Discovery titles going to Gaiam

PHYSICAL: Deal includes TLC, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet titles

By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 6/15/2009

JUNE 15 | PHYSICAL: Gaiam will be the exclusive distributor of titles from Discovery Communications under the terms of a three-year deal announced today, beginning with new releases and also including catalog after rights revert to the company.

The deal brings all Discovery home entertainment product under one roof, featuring the brands TLC, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, among others.

“We will be the single provider,” said William Sondheim, president of entertainment and worldwide distribution for Gaiam.

Discovery titles previously had been split between Genius Products and Image Entertainment. Gaiam additionally will have rights to those titles once those deals expire.

Gaiam plans to release the first new Discovery titles in the fall, including releases from TLC’s current newsmaker Jon & Kate Plus 8, Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs and Animal Planet’s River Monsters.

Both DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases will be part of the pact, Sondheim said. He noted that Discovery programming particularly lends itself to the high-definition format, unlike Gaiam’s fitness-oriented product.

Sondheim said Discovery was particularly interested in Gaiam as a distributor because of the company’s experience with cross-branding and cross-merchandising. Gaiam has had success with store-within-a-store concepts, such as its space in Target for various fitness DVDs and related products.

Sondheim said Gaiam’s distribution of Discovery titles could include four-sided displays with each panel carrying DVDs from a different Discovery network.

The displays are likely to primarily stock DVD, but different types of stores would specialize in different titles. For example, mass merchants might stock shorter programs, and bookstores might carry multi-disc collections.

Gaiam also plans to explore specialty distribution in alternative outlets such as museums, aquariums and pet stores, Sondheim said.

Gaiam previously distributed titles from Discovery’s Planet Green, including some ancillary merchandise in addition to DVD.

Other Discovery brands that are also part of the deal include ID: Investigation Discovery, Science Channel, HD Theater and Military Channel.

Gaiam is expanding agreements with other companies as well. It is expected to provide details soon on deals with Reebok and others.

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