BBC and Discovery have teamed up to launch a global streaming service focused on factual content in categories such as nature, animals, science, exploration, history, and space. It will launch by 2020 and cost approx. $5/month.

Will include Planet Earth & Blue Planet
The new ten-year agreement will make Discovery the exclusive global home of BBC's landmark natural history content, including Planet Earth, Blue Planet, the Life collection, and Dynasties, in all territories outside the UK, Ireland and Greater China.

The streaming service will launch by 2020 and is expected to cost "no more than $5 per month", according to BBC.

- “From the planets to the poles, and documenting every species in between, the world has always been part of Discovery’s DNA. It is who we are. Telling these stories is our mission and it is more important now than ever before. The new platform will be the first global direct-to-consumer service with the category’s most iconic IP including the Planet Earth series, future sequels and spin-offs to all existing landmark series, and new exclusive natural history and science programming coming in the future. There is tremendous value in the marketplace for these programming categories which have broad appeal and strong multi-generational engagement, and we hope to fill the void in the global marketplace for a dedicated high quality product,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery.



The streaming service be fueled by factual content rather than entertainment. This includes documentary films from both Discovery and BBC in genres such as natural history, animals, adventure, science, travel, space, history and civilization. The two companies will work together to create new exclusive content, too.

- “This is our largest ever content sales deal. It will mean BBC Studios and Discovery will work together to take our content right across the globe through a new world-beating streaming service. Global subscribers are in for a real treat: the best content on a great new platform," said Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC. “This is brilliant news for audiences here as it will enable the BBC to invest even more in factual programming for them."

The companies have yet to comment on technical details relating to picture/audio quality and platform support.

Discovery is also planning to launch streaming services focused on food, home improvement, golf and cycling, according to The Wall Street Journal.

- Source: Discovery, BBC (2), WSJ