News
Sky, Discovery expanded
distribution deal
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
“Discovery can
take you from
the depths of
the ocean out to
deepest space, all
from the comfort
of your living
room.”
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.
4 EUROMEDIA
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.
“We’re pleased to have reached a new
agreement with Discovery,” commented
Stephen van Rooyen, chief executive officer,
UK & Europe, Sky. “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.”
“Sky and Discovery have been working
together for over 30 years to bring audiences
the best in real-life entertainment,” noted
Kasia Kieli, president & MD Discovery EMEA.
“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.”
“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 directto-consumer,”
added James Gibbons, EVP and
GM, Discovery Networks UK, Ireland, ANZ.
UK broadband resilient
during lockdown
As the UK gradually emerges from
lockdown imposed in response to the
Covid-19 pandemic, the performance of
its broadband networks in the face of
increased demand has been praised by
the Independent Networks Cooperative
Association (INCA).
“The lockdown restrictions have
really driven home our reliance on stable
broadband, for which independent
operators play a significant role,” stated
Malcolm Corbett, CEO of INCA. “They’ve
let us keep in touch with otherwise
unreachable loved ones, kept us working
from home, ensured access to education
services, health services and grocery
deliveries. The lasting impact of the
lockdown on our digital habits means the
reliance on high-speed broadband access
will only continue to grow.”
“The sustained resilience of
independent networks has played a
major part in ensuring that the country
has kept running. This is thanks to both
bravery of essential network workers,
going into the field and responding
to connectivity issues and ensuring
the upkeep of broadband access, and
measures taken by broadband providers
to ensure customers have stayed
connected,” added Corbett.
Ofcom’s Online Nation report shows
that adults spent an average of four
hours a day online during April, up from
three-and-a-half in September 2019.