Discovery+ Could Give Us HGTV and Food Network On Demand As Soon As Early 2021

Discovery’s forthcoming streaming service—which multiple reports have said will be called Discovery+—may be launching early next year, though pricing for the soon-to-launch offering is still unclear.

Citing agency executives familiar with the matter, Digiday reported this week that the service is readying to launch in Q1 of 2021 with both an ad-supported and ad-free tier. As previously reported by the Information, Digiday too reported that the service would launch under the name Discovery+. According to the report, Discovery is focusing on targeting younger demographics of viewers who have opted out of linear programming and instead decided to cut the cord.

What’s unclear is how much Discovery plans to charge for the service, which could house programming from Discovery’s significant portfolio of brands and channels, including the Discovery Channel, OWN, Animal Planet, the Food Network, TLC, and HGTV, among others. (Discovery offers some of its content through apps, but they often require pay-TV credentials to view the content.) If it modeled its service after Peacock, it might make its ad-supported tier free and charge only for its premium ad-free tier. However, other on-demand and live streaming services like CBS All Access and Hulu charge for their ad-supported tiers.

A spokesperson for Discovery declined to comment.

Discovery CEO David Zaslav has said that the streaming platform would launch soon, adding that the company is currently wrapped up in locking down partners and building out a library of new originals. According to Digiday, those originals will include both documentary series as well as reality TV and could feature celebrity talent to reel in those younger audiences. As Digiday noted, niche interests offered by its networks could give Discovery a leg up on other services. But it would still have to make itself competitive and attractive to both advertisers as well as viewers.

But Discovery has got at least one committed viewer here at launch. Just take my money, guys.