Home > M-Commerce
Home > Mobile TV

April 11 2006

Discovery Communications will launch Discovery Mobile, a 24-hour mobile programming network featuring original content from across Discovery's core program genres, such as science, technology, travel, health, animals and nature.

Launching in the third quarter of 2006, Discovery Mobile is designed and programmed specifically for portable platforms, and not simply a feed of a linear TV channel.


"Discovery is a natural to be a leader in mobile," said Don Baer, Senior Executive Vice President for Strategy and Development, Discovery Communications. "Whether it is viewing a short program about a city you are visiting, learning the latest in science news or the truth behind an urban myth, Discovery Mobile will let our most passionate viewers take our useful and entertaining knowledge-based content with them wherever they go."


Updated weekly, Discovery Mobile's programming format will consist of content segments ranging in length from 30 seconds to four minutes, categorized into 20-minute blocks. Using an innovative production model, Discovery Mobile, a dedicated mobile network, will push content to consumers such as original made-for-mobile series, abbreviated versions of Discovery's most popular programs, never before seen footage, one-of-a-kind extras and user-generated content. Discovery Mobile will be targeted to a younger demographic, users ages 15-39, the heaviest consumers of wireless content and services. The channel's programming will be of the same high quality as traditional linear Discovery content, however geared to this younger core of users.


Programs range from Discovery Channel's SURVIVORMAN and MYTHBUSTERS and Science Channel's DISCOVERIES THIS WEEK, to TLC's WHAT NOT TO WEAR, Travel Channel's ANTHONY BOURDAIN: NO RESERVATIONS and Discovery's Health Channel's DR. DREW, to name a few.


The launch of Discovery Mobile builds on Discovery's strong foundation of success in the international mobile marketplace. Discovery Mobile is available in seven countries: France, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Domestically, Discovery also has partnerships with MobiTV where Discovery and TLC are both ranked among its top 10 channels. The company also has a global partnership with Nokia, which carries customized Discovery content on its newest and most sophisticated devices.


The announcement is part of an overall set of multiplatform business initiatives unveiled today at Discovery's Upfront sales presentation in New York. In addition to Discovery Mobile, the company is making its world-class video content available on Google Earth, Google's satellite imagery-based mapping product and will launch Discovery's first 24/7 broadband channels, Discovery Channel Beyond and Travel Channel Beyond. The announcements demonstrate Discovery's aggressive activity in the multiplatform marketplace both in launching new services and working with strategic partners in the new media space, to make its high-quality, informative and entertaining content available to consumers wherever they are.