Discovery has decided to offer new episodes of several popular Discovery-branded shows as Discovery+ exclusives. The move is designed to attract new subscribers to the streaming service, but ‘old’ subscribers to Discovery-owned channels on cable and satellite are crying foul, saying the company is forcing them to pay more money to continue watching their favorites.
Update: Can You Sue Discovery+?
Since Discovery+ launched on January 4, the service has been the exclusive home of new episodes of several shows that have built strong followings on channels such as Discovery, HGTV, the Travel Channel, the Food Network and TLC. The shows that now air their new episodes on the streaming service includes Property Brothers: Forever Home, Ghost Adventures, and Paranormal: Caught On Camera.
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“We are experimenting with some show premieres on Discovery+ during a brief window during the service’s launch,” Discovery’s Cara Brugnoli told the TV Answer Man via e-mail. “That said, we remain committed to serving our pay-TV fans with the shows and talent they love and value. The vast majority of Discovery content premieres on linear, with current seasons largely exclusive to our traditional pay-TV offering.”
Brugnoli did not respond to our questions regarding whether past episodes or entire seasons of Discovery-owned shows have been moved to Discovery+. But the exclusive airing of new episodes is enough to get longtime Discovery viewers hopping mad. Discovery+’s monthly plans start at $4.99 and Discovery viewers say they already pay too much for their cable and satellite subscriptions. They have taken to social media sites, and sent e-mails to this site, to register their anger.
“We have Dish and all of our most loved shows are on the discovery shows,” ‘Jennifer Taylor” wrote in the TV Answer Man readers forum. “Travel channels ghost shows like ghost adventures…no more new episodes. They keep advertising the Cecil Hotel investigation only on discovery plus. We are a disabled couple barely surviving on ssdi! How cruel to do this to us! Even more so during these insane times! My blood pressure is rising right now because I am so pissed off…better stop for now! This is just so cruel & unfair!”
“I’m with you Jennifer!!! On a fixed income and can barely afford the cable company I use…it’s all my paranormal shows leaving the Travel Channel channel and I would have to pay $4.99 for that too??? I don’t think so!!! I love those shows and I was already paying for them all!!! Yes, my blood pressure too is rising!!! And I’m on medication!!!” added ‘Pixie Sweeney.’
“Totally agree !!! Also Ghost Nation, American Monster, all the shows that have started new seasons. They are showing one new episode and showing in the bottom right corner that all new episodes are moving. This is not fair. Is it legal? Seems like they’re trying to double dip,” wrote ‘Rosemary Huckaby.’
Several viewers say Discovery’s effort to get fans to subscribe to pay TV services as well as buy the new streaming service is particularly unfair during an international pandemic that has left many consumers struggling to make ends meet. Some say they will never get Discovery+ because they are so angry with the company’s decision.
“I will not budge, no matter how much I enjoy the shows. If we start paying them this money, there will be no stop to this behavior and they will continue to raise the price with other networks following their example. Boycott and stop the greed.” writes ‘JM Fran.’
“I am seething right now about the new Discovery+ streaming channel! ‘Barbara’ from San Diego wrote in an e-mail to the TV Answer Man. “Literally, ALL of my favorite channels and shows fall under the Discovery umbrella that I already PAY for with my cable subscription. And now I’m finding out that new content for my favorite shows has been moved to Discovery+ and they want me to pay EVEN MORE!! With all of the financial hardships that we are going through with the virus and being locked down they now want us to pay more for shows that give us a little relief?? Furthermore, I would have to get a new phone AND tablet in order to run their app!! This is PURE GREED! I’m going to look into alternative ways to access my shows and I’ll probably end up canceling my cable altogether. What good is it other than a place to watch stale reruns, some news, Judge Judy, and infomercials? It’s sickening! Discovery can go to Hell! Mr. Swann, I don’t expect you to be able to do anything, as it sounds like the Discovery+ people are dodging you.”
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— Phillip Swann
Discovery should be fined like the medical companies that charged excessive rates. I will refuse to ever subscribe to a service that I’m already paying for with my cable subscription.
That’s why you cancel your cable TV service and go internet only. The whole point of streaming services is to get people off of traditional cable tv services and move them to streaming services to save money. Now you have more choices to choose from to get your favorite content. A lot of content is free through YouTube, The Roku Channel and others.
When everyone does that, internet service providers will put limits on the amount of data users can stream each month. I already have a cap of 1.2T that I use a third of each month – and I rarely ever use Netflix or Hulu. Let’s remember that the largest high speed internet providers also have cable tv services. They may also decide to slow traffic coming from Netflix and others, so you might also lose your HD resolution tv.
We are unable to obtain cable in our area so we have DISH satellite service for TV. We can only get DSL through our phone company for Internet access, Centurylink. The fastest speed they can provide to us is “up to 4 mbps” which is reality is usually between 2.6 and 3.2 mbps download and .76 mbps upload. We are not on fiber optic cables in our area nor will we get it anytime soon. So I’m boycotting Discovery+ and all the channels they moved and hope in the future they’ll change things.
What about those that don’t have good access to internet? I read that you use 1 or 2 GB per hour streaming. I get 10gb hotspot a month for 65 dollars. What I get a good 3hr of shows before I use it all. And it’s crappy on top of that. This discovery plus b’s is a lot more than 5 dollars a month for some of us. Quit support carp like this.
Many of us outside of metro areas do not have internet or have poor service.
We have streaming with Youtube TV and while discovery is included on that, we would still have to pay and stream discovery+ in addition to it. This really sucks that they want to double dip
Not everyone has a fancy phone and gadgets and are already paying for this service for years!!
Some want to relax their sick bodies and watch tv, not sit there squinting to see a small screen!! ugh
Double Dipping Jerks at Discovery+ Shame on them and for the shows/ cast allowing it!!
Fed Up in Maine
BS!
Not everyone has access to streaming services and devices. I probably would have subscribed if it hadn’t been for the fact that I went to watch one of my regular shows and BAM it was gone. Certainly no way to handle this transition.
Sometimes people can’t afford internet and computers not everyone has money for the high price of cable and intetnet good for you for being fortunate enough for it all
You have to have a good internet connection to stream and people in rural areas do not have as good a connection as people living in towns of cities.
