EXCLUSIVE: Laura Crowson, who spent 13 years at Discovery, is moving into the production side of the business.
Crowson, who was VP, Development at Warner Bros. Discovery, where she worked largely on the Discovery Channel, has joined Great Pacific Media, the company behind the long-running unscripted series Highway Thru Hell and History’s Deadman’s Curse.
She joins as SVP, Global Development for the Thunderbird Entertainment-backed company, which is also behind series such as Syfy’s Reginald The Vampire, and will report to CEO David Way.
Based in LA, she has been tasked with identifying global market opportunities and handling co-productions and joint ventures.
During her tenure at Discovery, Crowson managed the development of long-running hits such as Naked and Afraid, Expedition Files, The Last Woodsmen, Mud Madness, Deadliest Catch: Bloodline and Undercover Billionaire. She also worked on Deadliest Catch and Gold Rush and was behind Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster, which was Discovery’s highest-rated special in over five years.
She joined Discovery in 2012 and spent seven years as a senior director of development and strategy, before being promoted and relocating to the UK, where she oversaw its relationships with European production companies. She returned to LA in 2021 and returned to overseeing series and specials across Discovery Channel, Science Channel and Animal Planet.
Before joining Discovery, she worked at Duck Dynasty producer Gurney Productions and started her career at CAA.
“With a background in development, high-level casting, business strategy, and pitching, Laura will bring creative leadership to shape existing concepts and spearhead new projects and partnerships,” said Way. “Her experience with major U.S. networks, and time in the UK, gives her sharp insight into evolving market needs and trends, ensuring GPM remains at the forefront of international content. We are thrilled to welcome her to our team.”
“I’m incredibly excited to join the talented team at GPM and help drive its unscripted strategy forward,” added Crowson. “There’s so much opportunity to create bold, engaging content that resonates with global audiences, and I look forward to building on GPM’s momentum, collaborating with new partners, and bringing fresh, entertaining ideas to life for audiences around the world.”
