Magnolia Network, a joint venture of Chip and Joanna Gaines and Discovery, plans to launch as a linear cable network on Jan. 5.

The network will take over the cable carriage currently used by Discovery’s DIY network, which will be rebranded as Magnolia Network.

Magnolia has been operating as a digital on-demand service.

“It is a thrilling moment to be bringing this network to the very platform that first introduced Chip and Jo to the world just eight years ago. From home and design, to food and garden, to inspirational and uplifting stories of all kinds, we are introducing a new lifestyle brand defined by authenticity, beauty and vulnerability,” said Allison Page, global president, Magnolia and DTC. “On the heels of our successful digital launch this past July, we are excited to fulfill our initial goal of bringing Magnolia Network to the broadest audience possible, meeting viewers wherever they are.” 

Magnolia Network’s inaugural linear slate will feature episodes from original series such as Fixer Upper: Welcome Home, Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines, Restoration Road with Clint Harp, Home Work, The Lost Kitchen, Family Dinner, The Johnnyswim Show, Super Dad and more, in addition to the full, five-season Fixer Upper library. Episodes from This Old House will also air on Magnolia Network. 

The channel will also continue to have have DIY shows such as Maine Cabin Masters, Barnwood Builders, Restoring Galveston and Bargain Mansions.

“It wasn’t long ago that watching TV meant time together as a family. It was a place where people of all ages could gather and be informed, entertained, and inspired by the kind of honest, authentic programming that brings people closer,” said Chip and Joanna Gaines, who were hosts of Fixer Upper on HGTV, now part of Discovery.

“That’s what we’ve set out to build with Magnolia Network, and we’ve been amazed by the stories and storytellers we’ve found, people whose lives are living proof that our world is full of beauty, hope, courage, and curiosity. We can’t wait to see these stories brought to life on cable this January, and we’re hopeful about the impact it might have — to help reclaim the best of what television can be,” they said. 

Four months after Discovery Communications' purchase of Scripps Network Interactive, executives from Discovery Inc. speaking Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour declared the company in a good position both in front of and behind the camera.

With its focus on offering quality content, the combined Scripps and Discovery-owned services – which include such networks as Food Network, HGTV, DIY, Discovery Channel, TLC, OWN, Animal Planet and Investigation Discovery – provide the company with programming and marketing synergies that further help build already strong brands, according to Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who addressed TV critics along with Discovery Chief Brand Officer and Factual Nancy Daniels, Chief Lifestyles Brand Officer Kathleen Finch, and Animal Planet Global President Susanna Dinnage.

“We have four of the top five [most watched] networks for women,” Zaslav said. “If we can promote across all of our networks the broad reach that we have now, we have the ability to tell people [watching] Food and HGTV that something great is going on over on TLC. Things are going better than expected and we’re having a good time.”

The executives said the merged networks will not change their respective programming strategies or brand focus under the new Discovery company, although Discovery Channel will now focus exclusively on the non-scripted business despite some ratings and critical success with recent scripted limited series Manhunt: The Unabomber and Harley and The Davidsons.

“[Both] projects were critically well received, but at the end of the day we decided to do what we do best and focus on non-fiction programming,” Daniels said. “There’s a lot of scripted content out there and its really hard to break through … we decided to focus on what we do best.”

Zaslav also alluded to a potential Discovery networks-based OTT service but would not reveal specific details. “We really see the media business as being two sides: one side is scripted series and movies, and we’ve moved away from that,” he said. “There are great companies competing against each other, and eventually they’re all going to be offering [OTT] services for $10 to $15,” he said. “We have everything else. We think an offering of all of our content for $6, $7 or $8 will look very different to consumers around the world. We like where we are right now.”

DIY Network picks up a second season of its popular home renovation series Nashville Flipped, scheduled to premiere in February 2017.

Contractor Troy Dean Shafer and his team peel back layers of bad renovations to reveal the original beauty of forgotten homes.

Shafer renovates these historic homes under a budget, tackling the years of neglect of each property. Wood-paneled walls, bad paint and worn carpeting are some of the challenges he and his team face.

HGTV has renewed Island Life and Island Hunters, two programs in the network's growing stable of fantasy-destination programming. (Other such shows include Beachfront Bargain Hunt, Lakefront Bargain Hunt, Caribbean Life,Vacation House for Free and Hawaii Life.)

