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Curiosity Stream

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Curiosity Stream
Type of site
Video on demand
Linear broadcast television channel
Available inEnglish
Traded asNasdaq: CURI
FoundedMarch 18, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-03-18)
HeadquartersSilver Spring, Maryland,
United States
Area servedWorldwide
Founder(s)John S. Hendricks
Key people
  • Clint Stinchcomb (President & CEO)
  • Tia Cudahy (COO & General Counsel)
  • Peter Westley (CFO)
RevenueIncrease US$39.6 million (2020)[1]
URLcuriositystream.com
RegistrationLimited free titles. Subscription required to access full library
UsersIncrease 20 million (as of August 10, 2021) [2]
Current statusActive

Curiosity Stream Inc. (simply referred to as Curiosity Stream[3]), formerly branded as CuriosityStream, is an American media company and subscription video streaming service that offers documentary programming including films, series, and TV shows. The company offers a video-on-demand subscription service branded as "Curiosity Stream" and a linear broadcast television channel known as the Curiosity Channel through various services such as FuboTV and The Roku Channel.

The service was launched in 2015 by the founder of the Discovery Channel, John S. Hendricks.[4] As of 2021, it was reported to have approximately 20 million subscribers worldwide[2] across its direct and bundled platforms.[5][6][7]

Curiosity Stream produces original documentaries and series including Royals: Keeping the Crown,[8] The History of Home,[9] Miniverse, Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places, David Attenborough's Light on Earth, and Deep Time History; and additionally features content from producers such as the BBC and NHK.[10]

History

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John Hendricks, who founded Discovery in 1982, started Curiosity Stream as a stand-alone OTT media service in March 2015 with his daughter, Elizabeth Hendricks, as Chief Executive Officer.[11][12] The service expanded distribution to Amazon Channels,[13] and then in 2017, had its first distribution deal with a multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) when it became available on Comcast's set-top box VOD platform and the MSO's Xfinity Stream app/portal.[13]

In April 2018, Dish Network made Curiosity Stream available on internet-connected Hopper devices and the Dish Anywhere mobile app.[14]

In June 2018, Clint Stinchcomb was appointed president and CEO of the company, after first joining Curiosity Stream in 2017 as Chief Distribution Officer.[15] He is also the co-founder and former CEO of Poker Central.[16] Previously Stinchcomb held positions as managing director of Worldwide Media Group (WMG) and executive VP and GM of Discovery Communications' Emerging Television Networks.[17]

In July 2020, it signed a partnership deal with Swedish telecommunications Com Hem to bring the company's library content to Sweden. Many of the programs were made available with Swedish subtitles.[18]

In August 2020, Matthew Blank joined Curiosity Stream's board of directors. Blank had formerly spent over 20 years as the chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks where he had overseen television series including Homeland, Dexter, and Billions.[19][20]

On October 15, 2020, Curiosity Stream became the first publicly traded streaming media company focused on factual content[21] when it started trading on NASDAQ under the Ticker symbol "CURI". The public trading was a result of a reverse merger with Software Acquisition Group, Inc., a special-purpose acquisition company.[22]

In November 2020, Indian pay-TV and OTT provider Tata Sky partnered with the company to bring its content to Tata Sky's subscribers via binge+.[23] The programs were also made available to Tata Sky DTH customers as a linear channel.[24]

In May 2021, the company acquired One Day University, an adult education platform that features lectures from university and college professors.[25] In July 2021, Curiosity Stream partnered with German TV channel Spiegel TV to offer a linear channel in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.[26] In August 2012, the company acquired Now You Know Media, parent of Learn25.[27]

In August 2021, the company announced a rebranding including the shortened name for its parent company, Curiosity, which is composed of Curiosity Stream (streaming service), Curiosity Channel (linear channels), and Curiosity Studios (originals production). The streaming service was also retitled from CuriosityStream to Curiosity Stream.[28]

