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The new service, owned by Discovery, will pool
the nature, science and wildlife libraries of the companies, and
is aimed at viewers used to binge-watching shows on services
like Netflix Inc.
Resolution of the fate of UKTV is expected to remove an obstacle
to the BBC exploring partnerships with other UK media to compete
against Netflix, according to reports.
BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the public broadcaster, will
pay Discovery 173 million pounds ($225.40 million), which
include the assumption of 70 million pounds of debt, to take
over seven entertainment themed channels: Alibi, Dave, Drama,
Eden, Gold, Yesterday and W.
Discovery will assume ownership of UKTV's lifestyle channels
Good Food, Home and Really.
In the new 10-year content partnership covering territories
outside of the UK, Ireland and Greater China, Discovery's new
streaming service will be the exclusive home to BBC Studios'
portfolio of natural history, animals, adventure and science
programming. The two will also co-develop new programming in the
category.
Discovery has also purchased the rights to hundreds of hours of
BBC shows across "factual genres" that will be combined with
Discovery's own libraries for the new streaming service, the
companies said.
"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," Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC, said in a
statement.
($1 = 0.7675 pounds)
(Reporting by Kenneth Li; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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