ITV

Tag: discovery+

  • Discovery Plus subscription well ahead of estimation: Issac John

    Discovery Plus subscription well ahead of estimation: Issac John

    KOLKATA: Just as the pandemic starting snarling in India, Discovery Plus had only just taken off its OTT journey. However, the lockdown and the boost it gave to digital viewing seems to have aided the new entrant.  

    “We launched on the eve of lockdown. So a lot of OTTs have data that how subscribers were moving before and how they are behaving after it. We didn't have that visibility. We were in the lockdown when we launched and consumption happened during the lockdown and we continue to live through this. But, our subscription estimates are actually well ahead of what we had estimated. There has definitely been a lot of consumer love that's come our way in terms of consumers going for Discovery Plus subscriptions,” says Discovery Digital (south Asia) business head Issac John.

    Some other indicators, John said, were the 4.5 ratings for the app on App Store and Play Store as well as qualitative comments such as being able to watch with their families. He added that Discovery Plus is the only OTT player which works with two kinds of vectors. While one is essentially the lifelong learner’s vector, it is also catering to certain passion verticals. 

    After getting consumer requests, Discovery Plus has also launched its service on Fire TV, even though its main priority was iOS, Android and mobile web. Android TV app is also on the way.

    “We have seen time spent on Fire TV is 2.4x than the mobile format. I think what ends up happening is that when you consume content as premium as we have at Discovery Plus, your attachment to the content really goes up significantly That is also essentially like a clear sign on of how consumers love us on the big screen,” John added.

    Discovery Plus, emphasising the big-screen delight experience, launched a new marketing campaign that runs across all 14 Discovery network channels as well as on all key digital platforms. 

    “A part of our retention strategy is to ensure that the consumers have enough choice pertaining to the specific interests they came for. Moreover, at any point in time, in any given month, we will launch anywhere between 20 to 30 shows from our bank which is a mix of specials, exclusive acquisitions, etc,” John stated.  

    John said that it would be launching some premium BBC titles to strengthen the learning vector as well as female-friendly content, which haven’t been exposed so far. 

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Discovery to broadcast NASA launch of Spacex’s crew dragon capsule

    Discovery to broadcast NASA launch of Spacex’s crew dragon capsule

    MUMBAI: Discovery and Discovery Plus announced their plans to document history in the making at the NASA launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule on Saturday, 30 May at 3:22 PM EDT from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The event marks the first crewed space mission to be launched into orbit from US soil since 2011. SPACE LAUNCH: AMERICA RETURNS TO SPACE, a multiplatform event, will take viewers inside the launch, set to be showcased on Discovery, Science Channel on June 08 at 9 PM. Viewers can also stream the show by downloading the Discovery Plus app. The multiplatform event will also feature some of the biggest names in entertainment with appearances by global superstar Katy Perry, TV and Internet personality Adam Savage, former NASA engineer and YouTube sensation Mark Rober and other surprise celebrity guests. It will also include expert insight by former astronauts Mike Massimino and Karen Nyberg; active astronauts Jessica Meir and K. Megan McArthur and; NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine as well as an interview with Astronaut Chris Cassidy from the International Space Station (ISS).

    “Discovery and Science Channel have spent over a year documenting SpaceX’s race to become the first private company to launch American astronauts into space. Our special offers both incredible access for the launch, and expert insight from SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk and other leading aerospace professionals. In our two-hour documentary, we show the unbelievable engineering and scientific feats achieved by SpaceX in making such an historic launch happen,” said Scott Lewers, executive vice president of Multiplatform Programming, factual & head of content, science.

    “In these unprecedented times of isolation, we are excited to bring our viewers together to experience this event in a way they won’t see anywhere else, in the comfort of their own homes.”

    The multiplatform event will take viewers along the mission to launch veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission, known as Demo-2, will use a Falcon 9 rocket, also built by SpaceX, to propel it. Discovery and Science Channel coverage will feature commentary from astronauts, engineers and other special guests, as well as unprecedented coverage during launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

    The broadcast and accompanying two-hour documentary are made in partnership with The Washington Post and staff writer Christian Davenport, whose depth of experience allowed him to gain inside access to key players – including a rare in-depth interview with SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk – and captures their incredible stories about this historic space achievement.

