Discovery buys Scripps

BREAKING

Discovery buys Scripps, home of lifestyle channels inc Food Network for $14.6bn. Scripps also 50% owner of UKTV with BBC

Food Network and Travel Channel will complement Discovery's existing factual channel portfolio. Will be interesting to see if Discovery keep the share in UKTV.

didn't discovery look into buy those uktv shares? So that's four freeview channels discovery have.

This was being discussed a couple of weeks ago when was grazing around the EPG and alighted at CNBC.

They said it was either going to be Discovery Networks, or Viacom buying them up.

Discovery is probably the best fit for Scripps.

As someone says it will be interesting to see if they keep the 50% of UKTV. Suspect they will, if it means cheaper (and more direct) access to the BBC Worldwide programme archive for Discovery Networks channels around the world.

Does it also mean uktv have better access to other programmes for its channels aswell? What happened to the BBC worldwide deal to increase it shareholding to 60%? Is that no longer possible with this deal?

Promo Video -

I hope so, I think repeats of The Crocodile Hunter (which aired on Animal Planet/Discovery) could possibly fit in on Dave. One of the few wildlife programmes my uncle would watch, he currently watches a lot of Dave.

The UKTV share is specifically mentioned in the investor release as part of the portfolio that Discovery will get. Six years ago, Discovery tried to buy the 50% stake in UKTV that Virgin later sold to Scripps.

Discovery did own the Travel Channel before Scripps buying it from them, so effectively bringing the channel back to Discovery's hands

Discovery originally owned the US Travel Channel but the international version had no connection to the US channel of the same name.

Travel Channel international was privately owned before being sold to Scripps who had also bought the US version by then.

I wonder what the future of Discovery's Food Network channel will be if they own a 50% stake in UKTV's Good Food channel. I'd assume any effect on the UKTV channels would likely be a positive one in terms of potentially some additional Discovery channel content.

I think what may happen is that in international markets, BBC Worldwide content will be scheduled on Discovery owned channels, while some Discovery content may end up on the UKTV factual channels and Dave at a rate which will be mutually beneficial for both co-owners of UKTV.

The deal ensures Discovery is the main supplier of factual and real life content and having the BBC as a partner will only strengthen their hold on the sector.