Gaiam Inks Home-Video Agreement with Discovery

NEW YORK: Under a new three-year agreement, Gaiam will release home-video products from Discovery Communications networks, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, ID: Investigation Discovery, Science Channel, HD Theater and Military Channel.

The DVDs and Blu-ray releases will feature complete seasons, themed collections or specially selected single titles from a wide array of programming, including series such as TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8 and The Little Couple, Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs and Animal Planet’s River Monsters and Jockeys. DVDs will be available starting this fall at traditional media retail outlets and other select specialty chains.

"Discovery Communications is a leader in creating compelling programming that fascinates, educates and touches viewers," said Kelly Day, the COO of Discovery Commerce and Digital Media. "Gaiam is the perfect strategic partner to distribute our home-video products, which bring this myriad of programming into the home. By consolidating our distribution, we will be able to work more effectively with key video, mass and specialty retail accounts. We are also able to reach beyond traditional video and mass retail outlets with Gaiam and their well-established direct-to-consumer division."

Gaiam’s president of entertainment and worldwide distribution, William S. Sondheim, added, "Gaiam’s immediate goal is to further the reach of these captivating television brands with our unique ability to distribute to both mass market retail chains and non-traditional media outlets."