San Diego –
has added
the Discovery Channel to its mobile-TV lineup, making it the only mobile
service offering live Discovery content, the company said.
The Discovery
Mobile channel will be available through all devices receiving FLO TV service,
including the handheld FLO TV Personal Television, Audiovox’s portable DVD
player with built-in FLO TV tuner, FLO TV Auto Entertainment systems from
Audiovox and FLO TV-equipped cellphones.
The announcement follows the
by Qualcomm
CEO Paul Jacobs that the Qualcomm’s FLO TV subsidiary will probably be sold off
because subscriptions haven’t grown as much as expected.
The
Discovery Mobile channel will offer full-length programming of popular series
such as Discovery Channel’s “Cash Cab,” “Deadliest Catch,” “Dirty Jobs” and “Man
vs. Wild” and programming events such as Shark Week. The channel also will spotlight various
series from Discovery Communications’s other networks, including Animal
Planet’s “River Monsters” and “Whale Wars” as well as the Science Channel’s “How
It’s Made” and “Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman.” Discovery content
also will be available on demand when FLO TV launches its on-demand feature
later this year, FLO TV said.
FLO TV offers up to 20 channels of full-length
simulcast and time-shifted programming from such content providers as ABC, ABC
Entertainment, ABC Family, ABC News, ABC Sports, Adult Swim Mobile, CNBC and ESPN.
Its network covers more than 100 major markets, reaching a population of more
than 200 million people.
For the $149
handheld Personal TV and $199 Audiovox portable DVD/FLO TV, a month-to-month
FLO TV subscription costs $14.99/month for up to 20 channels. Options are available
to buy one or two years of service in advance at a discount. Through
AT&T-equipped cellphones, service costs $9.99/month.
The new portable DVD player is available at
HSN’s website and will soon be available through select Best Buy stores,
according to FLO TV’s website.
