Discovery Communications has made a strategic investment in digital media holding company Group Nine, formed by NowThis, Thrillist, The Dodo and Seeker.

Media group Discovery Communications agreed yesterday to invest $100m in newly formed US-based digital-first media company Group Nine Media as part of a strategic partnership agreement.

Group Nine was formed by digital media companies Thrillist Media Group, NowThis Media, The Dodo and Seeker, the digital network owned by Discovery, and will act as an umbrella company for its founders, each of which will continue to operate with editorial independence.

Thrillist, a spinout of e-commerce company JackThreads, operates a millennial-male focused…