    Washington Post reporter and Peabody award-winning journalist Christian Davenport is one of the country’s leading chroniclers of the space industry. His background and experience will add keen insight to the day’s event, as a co-host of the broadcast.

    Davenport joined The Post in 2000 and was on a team that won a Peabody Award in 2010 for its work on veterans with traumatic brain injuries and has been on reporting teams that were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize three times. He is the author of two books, “The Space Barons: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos” (2018) and “As You Were: To War and Back with the Black Hawk Battalion of the Virginia National Guard” (2009). He has also served as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a fellow at the Alicia Patterson Foundation.

    TV personality Chris Jacobs will host the three-hour special from Los Angeles.

    Emmy Award-winning journalist David Kerley will also be part of the reporting team on the ground at Kennedy Space Center. Kerley has reported on aviation, railroads, the automobile industry and space for all ABC News broadcast and digital properties since 2004, including "World News Tonight," "Good Morning America," "Nightline," ABC News Radio and ABCNews.com. His work has been recognized with Peabody and Edward R. Murrow awards as well as the prestigious Joan Barone award from the Capitol Hill Radio and Television Correspondents Association.

    The networks are also announcing a special 2-hour documentary NASA & SPACEX: JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE featuring exclusive access to the incredible journey leading up to this launch, airing Friday, June 12 at 7PM IST on Discovery, Science Channel and Discovery Plus. The film crew was granted unprecedented access to NASA and to SpaceX headquarters – giving viewers a rare glimpse inside Launch Control and first-hand accounts from SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk, Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. The documentary reveals the behind-the-scenes action with the teams of SpaceX engineers, NASA employees and scientists as they fulfill the SpaceX mission to “fly, test, and fix” their way to the ISS – with the goal of eventually flying to the moon and to Mars.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Discovery premieres Wild Karnataka, brings stars to celebrate wildlife

    Discovery premieres Wild Karnataka, brings stars to celebrate wildlife

    MUMBAI: Discovery in a unique initiative aimed at raising awareness about the rich biodiversity of India and the need for wild-life conservation has pulled in celebrated actors to provide voice-overs for the premiere of documentary ‘Wild Karnataka’ on June 05, the World Environment Day.  Produced by award-winning filmmakers Amoghavarsha JS and Kalyan Varma in collaboration with Karnataka Forest Department, Wild Karnataka focuses on the biodiversity that flourishes in the wild, as Karnataka now has some of the best forests in the world.

    The film, shot using 4K Ultra HD technology, by a team of 20 camera persons using drones and 15 stationed cameras across Karnataka over a period of four years, is a visual spectacle which is to be enjoyed on the big screen. The premiere of Wild Karnataka will get a never-seen-before reception as leading movie stars come forward to narrate it in different languages. Sir David Attenborough will take the lead in English while Indian actors such as Rajkumar Rao (in Hindi), Prakash Raj (in Telugu & Tamil), and Rishab Shetty (in Kannada) will ensure that Indians across the country join hands and celebrate nature’s gift to this beautiful country.

    The documentary will be released on Discovery Plus App at 6:00 am on June 05 on Android, iOS and on the desktop / mobile web on www.discoveryplus.in.  The TV premiere will happen at 8:00 pm on Discovery, Discovery HD, DTamil and Animal Planet. The documentary has received huge interest from advertisers with Policy Bazaar, Mi 10 and Unacademy coming on-board as associate sponsors while Wildcraft is co-powered by sponsor.

     “The premiere of Wild Karnataka is part of our long-term vision of promoting and elevating Indian filmmakers and storytellers who are making exceptional content,” said, Sai Abishek, director – content, factual & lifestyle entertainment – south Asia, Discovery. “We continue to innovate with an aim to engage audiences with thrilling, power-packed, entertaining and yet purpose driven content. I am indebted to the celebrities who came forward and supported this film readily and brought forward their unique sense of storytelling.”

    Co-filmmaker Amoghavarsha JS said, “Following the theatrical release of our film, it gives immense pleasure to be associated with a platform like Discovery Channel which is known for the brilliant work they’re doing towards helping raise awareness about wildlife conservation. We could not have found a better platform for us to showcase our film in which we have tried to bring to the screen the wondrous wildlife of Karnataka.”