DIY, a sister channel in the Scripps Networks Interactive stable, ordered more episodes of real-estate competition show Texas Flip and Move, adventure series Building Alaska and Garage Gold, starring junk-picker Kraig Bantle (pictured in blue t-shirt).

“We’ve achieved 11 consecutive months of ratings growth at HGTV, and DIY Network’s prime impressions are up 8% this quarter,” Allison Page, general manager, HGTV and DIY Network, said in a release. “Island Life, Island Hunters, Building Alaska, Garage Gold and Texas Flip and Move are among the consistent performers on our networks, so we want to keep our programming pipeline filled with new episodes.”

Island Life follows homeowners who are ready to shed the hustle and bustle for the perfect island home. Island Hunters features families in search of their own private island, HGTV said.

DIY's Texas Flip and Move follows three teams of real-estate risk-takers buy dilapidated houses at auction and move the structures off the property that day, which can be dangerous. In Garage Gold, Kraig Bantle and his team as they clean out junk-filled spaces for free, keeping whatever valuable items he finds and wants. Building Alaska showcases the construction of off-the-grid homes, DIY said.

DIY continues to build its roster of celebrity-based renovation shows with the development of Building Belushi, starring comedian Jim Belushi.

The network has greenlit six episodes of the series, in which the film and TV star will team with his friends to restore a retreat cabin, said network officials.

Building Belushi joins a roster of celebrity-focused, renovation-themed series on DIY Network, including the recently announced I Pity the Tool starring Mr. T; The Vanilla Ice Project (Vanilla Ice); Daryl’s Restoration Over-Hall (Daryl Hall); The Shatner Project (William Shatner) and Rev Run’s Renovation (Rev Run from Run DMC).

Scripps Networks Interactive acquired what it hopes will be the lynchpin in its international strategy, buying a 53% interest in Polish broadcaster, satellite TV, online and pat TV content provider TVN from ITI Group and Canal Plus Group in a deal valued at about $1.5 billion, including assumed debt.

According to Scripps, the U.S. content company will pay about $613 million in cash and assume about $882 million in TVN debt. Based in Warsaw, TVN includes a portfolio of free-to-air and pay TV lifestyle and entertainment channels including TVN, TVN 7, TVN Style, TTV, TVN Turbo and Poland’s leading 24-hour news channel (TVN 24) and business news channel (TVN 24 Biznes i Swiat).

Scripps Networks expects to close the deal early in the second half of this year. As per Polish law, Scripps will be required to tender for an additional 13% of the company at closing, ending with a 66% interest in TVN.

In a  note to clients, Evercore ISI Group media analysts Vijay Jayant and David Joyce wrote that while the TVN purchase may be a little expensive, it gives Scripps an inroad in what could be a lucrative market. Poland is one of the more established TV markets in Eastern Europe – it has a population of about 39 million people, 12.9 million TV households, 89% multichannel penetration and 54% broadband penetration, according to SNL Kagan.

“Strategically, this could be an important platform for SNI to leverage its existing library, apply its current formats, and use as a springboard for further European channel expansion,” Jayant and Joyce wrote.  

In a conference call with analysts, Scripps chairman and CEO Ken Lowe said TVN represents a strong growth opportunity for the programmer – Poland is one of the fastest growing TV markets in Europe.

“This deal provides Scripps with a solid presence and will be a key pillar of our international operations,” Lowe said on the conference call.

While Scripps backed off on the notion of TVN being a vehicle to roll up broadcasters in the region, the company’s programming and distribution assets – it owns a 32% stake in Poland’s leading satellite TV company nc+ and over-the-top service, TVN Player. In addition, TVN also has an in-house production arm and TVN produces 2,300 hours of original content each year.

The addition of TVN will immediately boost Scripps international scale. TVN had about $403 million in revenue in 2014, up about 4%, while adjusted cash flow increased 5% to about 184 million.

Lowe said on the conference call that after the deal is closed, the contribution to total consolidated revenue from international sources will increase nearly six-fold from about 3% to 17%. On a pro forma basis, Lowe said international will make up about one-quarter of SNI’s total business.

“This is an important step,” Lowe said. “We have frequently said we seek to invest in areas in which we see a great potential for growth. This investment represents precisely that investment philosophy.”

The Scripps Networks purchase mirrors what other content companies have done in recent years to offset declines in the domestic advertising market, especially Discovery Communications, which derives more than half of its overall revenue from outside of the U.S. While Scripps has had an international presence prior to the TVN deal – in 2011 it formed a joint venture with BBC Worldwide in the United Kingdom and its seven lifestyle brands (Food, HGTV, DIY, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, Fine Living and Asian Food Channel) reach about 200 million homes in 180 countries – this is its biggest push into Eastern Europe.