They have had a long-standing promotion with Nebula to promote a bundle subscription for both services, which has led to a substantial growth of parts of both services,[29][30] and it was announced in September 2021 that Curiosity bought a minority share of Nebula, valuing the company at over $50 million.[31] Nebula became unbundled from Curiosity Stream's plans beginning 2024, though one year of access would still be provided to subscribers that renewed by the end of 2023.[32]

Before a price increase in 2022, the service was offered at $19.99 per year for the standard annual subscription.[33] As of May 2023, the standard annual subscription was $39.99.[3]

On February 6, 2024, Curiosity Channel was dropped by the streaming service Frndly TV.[34] Frndly TV had carried the channel since 2020.[35]

Programs

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The service offers on-demand content and linear, live TV-style streams from its VoD catalog. Programs cover factual content including science, history, mathematics, technology, robotics, and nature.[36] It also offers content for children and original programming,[37] along with a Kids Mode option to filter out inappropriate content.[38]

In June 2020, Curiosity Stream signed a partnership with wildlife production company Doclights to add 50 original nature documentaries to SVOD and pay-TV platforms.[39] Programs include Cheetah: Beating the Odds; Hidden Australia; These Birds Were Made for Walking; Jaguar: King of the Jungle; Magical Fjords; Meet the Meerkats; Meet the Marsupials; Puma: The Ghost Cat; and, Sloth Bear: Birth of A Prince.[39]

In November 2020, the company announced a new series, Beyond the Spotlight, from executive producers Leonardo DiCaprio and Stephen David. Each episode features conversations with celebrity icons, focused on their personal lives, histories, and inspirations. Celebrities include Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Kristen Bell, Shaquille O'Neal, Joe Namath, and MrBeast. The first episodes premiered on November 19, 2020.[40]

In December 2020, the company announced an original series focusing on primatologist Jane Goodall called Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall. The series was produced by Curiosity Stream, Off the Fence Productions, and the Jane Goodall Institute and premiered on July 14, 2021.[41] It includes three decades of unseen archival footage.[42][43]

On June 10, 2021, "Doug to the Rescue", a six-part docuseries, premiered. The series follows Doug Thron, an aerial cinematographer, who uses technology like drones, infrared cameras, spotlights, and high intensity zoom lenses to find and rescue animals in the wake of natural disasters around the world.[44][45]

In September 2021, the company released its first original feature-length film, Heval, which is about the life of Michael Enright who volunteered to fight ISIL.[46]

Additional available programs on Curiosity Stream include David Attenborough's Light on Earth and Ant Mountain; Dream the Future, Empire of Tsars, Out of the Cradle;[47] The Spying Game: Tales from the Cold War; The Normans; Heston's Dinner in Space; and The Secret World of Lego.[48] Content for children includes Quarx, Prehistoric Worlds, and Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin.[49]

Docuseries
Title Genre Release date Seasons/episodes
Deep Time History Docuseries July 22, 2016 3 episodes
Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places Docuseries September 22, 2016 3 episodes
Amazing Dinoworld Docuseries October 17, 2019 2 episodes
4th & Forever: Muck City Docuseries May 14, 2020 1 season, 8 episodes
The History of Home, Narrated by Nick Offerman Docuseries June 18, 2020 3 episodes
Beyond the Spotlight Docuseries November 19, 2020 1 season, 6 episodes
Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall Docuseries July 14, 2021 1 season, 5 episodes
Royals: Keeping the Crown Docuseries October 21, 2021 1 season, 6 episodes

Documentaries

Title Genre Release date Seasons/episodes
David Attenborough's Light on Earth Documentary May 29, 2016 One-off (1 episode)
Miniverse Documentary April 17, 2017 One-off (1 episode)
Heval Documentary September 23, 2021 One-off (1 episode)
Going Circular Documentary November 4, 2021 One-off (1 episode)

Viewership and partners

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In August 2021, the company had approximately 20 million subscribers[1][2] across 175 countries.[47] In 2019, Curiosity Stream was translating its programs into Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Cantonese.[50]