    Noted celebrities coming together for a special cause: –

    Lending his voice to the film in Hindi, the Indian Actor Rajkummar Rao said, “As an actor you’re always looking for interesting stories to tell. However, to be able to narrate the story of our country’s wildlife was an extremely enriching experience for me. Discovery has always been my go to channel whenever I’ve wanted to explore something new. Now to be a part of the channel through a film that so beautifully portrays the natural heritage of our country, it is definitely a proud moment for me. Wild Karnataka celebrates the spectacular diversity of the Indian state, Karnataka and brings us closer to the wildlife that thrives in the state. It serves as a good reminder for all of us to truly celebrate our country’s rich natural treasures and work towards preserving them for generations to come.”

    Actor Prakash Raj has lent his voice for the Tamil and Telugu version of the film. He said, “I connect with the ethos of the show – celebrating the rich bio-diversity that is prevalent in India. The magnitude of this wild based magnum opus can be gauged from the fact that this hour-long documentary is sieved from four hundred hours of shot footage. To use one’s craft for raising awareness about the beauty and the diversity of our natural heritage is a beautiful thing and now it is up to us, the viewers and the citizens of India to not only celebrate this beauty but also work towards taking care of it.”

    “This film, Wild Karnataka, is close to my heart as I am from Karnataka and I feel grateful to be a part of this project for Discovery India. Lending my voice to the film in a way helps bring it closer to the people of Karnataka so they can witness the beautiful wildlife that thrives in this state, with a personal touch. It is extremely important for us to save our wildlife and the government and Forest Department of Karnataka are taking great efforts despite the pressures of development and vast human populations. It is time we learn more about this and understand how we can be a part of the solution,” said actor Rishab Shetty, who has dubbed for the film in Kannada.

    Karnataka is the home to some of the richest wild places on the planet and boasts of a rich biodiversity, most of which is still unknown to the public. Interestingly, one quarter of India’s plant and animal species are found here, many of which are still unknown to the people of India. The film appreciates the efforts of the people, government and the Forest Department of Karnataka, who are committed towards saving some of the greatest natural history for the future generations. Further, the movie spotlights the efforts of the government of Karnataka to save tigers and elephants as the state is a home to these majestic animals than anywhere else in the world. The money raised by this launch is being donated to the Tiger Foundation of Karnataka forest Department. WILD KARNATAKA sends a message of hope not just across India but across the whole world.

  • Animal Planet’s new documentary on effects of Covid2019 on animals

    Animal Planet’s new documentary on effects of Covid2019 on animals

    MUMBAI: When the Bronx Zoo announced their four-year-old Malayan tiger tested positive for Covid2019 the world was shocked to learn that animals can be victims of this pandemic, and many questions were raised. Dave Salmoni, Animal Planet’s big cat expert, dives deep to answer these questions in the special The Zoo: Covid2019 and Animals on 17 May at 1 pm and 8 pm on Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD and on recently launched Discovery Plus app. Salmoni speaks with a wide spectrum of experts from the WHO to wildlife biologists to veterinarians to uncover how the virus affects animals and how pet owners can keep their pets and family safe.

    The special will feature Bronx Zoo Chief Veterinarian with an update on the big cats and their treatment; Dr. Peter Embarek from the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Task Force, who works particularly on all aspects of the virus related to animals; EXTINCT OR ALIVE’s wildlife biologist, Forrest Galante providing insight on Covid2019 and how it relates to wildlife; and Dr. Jeff of DR. JEFF: ROCKY MOUNTAIN VET how the virus affects pets. Audiences will also hear from Dr. Blue, Dr. Ross, and Dr. Lavigne of THE VET LIFE and EVAN GOES WILD’s Dr. Evan Antin on how to care for pets during this time.

    “When news about Nadia the tiger came out the questions immediately began; what about my pets? How do I keep my animals and family safe? We’re going to answer these questions and more through this documentary. We're speaking to a wide range of experts from the World Health Organization, to wildlife biologists, to veterinarians. We are at war with this disease and so we get down to the nitty gritty, and discuss practical questions about daily lives with our pets. We know animals do play a role in this pandemic, and when it comes to our pets, we have to take care of them like any other member of our family.” says Animal Planet’s big cat expert, Dave Salmoni.

