Sky & Discovery Ink “Long-Term” Carriage Deal In Europe

Comcast-owned pay-TV company Sky has signed a new carriage deal with Discovery in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Australia.

The “long-term” agreement means that Discovery’s channels will continue to be available on Sky and its streamer Now TV, while in the UK and Ireland, Discovery’s streaming services such as MotorTrend will also be accessible through Sky. The length of the deal and the financial terms were not disclosed.

It means that the two TV giants have avoided a repeat of the public game of brinksmanship they played over a carriage deal in 2017 when there was a real danger of Discovery’s channels going dark on Sky.

Sky and Discovery have also pledged to work together on the 2021 Olympics, with “pop up” Eurosport feeds on specific events and sports being made available to owners of Sky Q. They will also continue their advertising partnership, under which Sky sells advertising on Discovery’s behalf.

Stephen van Rooyen, Sky’s CEO in the UK and Europe, said: “We’re pleased to have reached a new agreement with Discovery. Our customers across the UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria can continue to enjoy their content, including their world-class factual programming.”

Kasia Kieli, president and managing director of Discovery EMEA, added: “Sky and Discovery have been working together for over 30 years to bring audiences the best in real-life entertainment. 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.”

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