Curiosity Stream offers annual and month-to-month subscriptions and a 4K plan.[36] It distributes its programming in the U.S. and internationally using a mix of OTT players, pay-TV operators, and broadband ISPs.[16] The app is available through Roku, Apple TV Channels and Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Fire TV, Sprint, Google Chromecast, iOS and Android, Amazon Prime Video Channels, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Comcast Xfinity on Demand,[9] LG TV webOS,[51] and PlayStation 4.[52] All programs are available in either HD or 4K.[47]

The service has over 50 partners, including Amazon, Comcast, Altice USA and Suddenlink (USA); Com Hem (Sweden); StarHub (Singapore); Totalplay (Mexico); Multichoice's DStv (Africa); Millicom (Latin America); Okko (Russia); Gazprom-Media (Russia); Liberty Global/FLOW (the Caribbean);[18][50][53] and Tata Sky (India).[23]

Awards and nominations

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News & Documentary Emmy Award

  • Secrets of the Solar System - Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary (Nominee, 2021)
  • Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places - Outstanding Graphic Design & Art Direction (Winner, 2017)
  • David Attenborough's Light on Earth - Outstanding Nature Documentary (Nominee, 2017)
  • David Attenborough's Light on Earth - Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary (Nominee, 2017)

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

  • David Attenborough's Light on Earth - Best Host/Presenter-Led Film (Winner, 2017)
  • David Attenborough's Light on Earth - Best Science in Nature Film (Nominee, 2017)
  • Big World in a Small Garden - Best Short Film (Nominee, 2017)

Webby Award

  • Curiosity Stream - Best Science & Education Channel (Honoree, 2017)
  • Deep Time History - Best Documentary Series (Honoree, 2017)
  • Science Breakthroughs: Gravitational Waves - Science & Education for Film & Video (Nominee, 2017)
  • Curiosity Stream - Best Science & Education Channel (Honoree, 2016)

British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA)

