While details about Discovery’s upcoming streaming service were shared by a source for CNBC earlier today, Discovery has now made the official announcement that Discovery+ will launch on January 4, 2021. In a virtual event today, the company also announced that the service will cost $4.99 per month with ads and $6.99 per month without ads.
CEO David Zaslav kicked off the presentation Wednesday, calling Discovery+ “the most distinct, clear, and unique streaming service in the world.”
The service will set itself apart by focusing on unscripted programming. Discovery+ will include top shows from A&E, History, and Lifetime, along with more of the company’s brands and original content created specifically for Discovery+. Discovery says the service will have a larger content library than any other new streaming service at launch, including a wide range of exclusive, original series across verticals including lifestyle and relationships; home and food; true crime; paranormal; adventure and natural history; as well as science, tech and the environment, and a slate of documentaries.
Discovery’s brands with content coming to Discovery+ include:
- HGTV
- Food Network
- TLC
- Investigation Discovery
- OWN
- Animal Planet
- Discovery
- Discovery+ Originals
- Magnolia Network
- BBC Planet Earth
- A&E
- Lifetime
- History
- Travel Channel
- Science Channel
- DIY Network
- The Dodo
- And more
With Discovery+, subscribers can create up to five user profiles and enjoy up to four simultaneous streams. At launch, discovery+ will be available across major platforms, including connected TVs, web, mobile and tablets, with details about availability coming soon.
The new service will launch with a partnership with Verizon, giving Verizon customers up to 12 months of Discovery+ for free. At launch, new and existing wireless customers with a Play More or Get More Unlimited plan will get 12 months of Discovery+ on Verizon, and customers with Start or Do More Unlimited plans will receive 6 months of streaming on Verizon.
New customers who sign-up for Verizon 5G Home Internet or Fios Gigabit Connection can receive 12 months of Discovery+ on Verizon; new Fios customers may also be eligible for three to six months depending on their plan.
“We have been working methodically the past two years to bring all of our strategic advantages to the launch of Discovery+, including distribution and advertising partnerships around the world, a world-class offering of quality brands, authentic personalities and the largest content library at launch, as well as a broad slate of exclusive programming,” Zaslav said in a statement.
“With Discovery+, we are seizing the global opportunity to be the world’s definitive product for unscripted storytelling, providing households and mobile consumers a distinct, clear and differentiated offering across valuable and enduring lifestyle, and real world verticals. We believe Discovery+ is the perfect complement to every streaming portfolio, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Verizon to bring this incredible content to their customer base.”