BUT WHAT YOU COMPUTER USERS. FORGET MORE PEOPLE START STREAMING. THE HIGHER THE COST OF INTERNET. WILL GO UP IF YOU ARE PAYING SAY $100 A MONTH FOR INTERNET. SERVICE NOW BY SUMMER TIME YOU WILL BE PAYING $250 A MONTH FOR INTERNET SERVICE AND MAYBE $300 TO $450 A MONTH BY CHRISTMAS.
I won’t use streaming services due to security risks. I expect to reduce my cable to expanded basic and enjoy my collection of DVDs. On a fixed income and cable is already too expensive. Be part of the problem or part of the solution .. withhold your disposable income to send a message.
We live in an area that internet is awful! We can’t get reception to even stream ANY online platform. We pay for cable and am extremely disappointed that all new shows are on discovery +. This is our form of entertainment. We live in a rural area! When work is done, to sit and enjoy our favorite shows is so sad.🥺
Turns out that costs money too. And one service doesn’t seem to have all the shows I like. So I’d have to subscribe to many different streaming services. It’s ridiculous.
I agree, I pay enough for cable as it is! I will not pay for discovery plus! Just not right, everyone has their hand out for more and more money. I’m not going to give in.
yeah, and you notice the say “starting” at 4.99…you probably will get yet another increase shortly after signing on. They can stick the rest of the shows where the sun does not shine and stop advertising for it on the channels I am ALREADY PAYING FOR…Want to advertise? Do it on your own dime.
I’m on a fixed income love and never missed any ghost show now you have taken them from people that are already paying a fortune. You should be ashamed. It’s cruel to steal shows and then try to get more money for them. All money hungry!!!!!
I so totally agree. I hope they get boycotted by the bulk of fans and the advertisers dump them. We already paid for those shows…now we have to pay more to see what happens next????Hmmm used to be called the new season.
I am trying to convince my husband to cancel cable. I am tired of paying for TV that promised no commercials. I am now paying for channels that play so many commercials. Now discovery plus … More money??? My grown children do not have cable. It’s ridiculous to keep paying for cable!
Discovery plus is a money grab and nothing else. Same for the Peacock channel and so many others. I am forced to watch Peacock due to the week day morning sports talk shows that have signed up with this obscure otherwise useless collection of reruns. Eventually they will all choke on the vine due to the onslaught and over crowding. Greed is an ugly thing but these people don’t care about anything except making money. I.E. AT&T.
They are all doing this because so many are leaving cable/satellite services. I am one of those. I realize many people may not be able to leave due to internet speed issues, but if you can you should look into your choices. I’m saving so much money after leaving Direct TV. I was with them for 20 years. I really love Discovery +, but my favorite show “The Kitchen “ has their newest season on cable/satellite only….So I have the same issue, just in reverse. However, I won’t go back. I have more channels than ever, which I actually watch, for way less money. I know this can be frustrating….but it’s the way the TV world is evolving….
STOP FEEDING THE GREED! Greed is all it is. As soon as they destroy cable and satellite the fees for streaming apps and internet costs are going to sky rocket. I cannot believe people are falling for this scam.
STOP FEEDING THE GREED! Once cable and satalite services are destroyed the fees for streaming apps and internet costs are going to skyrocket. You are not saving enough now to compensate for what you’ll be losing then.
More of this will happen with the onset of new generation tv this year. With regular HD tv being sunset in 5 years, some of the new generation tv channels will be encrypted so you have to pay for them.
I never thought I’d see the day when torrenting would be a morally viable choice.
I am a telehealth working mother of a one year old and stepmom of a remote learning 10 year old who rarely sees the tv (never mind something I want to watch), but look forward to THREE shows that I DVR for me time: Dead files (watching since season one consistently and I’ve turned MANY people onto it), kindred spirits, and paranormal caught on camera. I’m so heart broken that DISCOVERY is taking this away from me. I kept seeing the ads but thought NO WAY THEY WOULD DO THAT TO LOYAL PAYING COSTUMERS. I can barely afford cable now, so I won’t be adding discovery plus, not to mention on principle alone. I can’t believe it’s true and they can get away with being so greedy. What a slap in the face to people who have watched your channels before it was so “trendy” to do so. They have taken more than my “tv shows” away from me. In times of such uncertainty they have taken away my source sanity… the only shows I look forward to. Thanks for not having your loyal customers backs during these hard times. You have forever changed my view on the people at DISCOVERY CHANNEL.
I totally understand your frustration. We live in rural Maine and have been loyal fans of Expedition Bigfoot/ Paranormal caught on camera/ Kindred spirits and now we are just so pissed about this double dipping shit they are pulling. Going to be making a complaint to the BBB , everyone who is unhappy should as well.
Yes. Better Business Bureau should get involved with this. This is a contractual violation of what current subscribers are already paying for.
Not Happy
You are right they are taking them all Holzer files, ghost adventures, all of them and the assholes who just take them from paying people and then tell them just spent more then you can see your shows.
i agree i love my faves on discovery channel but i do not want to pay extra either
FYI to give you insight of what will happen next with Discovery Plus. I downloaded Disney plus several months ago, got first month free. After that got billed $5.99 a month. Just got notified that Disney Plus would be charging me $9.99 a month. I cancelled it, along with CBS, now Paramont because of cost increase. We pay $60.00 a month for poor internet. Add $20.00 for just two channels and Wala we’re doling out $80.00 plus a month. Discovery Plus will give us a great introductory price and then down the road the price will go up and then price will be for each program. The only one who gains is Discovery Plus. Have you noticed there is no where on the Discovery Plus home page to file a concern or complaint. For now I’ll keep my Dish, because it doesn’t spend more time buffering than watch a show and I still have other channels I can watch. I’ll take a two year contract with Dish than a chance on streaming channel prices going up every so many months.
Uh….how about if all you watch is Discovery’s content you cancel your ridiculously high cable/satellite bill and pay the $5/mo for what you want?
People have been asking for a la carte cable for decades now. It’s finally available and all people do is complain about it.
Most of us watch more than just the Discovery channels.
A lot of us don’t have internet options that will support streaming. I live within in the city limits of a state capital and my only option is slow, expensive satellite that can’t stream anything. Until reliable high speed internet is available to everyone, traditional cable companies are the only choice for many of us.