    Discovery South Asia factual and lifestyle entertainment content director Sai Abhishek said, “We have been the forefront of busting myths around novel Corona virus with international documentaries. With this latest film, we take a hard look at how animals are being treated during such a crisis and the safety measures that can be taken to keep both, the people and their pets healthy.”

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Vikram Tanna leaves Discovery; joins Mzaalo as COO

    Vikram Tanna leaves Discovery; joins Mzaalo as COO

    MUMBAI: Vikram Tanna has left Discovery Inc. after a stint of three years to join Mzaalo (Xfinite Global plc) as chief operating officer. At Discovery, he was head – advertising, sales, and business head of regional clusters, South Asia.  

    Prior to Discovery, Tanna was with Star India where he worked for more than eight years.

    Mzaalo is an ad-supported video-on-demand platform offering global access to premium web series and movies. It is an entertainment-based digital platform which offers TV shows, movies, games, music videos, etc. Users can consume premium content without having to subscribe.

    Xfinite, the digital platform that owns Mzaalo, uses blockchain technology and helps create a new generation of media producers and consumers.  

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Discovery Plus offers limited period annual subscription at Rs 99

    Discovery Plus offers limited period annual subscription at Rs 99

    MUMBAI: Discovery Plus, with an aim to engage audiences in the period of extended lockdown, has launched a limited time annual subscription package at an unbelievable price of Rs 99. The offer gives users an annual subscription at the cost of a monthly plan.  The #SafetyExtended offer can be availed on the Premium page of the app and is available till 11.59 pm, 16 April.  To drive home the message, Discovery Plus has launched digital campaign urging people to stay indoors with a film titled ‘The outdoors can wait’.

    Further, Discovery Plus will be releasing an anthology of three Covid-19 documentaries this week, which can be streamed without a premium account in light of widespread curiosity about the Pandemic. Among the specials to be released is Pandemic Covid 19, a 45-minute probing documentary where experts reveal why COVID-19 is unique, why the world was so unprepared for it and what could have been done differently to contain its spread.  

    The streaming service, which was launched earlier this year, offers thousands of hours of exclusive content across 40+ genres, including Science, Adventure, Food and Lifestyle, in 8 languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali & Marathi.

    Discovery Digital (South Asia) business head Issac John said, “Our campaign film drives the message of urging audiences to stay indoors while bringing alive the most picturesque outdoors on earth – outdoors which can be seen through myriad shows that are available on the app. The idea of the #SafetyExtended offer is to help families across the country enjoy and engage with premium and high-quality real-life entertainment during the extended lockdown period. Alongside, given the huge interest amongst audiences about Covid-19, we’re releasing three documentaries on Covid-19 which will be available for free consumption on the platform.”

    The content on Discovery Plus has been carefully curated from the world’s most trusted content brands such as Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, BBC, TLC, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, ID, Food Network, HGTV, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Motortrend and VICE.

    Developed and curated especially for the Indian audience, Discovery Plus has seen a strong rise in consumption since its launch last month, with shows on science, adventure and lifestyle receiving a phenomenal response from viewers.

  • Discovery to premiere special show ‘PANDEMIC: COVID-19’

    Discovery to premiere special show ‘PANDEMIC: COVID-19’

    MUMBAI: Discovery, Discovery HD and recently launched streaming service Discovery Plus will stream PANDEMIC: COVID-19, a one-hour special that gives an in-depth look at the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe on 15 April at 10 pm.

    As many have heard through the news, COVID-19 is believed to have transmitted from animals to humans in a market in Wuhan, China. But how does this happen? Experts will shed light on its treatment and transmission, which initially baffled doctors and scientists who first encountered early patients who fell ill. The special will also look at how, within a matter of weeks, COVID-19 spread throughout China and beyond, alarming healthcare professionals and scientists.

    PANDEMIC: COVID-19 will take viewers inside the fight to contain the pandemic with the latest news on how the government is coordinating to test and treat patients, and to prevent further spread. Experts will reveal why COVID-19 is unique, why the world was so unprepared for it and what could have been done differently to contain its spread.

