comprehensive package aimed at serving the whole person."

Methodology:
Discovery Communications was selected for the 2007 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application of 575 questions. The application included detailed questions about workforce, compensation, child-care and flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also checked the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: workforce profile, compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs, and company culture. For this year’s 100 Best, particular weight was given to flexibility and family-friendly policies.

For more information on the 2007 Working Mother 100 Best Companies and for a complete list of winners, visit www.workingmother.com.

About Working Mother
Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. The publication also releases the annual list of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women in the June issue. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media (WMM), which also owns the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), NAFE Magazine, the annual 100 Best Companies WorkLife Congress, as well as the Best Companies for Multicultural Women Conference and regional Town Halls. In 2006, WMM acquired Diversity Best Practices, the preeminent organization for diversity thought leaders.

About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Through TV and digital media, Discovery's 100-plus worldwide networks include Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The Science Channel, Discovery Health and HD Theater. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Co. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

Source: Discovery Communications