Ala Carte cable to me means getting the basic channels ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS and then picking the other channels we want to satisfy the members of our family who like different things: sports, Disney, Animal Planet, Travel Channel etc. There’s no freedom in the current “choices” networks are giving us.
Read some of the comments about internet speeds, etc. Not everyone can make that choice. This was all about money. I was looking to cut the cord anyway, but now I definitely will. However, I’ll be cutting it without adding D+. I won’t pay for greed. I have AMC premier so I can watch things early… Discovery should have given cable viewers the option for something similar not just taken away their programming. Especially for older people who are on fixed incomes and TV is probably their lives. Just sad
I just went through my series recording list through my cable provider. I watch shows on 36 different channels. Even if money were no object, just the insanity of juggling all those streaming subscriptions would be maddening. Being that most would choose monthly payments, could you imagine all those streaming networks hitting your bank account at all different dates? But I don’t watch a heavy load of shows on any ONE network. I pick and choose what interests me. So paying for each streaming service for 1 or 3 shows is not a value, especially in this day and age when most tv series are 13 episodes or less.
Aye, there’s the rub. None of these streaming “services” has enough variety of programs to justify subscribing to a bunch of them, including Discovery+.
They are putting the screws to the very people that made them. Would any of these shows even still exist without us loyal watchers? Don’t subscribe. Money talks. No watchers, no sponsors, no shows. Hang tuff.
Agreed I will not get involved! Right there with you they jumped the gun on the people who will pay not 20-34 somethings. Maybe in 8- 10 years.
Clearly with 20+ significant streaming services, most folks won’t subscribe to more than 4-5. Used to be if you had netflix, hulu and amazon, you got most things. Now those have fewer offerings at a higher price.
Or, folks will sub to one of these for a month, watch the ‘new/exclusive’ content and unsubscribe. That’s my plan. One service until I don’t see anything new, cancel, sign up for one that has stuff I want to watch.
At no point is anyone going to lay out $200/mo to sub to what they used to get on cable for half that.
Oh, and the usual streaming cable replacement services? Dead as a doornail. Losing channels and content, and raising the prices…nope.
The whole point of streaming services is to get people off of traditional pay-tv cable packages. Most people have a select few shows that they watch out of all 150+ channels they get from a cable package. All of these broadcast companies are making the switch to streaming based services, but yet it seems so hard for consumers to get on board. I cut my traditional pay tv service years ago and haven’t looked back. I pay for just internet through my traditional cable provider, Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Occasionally, I will subscribe to YouTube TV for NCAA football during the fall, but then I cancel right after it ends. Amazon Prime has streaming rights to broadcast Thursday Night and some Monday night NFL games, but the rest of the games I watch OTA on my HD antenna. I pay just under $100 a month for all my services and internet while others have continually paid well over $200 a month for a internet and TV bundle. Most of the additional charges come from rental fees, taxes and other fees. I wish more people would just get on the streaming train and shut up about their cable bill.
I think it’s about choice. Not forcing people to get on board. Streaming works for you. I don’t have a smart TVs and so I would have to spend money to hook up something to stream. Also most people don’t want or like streaming. Personal preference so if you’re ok with being forced to do something good for you. Seriously. But you really shouldn’t be so rude.
Huge number of TV watchers don’t have the level of provider manipulation that you have. I have a contract with Dish & Discovery+ has taken away new programming on shows I’m already paying for. This seems to me to be a violation of the contract I have with Dish.
I can give 4 shows on the travel channel that started their new seasons on regular network. As soon as discovery+ launched their are suddenly no new episodes (even though looking at the lineup for travel channel it says there are supposed to be there) only reruns of former seasons. 2 weeks now this has been going on. So check out Dead Files, kindred spirits, expedition Bigfoot and mountain monsters. I had to upgrade just to have the travel channel and now discovery is saying I would have to upgrade again? I don’t think so. I think I will just downgrade and loose the discovery channels and they can go shove it where the sun don’t shine!! I would encourage everyone to do the same thing. Maybe when they start losing money they will stop gouging ours.
I think this is so wrong, I am disabled on a fixed income.So now in addition to paying ever increasing cable cost I need a newer TV or a streaming stick and increased internet speed . I live in a more rural area and my internet already sucks . I watch quite a few series on travel channel but if I give into Discovery what network will be next . It should be about choice everyone has different circumstances and equipment Also when you’re older doing some computer stuff and connections can be challenging I guess I’m giving up on some television programs.Good job Discovery stealing from people during a pandemic when prices of everything needed to survive already sucks you’re money dry . I’m not purchasing
I am so disappointed that hgtv has put some favorite shows on Discovery +. I am on a low fixed income and cannot afford internet service, let alone any of these streaming services. Can barely keep my satellite service as it is. I think HGTV stinks for what they have done. Greed.
I too want to watch other channels besides the ones they moved to Discovery Plus. Sometimes I watch NBC, sometimes PBS, sometimes the Weather Channel, sometimes Smithsonian Channel, etc. How do I get those channels too? How many streaming services would I have to sign up for? Cable is expensive but it is convenient. I decided to pay for an expensive cable package so I could get all these channels. I don’t want to get a dish attached to my house either. What a pain! I won’t be forced to pay extra either while I am paying for cable. Since I still want to watch shows on other channels, I will stay with cable for now. The heck with Discovery Plus.
Ruth Kelly
I agree with the boycott option, I can live without my favorite shows that moved to Discovery+, I won’t feed their greed. I am disappointed in all the shows’ stars who went along with this also. Sorry, Zak Bagans, Amy Allen and Josh Gates, this is just too much and not worth it. Theresa O’Dell
Maybe when they see the ratings drop they’ll stop this ridiculous change over. All the paranormal shows have high ratings and unfortunately I’m afraid it’s about to change. Sorry guys come back over to the right side of this and keep your followers.
