Will Discovery+ Be Australia’s Next Streaming Service?

Will Discovery+ Be Australia’s Next Streaming Service?

It’s no secret that there are far too many streaming services. Throwing Paramount+ into the fray in August was enough to make the heads of Aussie streamers spin, but it might not be the last new streaming service we see in Australia. At least not if Discovery+ has anything to say about it.

You may associate the name Discovery with the well-known factual programming of the Discovery channel, and if you do, you’d be right.

For years we’ve seen the Discovery Channel and its subsidiaries tied to paywalls on platforms like Foxtel, Fetch and Telstra TV. It was only a matter of time before it branched into its own streaming platform.

This already happened in the US, UK and Europe with Discovery+ and there are signs it may be coming to Australia as well.

What is Discovery+?

discovery+ australia
Image: Discovery

Similar to any other streaming service, Discovery+ is a platform for on-demand video content.

Discovery Inc. is the parent company behind Discovery+ and is also the owner of well-known brands like the Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet, HGTV and the Oprah Winfrey Network.

The content from these networks has found a streaming home on Discovery+ which is known for its significant library of non-fiction content that spans factual, reality and lifestyle programming.

Discovery+ also has a slate of originals which includes the likes of American Detective with Joe Kenda, Amityville Horror House, UFO Witness, Amy Schumer Learns to Cook, Dr Pimple Popper: This is Zit, Mysterious Planet, Elephant Hospital, Monster Garage and plenty more.

The platform also often has the streaming rights to content from the BBC and A&E, depending on the market.

It doesn’t have any of the big-hitting franchises like Marvel or Game of Thrones, but Discovery+ does seem to have hit its stride with those seeking unscripted and factual entertainment.

Features and price

Discovery+ in the US is home to 55,000 episodes of TV and can also stream live programming from any of its channels.

Content is offered in 4K for no additional price (where supported) and an app has been made available on a huge array of devices since its launch.

The service is split up into ad-supported and ad-free versions, with the former costing US$4.99 and the latter being US$6.99. This equates to roughly $7 and $9 in Australian currency, but the prices would likely shift for our market.

Is Discovery+ coming to Australia?

There’s been nothing official about Discovery+ launching in Australia just yet, but there are a couple of signs that indicate it may be coming.

Back in April 2021 Glen Kyne, the GM for Discovery in Australia and New Zealand pointed to Australia as an “encouraging” market for Discovery+ to launch in.

“With Discovery Plus we’re not trying to be Netflix, we’re not trying to be Disney. We consider ourselves best in class, really, in real life entertainment, and we think that as a companion service to others, we’re very well-positioned to take advantage of market maturity in Australia,” Kyne said at the time.

While these comments are promising the biggest sign that a local Discovery+ launch is on the way comes from an unexpected place.

Not long ago Optus launched SubHub, which is a service that helps to manage all your entertainment subscriptions.

In a release sent to Australian media, Optus outlined the streaming partners that would be coming soon to SubHub. One of these was, you guessed it, Discovery+.

If Discovery+ is already looking to partner with local content businesses then it’s a pretty good sign we’ll be getting a local edition at some point in the future.

The question is are you willing to pay for another streaming subscription?


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