Curiosity Stream
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media, Streaming |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | John S. Hendricks |
| Headquarters | Silver Spring, Maryland , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Clint Stinchcomb (President and CEO) |
| Products | Documentary films, series, television programs; OTT subscription streaming platform; linear broadcast channel (Curiosity Channel) |
| Parent | Curiosity (parent company) |
| Website | curiositystream |
Curiosity Stream Inc.—commonly referred to as Curiosity Stream—is a U.S.-based media enterprise and an over-the-top (OTT) subscription streaming platform that focuses on documentary content, including films, series, and television programs. It operates both a subscription video on demand service under the brand name "Curiosity Stream" and a linear broadcast channel known as the Curiosity Channel, accessible via platforms such as FuboTV and The Roku Channel.
Established in 2015 by John S. Hendricks, the original founder of the Discovery Channel, Curiosity Stream had amassed around 20 million subscribers worldwide by 2021, spanning direct subscriptions and bundled offerings. The company develops original documentary productions including titles like Royals: Keeping the Crown, The History of Home, Miniverse, Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places, David Attenborough's Light on Earth, and Deep Time History. Additionally, it features programming from prominent producers such as the BBC and NHK.
History
John Hendricks, who founded Discovery in 1982, launched Curiosity Stream as an independent OTT platform in March 2015, appointing his daughter Elizabeth Hendricks as CEO. The platform broadened its distribution channels by joining Amazon Channels, and in 2017 it secured its inaugural agreement with a multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) through Comcast’s set-top box video-on-demand system and Xfinity Stream application. By April 2018, Dish Network incorporated Curiosity Stream into its Hopper devices and Dish Anywhere app.
In June 2018, Clint Stinchcomb was named president and CEO after serving as chief distribution officer since 2017. Stinchcomb is a co-founder of Poker Central and has held senior leadership positions at Discovery Communications.
In July 2020, Curiosity Stream entered a partnership with Swedish telecommunications company Com Hem to provide content with Swedish subtitles. The following month, former Showtime CEO Matthew Blank joined the board, bringing experience from managing acclaimed series such as Homeland and Dexter. On October 15, 2020, Curiosity Stream became the first publicly traded streaming service dedicated to factual content when it debuted on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "CURI" through a reverse merger with Software Acquisition Group, Inc., a special-purpose acquisition company.
By November 2020, Indian pay-TV and OTT operator Tata Sky included Curiosity Stream’s programming as a linear channel for binge+ subscribers. In May 2021, Curiosity Stream expanded its portfolio by acquiring adult education provider One Day University. By July 2021, the company collaborated with German broadcaster Spiegel TV to launch a linear channel across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. August 2021 saw the acquisition of Now You Know Media, owner of Learn25.
Also in August 2021, Curiosity Stream’s parent company rebranded to Curiosity, encompassing Curiosity Stream (streaming service), Curiosity Channel (linear channels), and Curiosity Studios (original content production). The streaming platform was renamed Curiosity Stream accordingly.
In 2021, Curiosity took a minority ownership stake in streaming service Nebula, which was valued at more than $50 million. Between 2021 and 2023, a bundled subscription combining both services was offered, contributing to subscriber growth. Starting in 2024, Nebula was separated from Curiosity Stream’s subscription packages; however, customers renewing before the end of 2023 retained access for one year. Prior to a price adjustment in 2022, annual subscriptions cost $19.99; by May 2023, this standard yearly fee increased to $39.99.
On February 6, 2024, the streaming platform Frndly TV, which had carried the Curiosity Channel since 2020, discontinued offering the channel.
Programs
Curiosity Stream provides both on-demand videos and live linear streaming channels centered on educational topics including science, history, mathematics, technology, robotics, and the natural world. The platform's library consists of original productions as well as children's programming, which incorporates a Kids Mode to restrict unsuitable content. In June 2020, Curiosity Stream collaborated with wildlife production company Doclights to introduce 50 exclusive nature documentaries across SVOD and pay TV services. Among the highlighted titles are Cheetah: Beating the Odds, Hidden Australia, Jaguar: King of the Jungle, Magical Fjords, and Sloth Bear: Birth of A Prince.