This is the biggest scam ever in tv. Magnolia network .That is the network that started this. When they started up this new network January 1st they took the same channels that everyone has and took our shows from people that are paying for those shows and still are and put them on Magnolia network . Discovery Plus. right in the middle of this virus where you can not go places. and your tv can be your escape. Shows like Expedition Unknown. Expedition X. they took some of those shows and all future shows that I am still paying for on a 2 year contract with Dish TV . And other shows like Home Town and all from what I see Property Brothers. And it says so right on every commercial in your face all the time even when you I trying to watch something its on the screen to remind you of what you are paying for but not getting. And Detective shows and say yes to the dress. I could go on and on of all the shows that were taken. I filed with the Better Business Bureau and that is what everyone needs to do. I told Dish TV if your going to take what I am paying for then you need to cut my bill in half. Is anyone going to do something about THIS HORRIBLE SCAM. Its right there for anyone to see. And to make matters worse a lot of people who live out in the country do not have internet. A lot mostly use there cellphones and do not have a house phone and if I did why should I pay more for what I already had And are already paying for. Some one somewhere needs to fix this. All file with the BBB its real easy to do.
i could not have said it better myself. I am with Directv and I carried the expensive plan to get these channels, and now they have some nut on there today eating food 24 hours!! Really? history, discovery, crap!!
I’m totally turned off by Joanna and Chip Gaines. They went Hollywood and that wholesome country family facade is gone. Reminds me of Disney when Roy Disney died. No thanks.
Correction .Magnolia Network is on Discovery Plus. .Discovery Plus is the one that is taking shows..
Discovery gave The Gainses their own Magnolia Network and basically became partners with them. They’re just as responsible of taking the paid for HGTV channel on cable to pay more Discovery+.
I am disgusted with Discovery over this new Plus streaming option! I already pay too much for cable and refuse to pay more. They lied when they said Plus wouldn’t steal shows, but it has. What’s left on Discovery is pitiful! I’m so disappointed because I loved many of the shows. They should be ashamed!
I am very upset that many of my favorite shows were moved to discovery plus especially during a pandemic. I pay enough every month for my cable provider to have to pay more to see my favorite shows that I have watched fore years. Shame on discovery plus and the people in charge for doing this when so many people are struggling financially. I will not pay more a month for this. Disgusting that this was done to people who ate stuck at home and some of these shows have brought us comfort during these rough times. I always look forward to watching them.
I waited patiently for new season shows. Now I have to pay to see them. That is ridiculous, so unfair and downright WRONG. I refuse to pay Discover + more for something I was already receiving . My cable bill is high enough without having to pay more. 😡😡😡😡😡
And even if a person could “cut the plug” and just sign up for streaming, it’s not like it used to be. Depending on what you want to stream, the cost can be close to that if cable, e.g. YouTubeTV and HuluTV. I plan on making a table and comparing options which is a pain. But I like math so I can imagine how most people feel about that. I still don’t want to get Discovery Plus. On the other hand, my cable bill is being increased $20 bucks now! It’s ridiculous!
So, I happen to be technically challenged, probably due to being from the Baby Boomer generation. I was proud when I could use Facebook and work the new TV remote. I have no clue how to get Discovery+ on a big enough screen to read the closed captions. I must say I have enjoyed watching all the 90 Day programs, as well as paranormal, and animal planet. I’m truly pissed that so many of my favorites are going to be out of my reach. If I had wanted to try figuring out this streaming thing, As an original Trekie I would have tried out that stream. That one hurt – not to see the newest Trek series. Super heartbroken when Picard showed up. So, I find Discovery stuff to watch and now pfft 3 years later I’m searching for something else to take up my quarantined time. You see us Baby Boomers have been hit hard with the Pandemic so we don’t get out a lot. Thanks frilling Discovery. Please dont make the only channels MTV and spongebob left for me.
Pay, then Pay again TV? I don’t think so. Discovery will lose a ton of viewership and that equals advertising revenue. I’m not going to pay for it.
I live in rural Montana and have NO access to internet. My phone only operates on 3g when I sometimes get a signal. That’s why I have satellite TV. I just looked on Travel channel and they are showing Bizarre Foods, Hotel Impossible and Anthony B. Old old shows. I never watched these when new. I will be cancelling my tv service and go back to reading books. Thanks for nothing Discovery, you have left a very bad taste in my mouth and will be spitting you out. Judy Lanes Anaconda, Montana!
I pay a lot of money every month to watch the shows I paid to watch. And snap just like that there will be no new shows unless I sign up and pay yet more money to watch something I already over pay to see. Sucks for discovery plus, I can live without these shows… will I be sad for a while? Yes. Will I get over it? Yes will discovery plus get the money I already pay to watch what was stolen? Nope. And I am sure I am not the only consumer who will not dish out more money to pay for what we should already get. It is in our lineup. Class action hmmm????? Discount on cable or satellite for programming being taken away
I also already subscribe to Discovery, Travel, etc. with my cable provider. I pay $300. a month for this privilege….. I had been watching the “Expedition Bigfoot” Second season on “OnDemand” only to see the series no longer provided after the first episode, but now only available on DISCOVERY+. Provided I would like to shell out even more money……… Shame on you DIscovery this is nothing more than “scumbag tactics” which is akin to “Bait and Switch” regardless of how Discovery is trying to paint this sows ear.
I am so pissed, as you said, Expedition Bigfoot played 2 new episodes and then poof it was gone, after saying it would be back in 2 weeks…ugh so mad here in Maine.
Damn I upgraded last year to get these extra channels and now they are gone.
They will definitely lose loyal viewers.
SHAME ON YOU DISCOVERY+ and the shows that went along with this crap and screwed us loyal watchers.
We made you and you turned your back on us.
Do you thing they’re listening to us ? I think not. By the way how long do you think the 4.99 to7.99 price is going to last?
Discovery plus will raise its prices as soon as thet get enough suckers to sign up!
im gonna file a lawsuit against discovery+ i suggest others do the same this is bull sh@# its stealing and it goes to show these people only care about themselves in this together my a$$!! as far as i can tell its every man for himself!!! and apparently its ok to steal from the consumer in the united states!!!
SHAME on the people whose shows are moving to Discovery+. They all have considerable incomes & bank accounts (can check it out) & THEY are agreeable to going to + as they are advertising for it. SO SHAME on them. But have gotten tired & don’t watch many of the shows because of the very poor attitudes such as seen when remodeling a home!! I wouldn’t let them near my house. Too many act like what they are doing is just a BIG JOKE !! ALSO find the ads for + that are run right during/ over show being watched as exceptionally RUDE. Don’t care that are covering what we are paying for & watching. just plain inconsiderate !!!
