PASADENA, Calif. — About 72 hours into the job, new Discovery Channel president Rich Ross is ready for a course correction.

The new boss at the network most recently famous for promising viewers a chance to see a man eaten by a snake says he's looking to reset Discovery's image.

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"I would say the most important thing is that this network and flagship of this company could stand for is, if there was one word, it would be authentic," he told reporters during the second day of the Television Critics Association press tour, taking place over the next two weeks in Pasadena. "It's really important that we look into this incredible brand and all the programming we make and make sure that's what we stand for."

Discovery Channel has caught some heat in the past few years for its programming choices, particularly, its fake Shark Week documentaries which some have seen as a betrayal of the network's science roots. Both the airings of Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives and Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine drew ire from viewers who called them deceptive.

"I don't think it's actually right for Discovery or Discovery Channel," Ross said of mockumentaries. "I think it's something that I think has in some ways run its course. I don't think you'll be sitting with me here next year asking a question about something I put on — whether it's a series or a special — where that is the dilemma."

Ross was appointed to his position back in October but only officially started days ago. Marjorie Kaplan, Group President of TLC and Animal Planet, has served as interim President for the Discovery Channel following the departure of Eileen O'Neill, who took a post as the Global Group President for Discovery Studios.

Remember when #SharkWeek was about science and biology and learning? — Wil Wheaton (@wilw) August 5, 2013

Though panned by scientists, viewers and Wil Wheaton alike, the specials did perform in the ratings. Megalodon, for example, kicked off Shark Week in 2013 and earned 4.8 million viewers. That point, however, is moot, says Ross.

"They've done very well, some of them, but it's something that I don't think is right for us," he said. "At this point in the game, a lot of the programming we have, if something is coming, it's probably still coming. But I'm telling you about where I am and where we are growing forward."

Where is Discovery headed? Well, one indication can be seen in the recent hire of HBO Documentary Films veteran John Hoffman, who was appointed executive vice president of documentaries and specials.

Of the network's mistakes of the past, particularly that snake misstep, Ross says, "The way I look at it is it was the right intension with a packaging that was misleading," he says of the December special, titled Eaten Alive.

"I don't believe you'll be seeing a person eaten by a snake during my time," he says.