German pay-TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland is set to overhaul its documentary lineup by reintroducing National Geographic and National Geographic Wild to its portfolio, replacing Discovery Channel.
National Geographic will return to the linear TV lineup on 1 July, followed by National Geographic Wild in early August. The comeback of these documentary brands comes as part of an expanded collaboration between Sky and the channels’ parent company Walt Disney and marks a significant shift in Sky’s partnership strategy and content offering.
“We’re excited to bring back two strong channel brands featuring premium content and popular series and documentaries, while deepening our partnership with Disney,” said Wolfram Wildhagen, Senior Vice President Consumer & Commercial at Sky Deutschland.
National Geographic is known for its award-winning documentaries and factual entertainment, covering nature, history, science and technology. National Geographic Wild focuses on the beauty and fragility of wildlife and nature, showcasing the work of some of the world’s leading wildlife filmmakers.
The return comes after Sky Deutschland dropped National Geographic and National Geographic Wild in January 2023. At the time, the broadcaster stated that it wanted to focus more strongly on its own channel brands Sky Nature and Sky Documentaries. National Geographic and National Geographic Wild remained available via other providers in the German-speaking market.
Following the removal from the linear channel portfolio on 1 July, Sky customers will still be able to access thousands of hours of Discovery content through the Discovery+ app on Sky Stream as well as via Sky Q.