Discovery+ has really set me off! I will not pay for this…how many “channels” should we pay for during the Covid-19? Discovery+ will not get my money
Shame on you Discovery,,, just another way to control and get more money from already paying customers,,,,
Paying customers can choose not to pay. Sometimes it’s that simple
My name is Carol, from Montana. I am so upset with the changes that Discovery+ have done. They have taken 90% of the shows I watch weekly and made it so I can’t see them. I too live on a fixed income, and pay too much already for the right to watch these series! The $4.99 doesn’t sound like much , but there are always other costs that end up happening, like the fact that I don’t have internet! It isn’t fair and they should be ashamed!
Most of my favorite shows has been taken away and I feel angry and betrayed. I’m not planning on shelling out hundreds of dollars on a smart TV. Discovery, you have lost another viewer.
I saw last night that they’re promoting Discovery+ with a commercial for their latest offering, a years old documentary on the Amityville Horror house, starring two “psychics” that died years ago.
Discovery channel is a highly unethical organization. The idea of taking shows away that we have already paid for and have watched for years is horrible. Blackmail comes to mind, we can pay 4.99 a month to see our shows we already bought! 2020 has been a horrendous year, now they want to continue to make it miserable for those already suffering loss of jobs, etc. You should be ashamed of yourselves!
When I first found out about this, I was outraged, then felt victimized, and finally realized it’s all about money. Big payday for discovery, and continued paychecks to the actors, who we felt betrayed us. Now that I have had suffient rant time, my conclusion on this matter is: A paycheck in these times trumps loyalty. And actually when I think on this, these actors dont know us-we may think because we have been fans and got to know somethings about their lives that they are pseudo-friends. Yes, by supporting our favorite shows we(in a wierd way made them popular thus increasing what they are paid) and I guess that is that. Many, many people will pay to watch what we once had included in our outrageously expensive satellite bills, and maybe some of us will end up succumbing to the constant Discovery+ ads and buy in. All in all at the end of the day (or quarantine) its still just about money and Discovery gets the money and the actors get bigger contracts and neither really cares how they got there. I agree it is shameful, but I guarantee it is a wasted effort on our parts to point that out. No one is crying except the loyal fans. And Discovery etal. are all smiles.To paraphrase a famous quote, “they are laughing all the way to the bank.” Ratfinks!
PS Please make those frilling puppy bowl puppies get off the screen. I couldn’t imagine how two little wrassling pups ended up at crime scene after crime scene. DUH took me a few days to realize they were ads for Puppybowl. Make it stop!
Watching any Discovery Channel is now THE MOST ANNOYING thing on TV
1 Month straight you can NOT avoid Puppy Bowl or Buy this Stream Now $4.99 MINIMUM PER MONTH during the show you are TRYING to watch!
Are they so stupid that they don’t know they are advertising to existing customers!! and disturbing them while devaluing there brand
WATCH PBS They really are a competitor to Discovery
The more that switch to PBS the faster heads will roll at discovery
Good Business model Piss off your current customers!!
So you subscribed then?
Disney doesn’t need to do this ! I lost respect for them a couple of years ago!
My mistake,I thought Disney owned Discovery!
Are all new programs going to Discovery + and if true will the programs showing be repeats only
My husband and I are in our late 60’s and enjoy watching the discovery channels and don’t do stream tv because we are limited on income. We have Dish TV and it hurts us that you removed all of the shows we enjoyed, we don’t get the new shows just reruns. Please help me to understand we you have deprived those of us who have cable or satellite of watching our new shows that we have been watching on our tv’s.
This is absolutely 💯 BS what Discovery Plus is doing. They are basically saying to their viewers screw you we’re putting our new episode in our new platform that you’ll need to pay for if you don’t like it tough you’ll just have to sit there and watch old ass reruns. So unacceptable. And newsflash that 4.99 a month they want us to pay? It has ads.. Yup ads!!! And of you want to watch these shows ad free, guess what? You will have to pay extra to be ad free. 6.99 a month. They are forcing people to now go through alternatives and watch these new episodes for free in a different way. Which defies the purpose of what they want to do! It will bite them in the behind.
I am disabled and get my monthly stipened on a prepaid Master Card. Discovery+ won’t take prepaid cards. They are telling people to get Google pay or PayPal and I don’t trust those. They are in essence discriminating against disabled people that only have their prepaid government issued disabilty card Master Card to pay for goods and services.
I for one do not want to watch programs on a small cell phone or computer screen! I want to sit in my recliner and watch on my big screen flat TV, that’s why I ought it. I pay over $300.00 per month for Direct T and AT&T service and don’t want to pay any more money to watch programs I was watching on Discovery via my TV. I lived before the programs I liked first come on so I guess I’ll live after I will no longer be able to watch them on my TV via the service I pay too much for already. Sorry Property Brothers, Freddie Dodge, Diners, Drive ins and Dives, Gold Rush,White Water, and the many others of my favorite shows, I hope you like your smaller audience on Discovery Plus!
Everybody is mad and understandly so, but who has the power here? You!
Are you going to be bullied into paying more. Is any show really that important?
Remember before these shows started you were entertained by something else.
Why do people complain instead of showing in action?
It’s easy to stay in control if you simply refuse to upgrade. It may sting at first, then you realize you can find new shows- I found some of TLC shows by doing just that. Explore other networks.
I’m not going to lie, I love 90 Day, but I notice this week it’s not airing on TLC, and guess what I decided to do. MOVE ON!!!
So what if I never know what happened to Jovi and his girl and the rest of them. I’m already asking Jovi who?
Trust me, you are in charge.
By the time Discovery figures out that this was probably not a good idea, guess what, you may not care anymore about Jovi or anybody else. Just saying.
Of course pretty soon everything will be on YouTube.
I say a boycott is in order,. If I never see another Naked and Afraid episode, I believe I will live. Take Alone too. Take them all. More for the other Networks.
I don’t complain about things I can do nothing about. It makes me a whiner, Take back your power and act!! Way more liberating.
