• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, May 20, 2021

One area that hasn’t been explored concerning the blockbuster proposed Discovery-WarnerMedia merger: What the deal means to their mobile endeavors.

Global Wireless Solutions, which measures all things mobile, says the new company should have a big app presence in the market, with more than 30 streaming apps available in 2021.

Additionally, it says Discovery-WarnerMedia will now rank fourth in number of “mobile streamers” when it comes to big media companies. It’ll be behind Netflix, Disney and Amazon.

The researcher defines mobile streamers as smartphone users who average at least 22 minutes a week of mobile streaming, not including time spent on YouTube and other user-generated content.

But here’s one surprise: While consumers spend an average of 45 minutes per day streaming mobile content on AT&T-owned apps, Discovery’s performance is much higher, almost double the time -- at 79 minutes.

So it seems as if Discovery -- the company of unscripted TV programming -- brings more to the party for mobile.

This may be a headscratcher, considering that WarnerMedia is rooted in scripted high-profile, entertainment of all types.

We are not just talking about its ad-supported cable TV networks like TBS and TNT, but that other little business it owns. You know, the Warner Bros movie studio.

Yes, the storied movie studio, with major iconic recent film franchises like “Batman,” “Harry Potter”, and “The Lord of the Rings." The studio that also made big-time TV series like “Friends, “Big Bang Theory" and “Young Sheldon," a studio that has dominated broadcast prime-time programming for decades.

Shouldn’t that be the flashy content young-skewing consumers would look for on their mobile phones?

Maybe we don’t have the whole picture here.

Until then, the answer for Discovery-WarnerMedia centers around a mobile effort that attracts a big crowd of older consumers looking on HGTV for how best to “hang drywall” for their new remodeled bathroom or kitchens, or on Food Network for tips on how to make “crave-worthy cauliflower recipes.”