    The special will also trace the origin of the outbreak in the United States to the first patient, its rapid spread in Seattle and probe the dramatic and unexpected transmission across the country. Viewers will hear from the leading experts in medicine on the frontlines as well as academia, government officials and patients with first-hand accounts.

    PANDEMIC: COVID-19 is produced for Science Channel by ITN Productions. For ITN Productions, executive producers are Ian Russell and Sarah Jane Cohen and producer is Nick Powell. For Discovery and Science Channel, Executive Producer is Gretchen Eisele.

    Is the US prepared to face this global pandemic unrivalled in modern history? Every day the story takes another dramatic turn, as the number of infected and reported dead in the United States continues on an upward trajectory. PANDEMIC: COVID-19 will look at the effects of the drastic measures happening across America as institutions, schools and businesses are shut down to prevent transmission. This timely special will shed insight from those leading the fight to find answers as well as a possible cure.

    University College London cell biologist Dr Jennifer Rohn says, “The normal circulating strain in the bats probably isn't causing much of a disease. But when it reaches humans, that's when all havoc breaks out, because it's in a new environment. Respiratory viruses have one aim: that is to get inside a human cell and use it as a factory to make thousands or millions of replacement copies that will then spread onto new cells. So often the cells will, will literally blow apart, as the virus is producing its millions of progenies.”

    “The virus, people say sometimes is a piece of bad news wrapped in protein. It is a vector for getting genetic information into a cell and that genetic information just contains a blueprint to make more viruses. They were able to tell that although this virus was new, it was closely related to the original SARS virus,” explains Professor Thomas Friedrich from University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the documentary. “With viruses it's much more challenging because mostly, they use our own cells to make more viruses. And so they're using our own cellular machinery, we can't poison that without poisoning ourselves.”

    Highlighting the speed with which Covid-19 spread, professor Dave O'Connor, University of Wisconsin-Madison says, “I think this is an important reminder that we live in an interconnected world where viruses that emerge anywhere in the world, can be a threat to the entire world.” He adds in the documentary, “A vaccine for this virus is unlikely to be available in the next 12 months. What that means is these other sorts of preparedness measures need to be put into place, because we're not going to have a vaccine. And so expecting this to be like the movie Contagion is simply unrealistic.”

  • Discovery garners 89% genre share on premiere of ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls & Superstar Rajinikanth’

    Discovery garners 89% genre share on premiere of ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls & Superstar Rajinikanth’

    MUMBAI: Discovery channel's premiere of Into The Wild with Bear Grylls & superstar Rajinikanth has created a record after the historic high touched by Man Vs Wild with Bear Grylls & PM Modi. According to channel, the premiere on Discovery Network (across 12 Discovery channels) delivered highest-rated TV show in the genre this year so far and second highest ratings in the history of the genre delivering an impressive four million impressions. The cumulative reach of the premiere across network was 12.4 million, solid 86 per cent higher than the previous four weeks. The premiere helped the network garner 89 per cent share in the infotainment genre. The slot viewership grew five times as compared to previous four weeks.

    The simultaneous premiere of the show on regional entertainment brand DTamil grew the slot by 20 times and helped DTamil nudge ahead of leading channels including Colors Tamil, Jaya and Raj TV during the slot.

    The show created huge buzz on the social media with #ThalaivaOnDiscovery reaching out to 1.41 billion individuals delivering 3.32 billion impressions (Source: Meltwater)

    Into The Wild with Bear Grylls is an innovative new format inspired by Man Vs Wild, which is one of the most watched wilderness survival television series in the world. Last year, Man Vs Wild with Bear Grylls & PM Modi episode disrupted the Indian media landscape, establishing itself as the TV event of the year. Other than prime minister Narendra Modi, Bear Grylls has also hosted prominent celebrities in the past such as then sitting American President Barack Obama, Kate Winslet, Roger Federer, Julia Roberts and many more.