According to Scripps, TVN is an advertising powerhouse – it secured about 33% of the ad market in Poland for its portfolio of networks as well as selling advertising for a number of other commercial broadcasters in the country.

Scripps Networks Interactive reported higher fourth-quarter earnings, despite nearly flat advertising revenues.

Net income rose 21% to $132 million, or 96 cents a share, including a 6 cent charge for restructuring, from $109 million, or 73 cents a share, a year ago. The year-ago results included a 17 cents per share writedown of goodwill.

Revenues rose 2.3% to $669 million. Advertising revenue edged up 0.7% to $454 million.

“The strength of our lifestyle media brands and the connections they make with consumers and advertisers enabled the company to maintain its record of growth and creating shareholder value for the quarter and the full year,” CEO Ken Lowe said in a statement.  “The company is in a great position to capitalize on the many opportunities in an ever changing media environment.”

For 2015, the company said it expected revenue to rise about 4%, cost of services to rise 8% to 10% and selling, general and administrative expenses to be down 2% to flat.

In the fourth quarter, Scripps Networks’ Lifestyle media segment profits rose 1% to $298 million, pressured by restructuring expenses and higher program amortization costs.

Lifestyle media revenues rose 1.7% to $642 million. Affiliate fees grew 6.1% to $191 million, but ad revenues were up only 0.3% to $444 million, reflecting “softness in the advertising market and audience delivery at some of our networks,” the company said.

Operating revenues were down 2.9% at Travel Channel, off 1.1% at Food Network and dropped 2.6% at Great American Country. Operating revenues were up 4.4% at HGTV, 7% at DIY Network, and 9.8% at Cooking Channel.

Scripps Networks Interactive reported higher third-quarter profits and an increase in advertising sales

Net income rose 2% to $131 million, or 93 cents per share, in the quarter, from $129 million, or 87 cents a share, a year ago.

Revenues rose 4.5% to $644 million.  Advertising sales increased 5.4% to $432 million and affiliate revenue was up 3.8% to $198 million

The results were mixed because Wall Street analysts had expected 84 cents a share in earnings, which Scripps Networks beat, but $651 million in revenue, where the company fell short.

“Our networks consistently deliver the upscale audience that so many advertisers want to reach, as well as the high quality content that both traditional and new distribution platforms demand. Our compelling lifestyle video programming engages and inspires millions of consumers, across multiple geographies, devices and demographics,” CEO Ken Lowe said in statement. “These solid third-quarter operating results demonstrate our unique competitive advantage, and our ability to create long-term value for shareholders in a changing marketplace.”

Scripps Network’s Lifestyle Media segment, which includes cable channels like Food Network and HGTV, reported a profit of $296 million, up 2.5% from a year ago. Revenue rose 4.2% to $618 million. Ad revenue was up 5%, a bigger gain than other programmers have reported this quarter. Affiliate revenue was up 3.2% to $187 million.

The company said that operating revenues at HGTV rose 7% to $234 million, Food Network was up 4.1% to $212 million. Travel Channel was down 4.9% to $84 million. DIY jumped 9% to $37 million, Cooking Channel gained 7.2% to $28 million and Great American Country was up 16.9% to nearly $8 million.

Scripps Networks digital businesses had operating revenues of $23 million, down 11%.

HGTV and DIY will add a combined seven new series to their lineups over the next few months, the network said Monday.

HGTV will add to its slate such shows as America’s Most Desperate Kitchens, starring cousins John Colaneri and Anthony Carrino (pictured) who renovate dilapidated kitchens; Log Cabin Living, in which couples ditch city living for a country escape; Shalina Joy Project, which follows a New Jersey teacher looking to transform a Victorian mansion into her home; and Real Estate Riches, which features real estate flipping couple Daniel Wiafe and Melinda.

On DIY, the network will add to its lineup The Treehouse Guys, which looks at treetop structures around the country; Miami Rehab, which revolves around a renovator with a keen eye for flipping houses; and First Time Flippers, which showcases the home renovation process from a beginner’s perspective.

 “We’re hyper-focused on developing and producing series that give viewers fresh perspectives on popular home themes,” said Allison Page, general manager, HGTV and DIY Network in statement.