Almost two years after Discovery+ debuted, the nonfiction streaming service is now available on DirecTV’s satellite and online platforms.
Under the pact reached between Warner Bros. Discovery and DirecTV, customers of DirecTV and DirecTV Stream can now subscribe to Discovery+ to access its lineup of more than 70,000 episodes of original series and library content from WBD networks.
DirecTV customers who subscribe to the Discovery+ with ads plan ($4.99/month) through DirecTV will receive a $2 monthly discount — meaning their net price is $2.99/month. DirecTV and DirecTV Stream customers can access Discovery+ within each service’s interface.
Starting next spring in the U.S., Warner Bros. Discovery plans to merge Discovery+ and HBO Max — and right now, it’s unclear how that transition will happen.
DirecTV spun off from AT&T in August 2021 in a deal with TPG Capital. As a privately held company, DirecTV no longer reports financials or subscriber figures but prior to its spinout — like the rest of the pay-TV biz — it was in steady decline over several years amid the rise in cord-cutting.
In announcing the pact, DirecTV chief content officer said, “As more of our customers gain interest in top streaming services, and we add streaming services from programmers like Warner Bros. Discovery whose linear channels we also offer, we can help our programming partners expand their reach while also offering our customers similar preferred discounts.”
For now, ahead of the HBO Max/Discovery+ merger, the Discovery+ lineup provides current and older TV shows from Discovery’s portfolio of networks, including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Magnolia Network, along with more than 200 original titles and hundreds of hours of exclusive content. Additionally, the service offers non-fiction content from A&E, History and Lifetime, along with licensed nature and environmental programming.