Netflix just announced an expanded multi-year agreement with PBS Distribution, which the company says will make a “wide variety of great PBS programming” available to Netflix members in the U.S. and Canada.
This comes just after a bunch of PBS titles just expired in Netflix’s streaming catalog, and Amazon added some to its Prime Instant Video library. Amazon, by the way, now has exclusive streaming rights to the hit Downton Abbey.
“PBS programming is both entertaining and enriching, a combination that Netflix members really appreciate,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.
“While PBS stations will always be the first place to see our programming, this agreement with Netflix exposes our shows to new audiences and further expands PBS’s presence across all media platforms,” said Jason Seiken, General Manager, PBS Digital.
Beginning this fall, Netflix users will get exclusive subscription streaming access to to all seasons of The Bletchley Circle and Super Why! The former is a UK murder mystery drama, and the latter is a show for preschool kids that teaches them about reading.
Netflix will also feature Wild Kratts, Caillou and Arthur, documentaries from celebrated filmmaker Ken Burns including Prohibition and Central Park Five, and past seasons of popular non-fiction series like Nova and Secrets of the Dead.
A number of Ken Burns and Nova documentaries were among those that just expired. Some of these are also part of Amazon’s deal.