Goodbye TLC!!! and the rest of you as soon as I see my shows are gone.
I will find new ones or spend more time on my hobbies.
The Executives are not watching these shows anyway. They put them there to waste our time.
I too am very upset with this Discovery streaming stuff. Never done it and would have to learn. From what I did read I would have to purchase a new tv since the one I have is not a smart tv nor is there a plug in to use a firestick. Seems to me I get to do all the work steaming downloading trying to figure out how to get it to the new tv that I would have to buy and then I get to pay more for the subscription. Something is very wrong here. Tv is suppose to be entertaining and fun. I am not working for the network and then paying them to watch some of my favorite. I can barely afford my Dish bill and cannot add any more to my budget. Bye bye to the HG folks that I feel I know like family.
As soon as my contract with Direct TV is complete I’m canceling the entire thing I already pay 163.00 a month to watch their crap not giving them a dollar more for “streaming” you would think the FTC would put a stop to this but I guess they are like every other government departmemt__ useless.
Email help@discoveryplus.com and let them know how you feel. I did get a generic response, but maybe if enough people flood their email, they will make changes. One can hope.
NEW RULE Watch Discovery any time and NEVER EVER SUPPORT THEIR ADVERTISERS If you see it on Discovery Don’t buy it!!!! Let the national advertisers know
I would buy your product because you advertise on Discovery channels and I can not support this anti consumer Network and find it offensive that your company does support Discovery Networks so no thanks to your product
Sincerely
I, like the others above are pissed at the discovery+ for totally disregarding their loyal fans. With the amount of money I am paying for my cable service, etc., I have decided not to follow the shows I have watched for many years, most from their inception, over to discovery+ There is enough GREED already, esp at this time of a pandemic involving all aspects of our lives. I am totally disappointed.
I am sooo furious that I have to pay for discovery+ because I already pay for the channels bundled under it. I pay a lot for tv and don’t think it’s at all fair to make people pay for what they already have. A few shows I like to watch are gone from the channels affected and I’m not going to pay any more than I already have. My bill is going up this month because comcast has increased the cost of the box, DVR and the package I already pay a lot for and don’t even watch a good portion of the bundled service. Comcast won’t work with you on the pricing issues. Feel like ditching comcast all altogether. This is not the time to be increasing bills. Extremely disappointed.
Spectrum is the same way. They are the only cable company to choose from in our area so we have no choice.
This is outrageous!! Hijacking channels we love to watch i hope discovery Channel plus don’t get the subscribers they’re trying to steal.! I love pimple popper but refuse to pay 4.99. We’re in a Pandemic folks struggling and watch they’re favorite shows give enjoyment
Where will all of this end? It won’t. There used to be cable/satellite tv, that had something for every one. Now, they expect us to pay out more money for “elite” tv making us pay for Discovery+, HBOMAX, Disney+, AMC+, etc!!! After all of this hype, you know they will try to get more of our money by having Discovery++, Disney++, etc…. Boycott streaming channels now to let these money grubbers realize we are not falling for their flim-flam schemes any further! You do realize the $4.99 for Discovery+ was an introductory offer??? It is now $29.99 to sign up for it!! “Let them eat cake”, yells out these tycoon giants! Fall for it, I won’t!
It’s still $4.99.
That’s $4.99 WITH COMMERCIALS! The advertisers are already paying for the programming and then you have to pay again!
Let’s fotm a campaign to Stop the Steal!!
I agree 100% I also refuse to pay a fee to watch shows I’ve been watching season after season for free, I can not stream these shows however if I could I still wouldn’t it’s pure and simple greed.
You are not getting those shows for free. You have paid your provider to get the channels these shows are on!
Bigger problem with Discovery family of channels is that some of them play reruns on cable but call them NEW. I have seen this many times with various outer space based programs on Science Channel and BattleBots on Discovery and/or Science Channels. In summer 2019 they actually had the audacity to take a show space show that originally aired in 2017, give it a new name, and call it a new program in 2019. I was literally playing the “new” program on TV and streaming the old program (under the original title) from Science Channel web site, totally synced word for word and scene for scene identical. More examples in 2020 include them airing a “new” 3-hour episode of space programs (black holes, planets, etc) that were just three previously aired 1-hour programs merged into a 3-hour block with one title. Even more egregious, on at least one of them they even left and displayed the titles of the old programs on the screen where they split at the top of the hour. Is it even legal to call a rerun a new program? Do advertisers pay more for commercials on new episodes compared to reruns? If so, they overpaid for their ads on the reruns that were purportedly new.
It’s bad enough I have to pay for this deception on cable, I won’t subscribe and pay for it online, too.
Absolutely correct! This sort of crap stinks to high heaven, but they do it all the time! And then they add insult to injury by trying to dupe us for more money.
I couldn’t agree more, JJ. Well said. I already pay way too much for cable and I refuse to pay more for a few channels that I’m already paying for just because they have occasional new shows. Their deceptive and constant repackaging of reruns as “new” ought to be illegal. That $4.99/month will likely be $9.99 in a couple years. Take Discovery+ and shove it. This blows. Big time.
I am very mad also for what they are doing. I know I am not going to pay any more than I am with cable. I am not going to buy a new TV set nor am I going to watch it on a computer. I noticed also that some shows are called ‘New’ but actually reruns with inside views of some of the actors that distract me or they string together a set of stories together we already saw.
I absolutely love deadly women on ID and now to watch I have to pay for a streaming service??? On top of my high ass Spectrum bill…like no I will not!! Why can’t they do like HBOMax and let you sign up for free if you already pay for the service with your cable…Greed is what drives this Country 🤔😕 that sucks!!
I think it is disgusting that Discovery plus is stealing all Travel Channel shows it is so wrong especially during these times we’re living in now that all people care about is making money and taking away TV shows everybody has been watching for over 30 years kiss my ass you’ll never get my money and I say to everybody boycott Discovery Plus
What a hosing they are giving us! I told my wife “enough”. I am not giving them another cent because I am already ” cable poor”. I sincerely hope that many more cable subscribers will follow suit a nd lea e them swinging.
They’re counting the trial subscriptions to manipulate their stock holders and try to convince people to be lemmings. Wait and see in a month or two.
