Discovery has announced that it has struck a multi-year agreement to supply content to Foxtel Group, Australia’s pay-TV market leader.
The renewed deal covers factual, documentary and reality content from the flagship Discovery Channel as well as the TLC, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Turbo and Animal Planet channels.
Significantly, Discovery’s content will be available for Australian subscribers to stream on demand on Foxtel and on its associated streaming service Binge.
Additionally, Foxtel Media has also renewed its agreement as the exclusive Australian advertising partner for Discovery Inc.
The Australian TV market is changing rapidly under pressure from international streaming operations which made the wealthy English-language territory an early launch priority.
Foxtel, as the legacy pay-TV player in a market with a population of 26 million and an estimated 20 million paying streaming subscriptions, is having to adapt. Last year it launched its own streaming service Binge and Kayo, a sports streaming service, and another dedicated to news. Streaming subs accounted for 56% of Foxtel’s 3.9 million overall subscriber total, at the end of December.
“The Discovery agreement is strategically significant for us as we strengthen our loyal Foxtel customer base and experience rapid growth with Binge. As Australia’s largest and fastest-growing subscription television company with over four million subscribers, we can provide Discovery’s incredible content with more reach in this market than ever before,” said Foxtel Group chief content and commercial officer, Amanda Laing.
“Our partnership with Discovery follows the renewal of our multi-year agreement with ViacomCBS last year. It reinforces our position as a local partner of choice for leading global studios and confirms that there are new and mutually beneficial ways for us to partner with international media companies that have their own direct-to-consumer strategies.”
Shows covered by the deal include: “Outback Opal Hunters,” “Aussie Gold Hunters,” “Deadliest Catch,” “Fast N’ Loud,” “Gold Rush,” “Naked and Afraid,” “90 Day Fiancé,” “Dr Pimple Popper,” “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Crikey! It’s the Irwins.” It also covers lifestyle content from HGTV channel including: “Good Bones,” “Home Town,” “Fixer to Fabulous,” “My Lottery Dream Home,” “Windy City” and “Flip or Flop.”
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