In November 2020, the service debuted Beyond the Spotlight, a series executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and Stephen David that features in-depth interviews with celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson, Kristen Bell, Shaquille O'Neal, Joe Namath, and MrBeast. The following month, December 2020, marked the announcement of Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall, an original series created in partnership with Off the Fence Productions and the Jane Goodall Institute, which premiered on July 14, 2021. This series showcases three decades of previously unseen archival footage.
On June 10, 2021, Curiosity Stream launched Doug to the Rescue, a six-episode documentary series tracking aerial cinematographer Doug Thron as he employs cutting-edge technology to find and save animals affected by natural disasters worldwide. In September 2021, the company released its inaugural original feature-length film titled Heval, documenting Michael Enright’s volunteer efforts combating ISIL.
Other significant programs include David Attenborough’s works Light on Earth and Ant Mountain, alongside titles such as Dream the Future, Empire of Tsars, Out of the Cradle, The Spying Game: Tales from the Cold War, The Normans, Heston's Dinner in Space, and The Secret World of Lego. For younger viewers, notable series include Quarx, Prehistoric Worlds, and Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin.
| 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 | Single episode (one-off) |
| Miniverse | Documentary | April 17, 2017 | Single episode (one-off) |
| Heval | Documentary | September 23, 2021 | Single episode (one-off) |
| Going Circular | Documentary | November 4, 2021 | Single episode (one-off) |
Viewership and Partnerships
As of August 2021, Curiosity Stream had amassed approximately 20 million subscribers spanning 175 countries. By 2019, the platform was adapting its content for audiences in Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Cantonese. It provides subscription options on both an annual and monthly basis, including a premium 4K tier. Its distribution network covers the United States and international territories through over-the-top (OTT) services, pay-TV providers, and broadband internet service providers. The application is compatible with a broad range of devices such as Roku, Apple TV Channels and hardware, Android TV, Xbox Series X/S and One consoles, Amazon Fire TV, Sprint, Google Chromecast, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, Amazon Prime Video Channels, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Comcast Xfinity On Demand, LG TV webOS platform, and PlayStation 4. All programming is delivered in either HD or 4K resolution.
Globally, Curiosity Stream collaborates with more than 50 partners including major companies like Amazon, Comcast, Altice USA, Suddenlink (United States); Com Hem (Sweden); StarHub (Singapore); Totalplay (Mexico); MultiChoice’s DStv (Africa); Millicom (Latin America); Okko and Gazprom-Media (Russia); Liberty Global/FLOW (Caribbean); and Tata Sky (India).
Awards and Recognitions
- Secrets of the Solar System – Nominee for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary (2021)
- Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places – Winner of Outstanding Graphic Design & Art Direction (2017)
- David Attenborough’s Light on Earth – Nominee for Outstanding Nature Documentary (2017)
- David Attenborough’s Light on Earth – Nominee for Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary (2017)
Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
- David Attenborough’s Light on Earth – Awarded Best Host/Presenter-Led Film (2017)
- David Attenborough’s Light on Earth – Nominated for Best Science in Nature Film (2017)
- Big World in a Small Garden – Nominated for Best Short Film (2017)
- Curiosity Stream – Honored as Best Science & Education Channel (2016, 2017)
- Deep Time History – Honoree for Best Documentary Series (2017)
- Science Breakthroughs: Gravitational Waves – Nominee in Science & Education for Film & Video category (2017)
British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA)
- David Attenborough’s Light on Earth – Specialist Factual nominee (2017)
See also
External links
- 2015 establishments in Maryland
- 2020 initial public offerings
- American companies established in 2015
- Companies based in Silver Spring, Maryland
- Companies listed on the Nasdaq
- Documentary film production companies
- Film production companies of the United States
- Internet properties established in 2015
- Mass media companies established in 2015
- Special-purpose acquisition companies
- Streaming television in the United States
- Subscription video on demand services