Abstract

The case provides insights into how Discovery Inc. (Discovery), a global leader in real life entertainment, changed itself from a cable TV company to an OTT content provider with a platform business. While Discovery already has a number of popular linear TV channels, it entered the OTT (Over the Top) space in 2020 with Discovery +, so as to manage and sustain the linear business. Discovery+ was launched, as a direct-to-consumer streaming service featuring television series, movies and original programming. Within its first year, discovery+ was available in 25 countries, including India, the UK and Ireland, the US among others. Discovery’s emphasis on D2C strategy made a positive impact on the company’s performance. Next, the case explores Discovery’s e-commerce strategy in detail. Since early 2010s, Discovery had started increasing its focus on D2C offerings. The case also details Discovery’s D2C strategy for digital/OTT platforms. Discovery offered international D2C propositions for OTT space in three categories-sports, lifestyle and factual. The case then focuses on Discovery+ launch in different countries. The case also analyses in detail how Discovery’s merger with WarnerMedia would create a global D2C streaming platform. The case concludes with a discussion on Discovery’s financial performance and future challenges including the success of the mega-merger.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Identify the need for a linear business to build a platform business
• Understand the importance of direct-to-consumer strategy in the Digital/OTT platform
• Evaluate the strategy needed to help a company gain a strong foothold in direct-to-consumer space
• Examine the benefits of a Merger

Keywords

Growth Strategy; Platform Business Models; Linear Business; Competition; International Business