In more content acquisition news for your Monday, Netflix has just announced an exclusive deal for the streaming rights to eight Warner Bros Television Group dramas.
The deal allows for the shows to be shown via “traditional syndication windows and electronic sell-through services,” but Netflix will be the only online service to provide the content.
Among the eight Warner Bros Television Group shows that Netflix is snatching up is the J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions drama Revolution (NBC). Also, USA’s Political Animals starring Sigoruney Weaver and ABC’s 666 Park Avenue. The upcoming FOX drama The Following starring Kevin Bacon will come to Netflix as well.
“This unprecedented agreement brings to Netflix members earlier and more exclusively than ever before complete previous seasons of some of the most prominent and successful shows on network and cable television,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. “Through deals like this, Netflix is making the production economics right for the continued creation of the kind of compelling serialized dramas and thrillers that our members love.”
“SVOD has become an important window for our serialized dramas, allowing viewers a chance to discover a series that before might have been intimidating to tune into mid-run,” said Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television Group. “We continue to adapt our business models to include SVOD when it makes sense for the long-term value of each show and are thrilled to have Netflix as one of our distribution partners.”
This announcement comes just one day after HBO and Universal announced an exclusive partnership that saw the companies extend their content relationship for another decade. Just one month ago, Netflix inked an exclusive deal with Disney Films to show content inside the pay TV window.
With these moves, the battle between online streaming services and pay-TV services proves to be in full swing.
