HBO Max
- The WarnerMedia-Discovery merger will see HBO Max, Discovery, and HGTV exist under one umbrella.
- The deal is will create one of the largest content libraries in the world, with more than 100 brands.
- Chip and Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Network, TLC, Animal Planet, and DC Comics are also included.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
AT&T announced plans on Monday to merge its WarnerMedia content arm with media company Discovery.
When complete, more than 100 brands – including HBO Max, Warner Bros., and Chip and Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Network – will exist in one unit as one of the largest content libraries in the world, one that would give AT&T a strong edge in the streaming wars against the reigning Netflix.
Here are the brands that have been publicly announced as part of the merger:
- HBO
- Warner Bros.
- Discovery
- DC Comics
- CNN
- Carton Network
- HGTV
- Food Network
- The Turner Networks
- TNT
- TBC
- Eurosport
- Magnolia Network
- TLC
- Animal Planet
- ID
A WarnerMedia spokesperson said the company is working to compile a full list.
Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Monday that WarnerMedia and Discovery had spent heavily, to the tune of $20 billion annually, on content. That's larger than the $17 billion that Netflix plans to spend on content in 2021.
Zaslav said the proposed company would announce a new name soon, and news surfaced on Tuesday that Zaslav has signed a new contract to act as head of the company through 2027, sources told Axios. The merger is expected to close in mid-2022.
Read more: The 19 most powerful WarnerMedia execs running its studios and networks
Discovery's streaming unit launched in January with prices starting at $4.99. The Discovery Plus subscription includes shows from well-known brands like Food Network, HGTV, TLC, BBC, and Discovery Channel, which airs the popular "Shark Week" program each year. It also features a reboot of "Fixer Upper" from the beloved home renovation duo Chip and Joanna Gaines, as well as more content from the couple's Magnolia Network.
HBO Max launched in 2020, when the pandemic had driven people into their homes and quickly grew its subscriber base. That growth was buoyed by the company's decision to release "Wonder Woman 1984" simultaneously on the streaming platform and in theatres.