Howard Swartz to Discovery Funnel publish

Howard Swartz has leaped from PBS' "Nova" to Discovery Funnel, where he will act as Vice president of development and production having a particular concentrate on Discovery founder John Hendricks' "Curiosity" series. That series, which opened this fall, seeks to reply to large, philosophical questions (the very first episode was known as "Did God Produce the World?"). The show has much that is similar to "Nova," that also handled scientific difficulties with metaphysical aspects. "Howard is among the most skilled and highly respected professionals within the nonfiction space: an excellent commissioner, an excellent storyteller along with a great collaborator," stated the net's senior veep of development and production, Simon Andrae, to whom Swartz will report. Just before his time at "Nova," Swartz labored in the National Geographic Funnel, where he oversaw "Explorer" and created Emmy those who win including "5 Years on Mars" and "Within the Living Body." Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com