Sony will be removing purchased Discovery television shows from its Playstation media platform by the end of the month, heading into the new year. In a legal notice sent to users who had previously bought Discovery content on the Playstation Store, the company stated that the shows would become unavailable as of December 31st due to licensing issues.
"Due to our current licensing agreements with content providers, you will no longer have access to any previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be deleted from your video library," the notice explained. "We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support."
More than 1,300 seasons of popular shows such as Animal Planet Presents, Cake Boss, Deadliest Catch, American Chopper, How It's Made, and MythBusters will no longer be available. The full list, provided by Sony, can be viewed here.
The removal of these shows has sparked increased support for physical media online, despite retailers like Best Buy and Target either exiting or reducing their presence in the physical media business.
The fact that Sony does not have ownership of the content being removed, which falls under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella, is an interesting observation. It is possible that WBD is choosing not to renew licensing for third-party apps and is consolidating all content on Max. Similar agreements can be seen with Prime Video and Google Play, where digital purchases do not grant ownership of the product but rather a license. If that license is revoked, the consequences are evident. For example, last year, Playstation removed purchased content from Studio Canal due to changing licensing agreements, resulting in users being unable to access movies from their library.
Editor's P/S
As an enthusiastic fan of Discovery shows, I am deeply concerned and disappointed by Sony's decision to remove over 1,000 Discovery shows from its Playstation media platform. This move not only affects my ability to access and enjoy the content I have already purchased, but also raises concerns about the future of digital ownership and the preservation of media.
The fact that Sony is removing purchased content without offering refunds or alternative viewing options is particularly frustrating. It undermines the trust and confidence that consumers have in digital platforms and raises questions about the long-term viability of purchasing digital media. If companies can simply remove content from our libraries without warning or recourse, then what is the point of buying digital content in the first place?
I urge Sony to reconsider this decision and find a way to retain access to the Discovery shows that fans have already purchased. Additionally, I encourage consumers to be cautious when purchasing digital content and to consider the potential risks of losing access to their purchases in the future.
