Discovery wades into streaming wars with ad-funded platform
Discovery has set out its stall in the increasingly crowded streaming market, launching a free on-demand app in the UK and Ireland.
The ad-funded platform, called Dplay, will provide programming from across the media group’s free-to-air channels, including Really, Quest and Home.
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Dplay’s roster of live and on-demand launch titles will including Salvage Hunters and Tom Kerridge: American Feast, as well as Quest’s English Football League highlights.
“We have nearly doubled the size of our UK audience in the last two years – and increased our free to air scale from two to six channels,” said James Gibbons, head of Discovery in the UK and Ireland.
“The launch of Dplay is the next step in our strategy to deliver to British audiences the best real life entertainment, whenever and wherever they want it. The free streaming service will also increase opportunities for advertisers to engage with audiences across multiple platforms.”
The launch will bring the rollout of Discovery’s streaming service to 10 global markets, with further launches expected in the coming months.
It comes just a week before Apple and Disney unveil their new streaming services as competition in the market heats up.
However, the growing number of competing subscription services has raised questions about how much consumers are willing to spend, prompting speculation about a move to ad-funded models.
“Amidst the UK’s streaming wars, and the increasing number of subscription services offered to consumers, it was only a matter of time until a free, ad-funded option came into the fray,” said Gavin Stirrat, vice president of partner services at ad firm Open X.
“For Discovery, this is a smart way to make content accessible, while similarly limiting the amount their customers have to spend to access great programming.”
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Dave Castell, general manager of inventory and partnerships at Trade Desk, said larger rivals were likely to adopt so-called freemium models, allowing consumers to choose between ad-funded free content or ad-free subscription services.
“This model equals the best of both worlds for the streaming companies – not to mention consumers, investors and advertisers, too,” he said.
Main image credit: Discovery