Discovery reported 11 million subscribers in the first month. Not sure if that’s good but they won’t be getting my money. I really miss the paranormal shows, but Discovery+ is a disgraceful cash grab, forcing people to pay twice for their favorite programs. I hope the boycott grows stronger and they fall flat on their face. What an appalling way to treat loyal viewers.
Thanks everyone for another entertaining thread!
As a counterpoint – for every person who’s outraged at their shows being “taken away” during a pandemic, there’s someone like me who has newly subscribed to Discovery+ and can now see them for the first time – because NO WAY could I ever afford $150 – $200 – $300 like some of you are quoting for your cable tv prices. Wow.
If you’re like me and have decent broadband internet (~$70 with unlimited data added, even though I live in a rural area) I can’t recommend canceling cable and switching to streaming enough. If all this has totally soured you on the Discovery brand, so be it – there are plenty of other options out there, and even if you paid for half a dozen of them it would still probably be cheaper than cable.
Seriously, if you have other options cable / satellite tv is just a terrible deal. There’s a reason no one in my generation is signing up for it, I can’t imagine adding such a high bill to my budget when there’s so much on the internet, and you can block ads. Cable companies have done this to themselves; Discovery is just following the people who have been driven away by these outrageous TV prices.
Sarah W I’m truly glad this is working out for someone. I’m happy you are saving some serious money. The problem for a lot of us older people is an aversion to change and being in the stone age, technologically speaking. I’ve had three services bundled together for years and I don’t want to deal with trying to reestablish everything after cutting the cable. Adaptability is a virtue some of us lack. Good for you.
so glad you have connection. Well, this generation saw no need for a smart TV, aNd do not have any internet of any kind offered here in the country. Satellite internet is a high dollar joke, and in order to stream on TV, id have to buy a TV, and pay for a Channel I’m already paying for, and if Hotspot from my cell phone would work then that’s an increase in my phone plan. Streaming can be done, with the ser ice and equipment people already have. This is just a way to get people to purchase things they already have, and increase internet marketing prices. Yes, people that enjoy TV, have no other options than to use what we have, and pay a Satellite service because there’s no internet or cable, yes, there’s a lot of consumers that feel this whole thing is very unfair.
I, too, am so angry that HGTV is moving and charging $4.99 for our favorite shows. We will NOT be subscribing!
Also HGTV needs some “G” (gardening) shows!
Drop them all. Discovery, HBO and other channels are playing games with long time subscribers. Teach them a lesson and stop paying for anything. I’ve been a subscriber to HBO for 20plus years and Discovery since it came out. I’m done with them all. They’ll never get another cent from me. If everyone plays it like I am, they’ll stop playing games. We ALL need to let them know how fed up with their bologna we are. It’s the only way to get their attention.
If you have an HBO subscription you get HBO Max for free. This is very different from Discovery, which forces you to pay for both.
I’m not watching anything on the Discovery Network any more. I have blocked them from my guide where their programs don’t even show up. That’s how disgusted I am with them.
I’m disgusted with cable and streaming services when they want you to pay monthly bills for their services, that include more and more infomercials, reruns from 2005, 2012, etc. and repeats of recent shows over and over again till I have them memorized. No wonder I’m switching the TV off and turning on music. These companies are definitely cashing in on the older generation, the homebound, and those technologically challenged. Corporate greed shows its evil side AGAIN!
I’m not going to pay x-tra for shows I used to get on my dish subscription to begin with. What a RIP OFF!!
I just want those people who posted that they are so happy to get all these Discovery+ shows for $4.99 as they have not been able to afford cable prices and they are having a “field day ” enjoying them. I am happy that you finally get to watch the programs that earned loyal audiences over time. Us cable subscribers paid the big bucks all this time and in doing so, evidently signed our own Discovery death certificate. So, enjoy these new shows, because this will happen again and next time it will be all you Discovery virgins crying foul.
Maybe we all need to get rid of cable TV and stop paying the outrageous fees. Xfinity moved the tcm to a pay package too now discovery plus.
We need to stop watching cable TV and start reading books. Then they will beg us to come back.
Discovery network has lost a long time viewer. I am not watching any of the crappy channels any longer. Most of them a 95% repeats any way. Too bad because I used to watch a lot of them every night before the took all the new shows off and put them on an app wanting more money.
TOTAL BS! I WAS ALREADY GETTING THESE ON MY CABLE SUBSCRIPTION AND NOW THEY WANT MORE $$! WELL KISS MY BUTT DISCOVERY!!
I’m not paying any extra for anything. Everybody wants more whether it be these apps, insurance on every little thing, delivery for extra to join their memberships, etc, etc. Pretty soon you will be nickled and dimed to death and be out hundreds of dollars if you’re not careful.
I thinks its greedy, and inconsiderate to pirate shows that I’ve watched for over 15 years, and not only do I need to buy a new TV, I also have to purchase by the month or YEAR ANOTHER CHANNEL I ALREADY PAY FOR!!! I DO NOT HAVE CABLE OR INTERNET ACCESS WHERE I LIVE. So, “IF” a Hotspot from a cell phone might work,, then I get to invest MORE money into channels I already pay for, and have to increase my phone plan!!! Its not just discovery taking their own shows, they are taking ALL of my favorite shows from Travel Channel too. Its almost all the major channels doing this, but some are leaving their top shows on the channels to watch when they are 1st aired, but then go to the “vault” on these paid + channels.
But, let’s not forget our service provider!! They can allow these channels to air from equipment we already have, because they are offering on Direct TV, amc+, and another I can’t think of right now because I don’t watch that channel Discovery+ stoled my shows from Travel Channel, and much more, but you are trying to charging me double. I already pay for all of these channels plus more. You offer the hosts if these shows more money to only appear on your plus channels, and they abandon their audiences that have watched them from the 1st episode. So, I’m glad they got a raise, but the provider, and channels are getting fat pockets from people that can barely afford what they have. Buy a smart TV? Why? Mine works fine, AANND ITS PROVEN THE PLUS CHANNELS CAN BE OFFERED ON EXISTING SERVICE, AND EQUIPMENT. I’m SMH at the disregard for the consumer, and it seems a little monopolistic!!! And thats supposed to be against FTC rules!!!!! Anybody agree?!