  • Discovery to premiere Rajinikanth’s TV debut show ‘Into The Wild With Bear Grylls’ on March 23

    Discovery to premiere Rajinikanth’s TV debut show ‘Into The Wild With Bear Grylls’ on March 23

    MUMBAI: Ral-life entertainment network Discovery is all set to premiere  the much-anticipated TV debut show of Superstar Rajinikanth ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls’ at 8:00 pm on March 23 across 12 Discovery channels including Discovery Channel, Discovery HD,  DTamil, Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD, TLC, TLC HD, Investigation Discovery, Investigation Discovery HD, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, and Discovery Kids.  The premiere on Discovery and Discovery HD will be available in 8 languages including Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi and English.  Viewers can download newly launched streaming app Discovery Plus to get access to the episode at 6 AM on March 23, 2020.  Into The Wild with Bear Grylls is produced for Discovery Communications India by The Natural Studios and Banijay Asia.

    The special episode, shot in Bandipur National Park, will see Superstar Rajinikanth in a never seen before avataar, on an adventure trip with Bear Grylls, doing stunts never done before, discussing wide variety of topics including intimate details about his personal life and issues close to his heart such as water conservation.

    The TV debut with twists and turns

    Superstar Rajinikanth waited 43 years before making his TV debut as part of this unscripted adventure show. Speaking about his life, Rajinikanth says, “Well, yes, actually, my whole life has been a miracle. It’s a miracle! Even consider this show for example, I never thought of this, not even in my dreams that one day I'll do a show like this for Discovery!”

    The show has many challenging feats that the Superstar performs with great perseverance along with Bear, such as crossing a ravine while balancing off an iron bridge suspended 50 feet above a dried riverbed. Rajinikanth, who crosses the bridge with much élan is seen saying, “If anything goes wrong over here….it's just a rope after all. Moreover, the iron of that bridge it is extremely hot! I couldn't hold for long as it was hot so I had to move continuously. My God! It is really…yes! I did it!”

    The intimate Rajinikanth

    Shedding light on his journey as an actor who initially began his career as a bus conductor in Bangalore, the episode will feature Rajinikanth in a light that best humanizes him and depicts him the way he is in real life.

    Explaining how he keeps himself grounded while being revered by the world, Rajnikanth, says, “Yeah, once you’ve acted, it’s finished, I forget Rajinikanth. I go back to Shivaji Rao. Yeah. That’s just work life for me. When somebody reminds me “you are Rajinikanth” then I'll be like, oh yes! I am Rajinikanth.”

    The Superstar with a purpose:

    Through the episode, Rajinikanth fans will witness the charming superstar’s never-dying passion to spread awareness about the need to conserve water as he embraces the challenges of the wild. Speaking about the dire need to save the world from the issues faced due to the scarcity of water, the superstar says, “He who rules the water, rules the world.” He continues, “The current situation is heart wrenching. In the world there are 2.1 billion people suffering due to water scarcity.”

    Rajinikanth’s friends join the adventure

    Into the Wild with Bear Grylls is an interesting new format where Rajinikanth not only gets to take on the adventure with the ace explorer Grylls but also get goodwill messages from close friends. You will have to watch the show to know more about who the friends are and what transpires?

  • MIB approves Discovery’s application to rename DSport as Eurosport

    MIB approves Discovery’s application to rename DSport as Eurosport

    MUMBAI: The ministry of Information and broadcasting has approved the application of Discovery Communications India (DCI) to rename DSport as Eurosport and DSport HD as Eurosport HD. 

    DCI, on 9 October 2019, applied for the renaming of DSport and DSport HD license to Eurosport and Eurosport HD. The Delhi high court had asked MIB to issue an order within eight week on this. 

    Discovery had launched its channel DSPORT with Venky and his firm Lex Sportel Vision as its “consultant.” But the two parted ways on 23 January 2020, with Discovery “exercising their right under the provisions of the Term sheet, following material breaches of Law by Lex Sportel and Venkateish in providing services to DCIN and DNAP” – terminating the relationship with Venky and Lex from 23 January 2020. 

    Prior to that, DNAP and DCI had put Lex Sportel and Venky on a four-month notice from 14 October 2019 during which they were required to provide services in accordance with the term sheet to DCI and DNAP. Recently, Discovery re-launched DSport HD in India on 17 February.