discovery+ Won’t Include Linear Feeds of Channels like Discovery, HGTV, and Food Network

Earlier today, Discovery finally unveiled their streaming service, discovery+. It was revealed that discovery+ will launch with two tiers—a $4.99 ad-supported tier, as well as a $6.99 ad-free tier.

The service will launch on January 4th with 55,000 episodes of TV across 2,500 series with content from HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, OWN, Animal Planet, and Discovery. The service will also include exclusive discovery+ Originals and will feature notable personalities like the Irwins, Jonathan and Drew Scott, Chip and Joanna Gaines, Bobby Flay, Ree Drummond, Guy Fieri, and more.

One thing the service won’t have is linear feeds of their channels like Discovery, HGTV, TLC, Food Network and more. On their Investor Call, the Discovery team confirmed that to get linear channels you will still need either a cable subscription or with a Live TV Streaming Service like Philo.

Most of the content on discovery+ will first premiere on linear TV and then become available on the streaming service after the season airs.

Internationally though, that might be different. Discovery says that they will handle that on a market by market basis. Some markets will include live feeds of channels including their sports, specifically Olympics and golf content.

Beginning with the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year, it will become the streaming home of the Olympics in Europe with access to every minute, every medal, and every hero live and on demand. Olympic rights exclude Russia. Eurosport will be an official broadcaster in France and the UK in 2020.

Last year, Discovery launched GOLFTV, an international streaming golf network, after reaching a $2 billion, 12-year deal with the PGA Tour to include 2,000 hours of live golf.