  • David Attenboroughs Light on Earth - Specialist Factual (Nominee, 2017)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "SEC Form 8-K 2020" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "CuriosityStream Announces Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results". investors.curiositystream.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Curiosity Stream". curiositystream.com. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Spangler, Todd (June 30, 2020). "Discovery Veteran Bill Goodwyn Joins John Hendricks' CuriosityStream". Variety. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  5. ^ Mullin, Benjamin (August 2, 2018). "Discovery Channel Founder Pivots After Hitting Ceiling for Cord-Cutter Bonanza". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  6. ^ Shaw, Luvas (December 10, 2019). "Streaming Service Quietly Gathers More Subscribers Than HBO Now". www.bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  7. ^ Scott Kitun (July 10, 2020). "CuriosityStream puts facts and science wonders front and center with documentary streaming service". wgnradio.com (Podcast). WGN. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (October 20, 2021). "Before Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe was eyed to be Prince Rainier's Princess of Monaco, doc says". Fox News. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Spangler, Todd (June 4, 2020). "Nick Offerman Hosts CuriosityStream Series Exploring the History of Homes". Variety. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  10. ^ Dave, Paresh (March 18, 2015). "With CuriosityStream, Discovery Channel founder seeks online success". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  11. ^ Baumgartner, Jeff (June 20, 2018). "Clint Stinchcomb Named President and CEO of CuriosityStream". Nexttv.com. Next TV. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  12. ^ Hagey, Keach (January 14, 2015). "Discovery Channel Founder Jumps Into Video Stream". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Comcast Adds CuriosityStream to SVOD Lineup". Multichannel News. November 8, 2017. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Baumgartner, Jeff (April 4, 2018). "CuriosityStream Connects With Dish". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
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  16. ^ a b "CuriosityStream CEO: We're 'insulated' from studio content claw-back". Light Reading. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
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  18. ^ a b "CuriosityStream signs distribution deal with Com Hem". Digital TV Europe. July 8, 2020. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  19. ^ "TV News Roundup: Netflix Unveils 'Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices' Trailer". Variety. August 25, 2020. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  20. ^ "Former Showtime Chief Matt Blank Joins CuriosityStream Board". Multichannel News. August 25, 2020. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  21. ^ "CuriosityStream Stock Rises in Market Debut | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. October 15, 2020. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  22. ^ October 2020, Mike Farrell 12 (October 12, 2020). "Just the Facts at CuriosityStream". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ a b "CuriosityStream Pacts with India's Tata Sky". TVREAL. November 16, 2020. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  24. ^ November 2020, Mike Farrell 16 (November 16, 2020). "CuriosityStream Lands Distribution Deal in India". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "CuriosityStream Grows Subs, Goes Shopping". Cablefax. May 11, 2021. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  26. ^ "Exclusive: CuriosityStream expands in Europe with Spiegel linear deal". TBI Vision. July 29, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  27. ^ "CuriosityStream Inc. Acquired Now You Know Media, Inc. For $2.1 million from Michael Bloom. -November 11, 2021 | MarketScreener". November 12, 2021.
  28. ^ "CuriosityStream rebrands as Curiosity as business expands". TBI Vision. August 23, 2021. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  29. ^ Ben Munson, "CuriosityStream claims more than 13M paid subscribers" Archived November 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Fierce Video, January 22, 2020
  30. ^ "CuriosityStream & Nebula FAQ". CuriosityStream. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  31. ^ "Curiosity invests in Nebula streaming platform". TBI Vision. September 3, 2021. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  32. ^ "Frequently Asked Nebula Questions". Curiosity Stream. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  33. ^ Abarinova, Masha (March 25, 2022). "Curiosity Stream plans to hike prices later this year". Fierce Video. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  34. ^ "A new channel is going to be joining the Frndly TV lineup". Instagram-Friendly TV(verified account). February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  35. ^ "The Live TV Streaming Service Frndly Adds CuriosityStream". Cord Cutters News. March 4, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Curiosity Stream is a streaming smörgåsbord of high-quality science-focused programs". Futurism. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  37. ^ Carugati, Anna (July 22, 2020). "CuriosityStream's John Hendricks". TVREAL. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  38. ^ "CuriosityStream review: The online service for science and history fans". Android Authority. October 16, 2020. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  39. ^ a b "CuriosityStream, Doclight ink partnership for natural history docs". Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  40. ^ Oganesyan, Natalie (November 12, 2020). "Netflix Unveils Trailer for Shondaland's 'Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker' (TV News Roundup)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  41. ^ "07/12/21: Discovery heads back to the Serengeti". Cynopsis Media. July 12, 2021. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  42. ^ "CuriosityStream uncovers Goodall footage". C21media. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  43. ^ "CuriosityStream preps "Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall"". Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  44. ^ "Finished Netflix? We Have Your Next Binge". SixFeetApart. June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  45. ^ "Oakland cinematographer puts camera aside to save animals in disasters". Datebook. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  46. ^ "'Heval': First Trailer For Curiosity Stream & Sky Studios Doc About Actor Who Went To Syria To Fight ISIS". Deadline. September 14, 2021. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  47. ^ a b c "CuriosityStream Review". PCMAG. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  48. ^ "How to watch Curiosity Stream". The Daily Dot. September 28, 2020. Archived from the original on December 29, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  49. ^ Siegel, Fern (March 24, 2020). "CuriosityStream Launches 'Stay in, Stay Curious' Campaign, Enhanced Kids' Mode Feature". The Streamable. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  50. ^ a b "CuriosityStream Grows Subscriber Base to More Than 10 Million". Variety. December 10, 2019. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  51. ^ "LG CONTENT STORE". in.lgappstv.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  52. ^ "CuriosityStream just launched on Sony PlayStation 4". FierceVideo. July 12, 2021. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  53. ^ "Cheddar exec joins CuriosityStream to spark continued growth". FierceVideo. March 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
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