Sky and Discovery agree new, expanded long-term partnership

Sky and Discovery have agreed a new long-term, multi-faceted partnership across the UK and Ireland, Germany and Austria. Discovery’s portfolio of real-life entertainment channels, including Discovery Channel, will continue to be showcased across the Sky platforms in the UK, and on the Sky Deutschland platforms in Germany and Austria. The Discovery Channel will continue to be available on the NOW TV platform in the UK and Sky Ticket in Germany.

The deal includes linear channel distribution, video on demand, direct to consumer products, and extension of the advertising relationship.

For the first time, the multi-year deal also covers Discovery’s non-linear brands in the UK and Ireland. Sky will be a distribution partner for Discovery’s existing direct-to-consumer streaming services such as MotorTrend, and new products from the future pipeline of Discovery's direct-to-consumer offerings.

Sky Q and Eurosport will also be working together to bring the best possible experience to customers across the UK and Ireland for the 2021 Olympics with UHD and HD pop up feeds dedicated to specific sports and events.

As part of the expanded deal, Sky Media and Discovery renewed their advertising sales partnership in the UK and Ireland, whilst creating new opportunities for advertisers in VOD and via AdSmart. Reaching over 95% of the UK population, Sky Media represents all of Sky’s channels and also sells on behalf of a range of renowned broadcasters and channels including Channel 5, Viacom and Discovery.

Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Executive Officer, UK & Europe, Sky said: “We’re pleased to have reached a new agreement with Discovery. Our customers across the UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria can continue to enjoy their content, including their world-class factual programming.

“Discovery can take you from the depths of the ocean out to deepest space, all from the comfort of your living room. We bring together the best content from partners like Discovery, HBO and Showtime, add it to the best live sport in Europe, our award-winning Sky Originals and apps we love like Netflix, and put it all in one place on the world’s best platform, Sky Q.”

Kasia Kieli, President & MD Discovery EMEA, said: “Sky and Discovery have been working together for over 30 years to bring audiences the best in real-life entertainment. We are very pleased that our strategic relationship continues to grow, and our new multi-dimensional agreement means Sky customers can continue to enjoy our wide range of factual, sport, lifestyle and entertainment channels and programmes for years to come."

James Gibbons, EVP and GM, Discovery Networks UK, Ireland, ANZ added: "We are also delighted to extend the advertising partnership for our rapidly growing UK portfolio across linear TV and VOD, and welcome Sky as a key distribution partner for our streaming services in the UK & Ireland, as we forge ahead in the exciting world of direct-to-consumer."

Notes to Editors

For more information, please contact:

• Dale Bihari, Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Sky: dale.bihari@sky.uk |07866 896512
  
• Eerika Roos, Corporate Communications Director, EMEA, Discovery: Eerika_roos@discovery.com |+31 6 36 28 17 83

Sky is a market leader in content aggregation

• Our customers have access to content from Netflix, Disney+ (UK and Ireland), Warner Media (HBO), Showtime, Fox, Sony and many other partners in each of our markets. We bring the best entertainment together all in one place, on Sky Q.
• We’ve launched new channels in the UK, including Sky Crime, Sky Comedy, Sky Documentaries, Sky Nature and Sky History.
• We continue to release ground-breaking original content including Gangs of London, Hitmen and Brassic season 2 in the UK, and Das Boot and Hausen in Germany.

About Sky

With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Our 32,000 employees help connect our customers to the very best entertainment, sports, news, arts and to our own local, original content.

Following the success of Sky originals like Chernobyl, we plan to double our investment in original content by 2024. We’re also developing a new TV and movie studio, Sky Studios Elstree, which is expected to lead to the creation of over 2,000 new jobs and generate an additional £3 billion of production investment in UK creative sector in the first five years alone.

Our technology allows customers to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, and as we connect millions of families to content they love, we believe it is our responsibility to do it safely. That’s why we offer services like Sky Broadband Buddy and the Sky Kids app. And our online streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.

We also believe that a company of our scale has a responsibility that goes beyond our business, and into the community. We recently announced a series of commitments to help tackle racial injustice and improve diversity and inclusion. To ensure the commitments are delivered, Sky will invest £10million per year across its markets for each of the next three years. We’re committed to being Europe’s first net zero carbon entertainment company by 2030 – two decades before we have to – and we’re an inclusive employer recognised by The Times and Stonewall for our commitment to diversity.

Discovery is a world leader in real-life entertainment.

• Discovery inspires people to pursue their passions for food, motoring, homes, nature, antiques, weddings, adventure, sports and more with its portfolio of 18 much-loved brands and content in the UK.
• Its bourgeoning portfolio of direct-to-consumer products includes Eurosport Player, MotorTrend, GOLFTV and dplay – Discovery’s free streaming service which has seen record growth this year, with views more than doubling.
• This year has seen record audiences for the entire portfolio, with share of audiences up by 15%, driven by the enduring the popularity of franchises like Gold Rush, Wheeler Dealers, 90 Day Fiancé and Say Yes to the Dress.

About Discovery

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.