Warner Bros Discovery has abandoned its plans to merge HBO Max and Discovery+ and will continue to offer Discovery+ as its own product.
According to a report by Deadline and The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the decision felt Discovery+ subscribers would not agree to the higher price for the combined service.
HBO Max currently costs over $16 a month, or $10 with ads. Discovery+ costs $7 a month or $5 with ads. Over the past month or so, Warner Bros Discovery executives have talked of combining the two services into a single offering. HBO Max has been featuring more Discovery titles more prominently recently.
Warner Bros Discovery is also working to step up in giving more free, ad-supported content. The company recently struck a deal with Roku and Tubi to license a number of Warner Bros Television and HBO shows. It is also planning to launch FAST channels this year.
WarnerMedia closed its $43 billion merger with Discovery in April 2022. The company is currently navigating issues with the decline of the TV business and uncertainty around profit models in streaming.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