Not a loss. Worthless drivel programming on all of their channels. Several channels used to be great, but have become MTV versions of their old selves. TLC that doesnt teach anybody anything. Discovery that is all fake reality shows. HGTV that consists of fake renovation programs with even faker hosts. Trash TV that you should be forced to pay for as a penalty for lack of intelligence. Shows for people with not attention spans or desire to do anything but stare at fake trainwrecks.
The only channel I miss is Discovery ID. I wish they hadn’t taken all the new shows off of that channel. I don’t really watch any of their other channels.
Oxygen network shows are almost entirely the stuff that ID played. A lot of these shows on Oxygen are re-dressed scenarios from things I have seen on ID but there are original programs there, too. SYFY has some interesting original programming, too. “Resident Alien ” is absolutely hilarious. I mention this program here because after having to endure watching programming on the Discovery channels that have become habit to me. I just could not stomach the continuous program interruptions with all the Discovery+ banners and sparklies and constant commercials back, to back, to back; same thing over and over again. So, I went trawling the other channels. (Cue Angels singing) Neither Oxygen or SYFY had the D+ adds. It was a joy. Also, CBS went to that streaming thing and pulled off Startrek- Discovery, and later Picard. I am sure a lot of Trekkies paid for them. How rude. But, CBS relented after 3 seasons of STD only on streaming and played the first season on their regular channel. So, maybe there’s hope for the release of our Discovery + hostage shows and they will end up putting them on the regular Discovery network.
Goodbye Discovery channel. I’m not watching you any more. I’m watching movies instead. You really pissed me off so I refuse to watch your network.
Well as much as I hate it, we are in a Cancel Culture right now. Maybe its time to target the Creators of the shows who make the decisions (the DIY experts, film personnel and writers) to move their shows to a streaming service. I am with the thousands of people who are extremely disappointed in their decisions to move from cable. Oh, by the way, get after your cable service to pay for access to discovery+. You can come at it from both directions. Maybe we will get somewhere.
My dish service sucks. Not only have I lost Discovery new shows but now my regional sports stations are gone as well. What am I paying for??
This is all about greed. magnolia inc. so folksy- totally bs. It’s all about the money.
Everybody with cable and dish should boycott Discovery Network. Don’t watch any of their channels. Just pretend like their repeats and few new shows don’t exist anymore.
Why can’t they change different show each monthly I am get tired of same show for three mouths
They are finally showing some new programs. Maybe their streaming app isn’t doing as well as they thought it would.
I think they are trying to lure people by showing a couple of shows and saying people need to get Discovery+ to see the rest. Let’s hope they won’t be that devious!
I ordered Discovery + thinking it would be better than cable and it started out being that way, however, they are not showing the latest episodes on a lot of the channels. I think they lured people into it and now, they are not standing up to their name. I am ready to go back to regular cable and forget this. Why do these big companies continuously screw people over and we continuously fall for it?
I, as many are here, am on a limited fixed income. This was just sprung on us. ..and it’s NOT right! I cannot afford to add one more bill! SO ..I am out of luck to watch the shows I looked forward to. THANKS A LOT! 😠
Many commenters on here claim that what these ‘networks’ are doing is double-dipping. But I can assure you, their double-dipping began LONG before this. Being 60 years of age, I can clearly remember when ‘satellite tv’ was in its infancy. The public was then asking, “Why would a consumer pay for tv programming, when it is currently free to ANYONE that owns a television?” The satellite providers answer was, “Your tv viewing will be COMPLETELY commercial free!” They told us, “The $12 check a subscriber sent us monthly would cover the costs of the shows we broadcast, therefore, commercials would not be NECESSARY.”
WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP that turned out to be. Within months, commercials began appearing, a few here, a bit more there, until they were not only making money off of YOU, ($12 a month) but also from their advertisers. Satellite and cable have been taking advantage of us for DECADES. I, for one, am looking forward to a time when DIRECTV and DISH network, and all the cable monopolies go the way of the dinosaurs. EXTINCT. May they burn in hell.
Let’s see… I pay $115.00 per month to Dish to watch stale re-runs, some news and an occasional football game. I can get some news that I can read on internet (only option at my location is Hughesnet, which has 3 speeds: slow, slower, and dead crawl). Perhaps I should cancel my DishTV subscription, and just go back to what folks used to do… read books. And, of course there is radio, with so many stations streaming their shows on-line ( and requiring much less bandwidth…).
I agree that Discovery+, jumping ship from cable and satellite TV has negated one of the main reasons I have TV… (come on now… un-ending reruns of “Paranormal Caught On Camera”… just to name one… is supposed to be entertainment?…). I already pay for Discovery on my DishTV subscription, and even if it were available here, I’ll be damned if I will pay AGAIN for what I’ve already paid for, but no longer getting.
When Seal Team (CBS) moves to Paramount + tomorrow, I consider it canceled. I’m not biting on the bait and switch game the networks like to play. There is plenty of other TV to watch.
Seems like a new streaming service debuts every week. It’s a money grab plain and simple. Thousands of hours of reruns nobody cares about including me.
Eventually these streamers will start canceling each other out.
HGTV on Spectrum TV is all reruns all the time. I refuse to pay for Discovery + to watch the greedy Gaines family or any of the HGTV flippers that went Hollywood.
You are not getting more when I am already watching to many commercials which you ae make TONS of money already. Put our shows back on our so called free TV.
I wont do it!!! Not even for my beloved “Seal Team”. Shame on Discovery . I also feel like this falls into a ‘bait and switch” scheme. I am going to find every place I can to post and encourage others to stand their ground and say NO. Power to the people. 🙂
I used to think Chip and Johanna Gaines were nice down to earth people that wanted to have more say in their own shows. Now I feel taken by a bunch of greedy hungry people!!
It’s not just the the discovery channel, it’s the up, peacock and paramount channels. They show the show on regular channels get you hooked then move them to the plus channels. We are seniors on fixed incomes and for some this is our entertainment and I refuse to pay more
Same here. Won’t do it. I’ll find other things to watch. 👎
PS It’s so funny because our cable company, spectrum, advertises on this website. Sure you start out at $49.99 monthly but it increases to $200 before you know it. I can attest!