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CBS, Sky announce long-term, pan-Euro deal for Showtime
Sky Atlantic is to become the exclusive home to Showtime’s growing portfolio of programming across all its territories in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
The channel will be able to show select content from the US home of high-end drama on a programme-by-programme basis after along-term licensing agreement between Sky and CBS.
The deal will span all new and future series, including Billions, which premiered in the US with the best series debut performance ever for a Showtime original series. Other new series include the return of Twin Peaks and new seasons of current hits such as Ray Donovan and The Affair. The agreement also means customers will have on-demand access to an acclaimed catalogue of premium Showtime programming including Californication, Dexter and Nurse Jackie.
Alongside scripted content, Sky will have an exclusive option to take all new Showtime distributed unscripted shows such as documentaries, late night and reality shows. Premiere dates for the programming may vary by country, and current rights agreements with other platforms will remain unchanged.
In addition to new drama and comedy series, customers will have on-demand access to the Showtime back catalogue of shows. This will include the complete box sets of series, including The Borgias, Brotherhood, Californication, Dexter, Nurse Jackie and the original Twin Peaks. Customers who use the recently upgraded Sky Go mobile TV service and the NOW TV and Sky Online streaming platforms will also have access to the channel live and on-demand.
The move is hugely significant for both parties. For CBS Corporation, it is the largest and most expansive international deal to date for Showtime and the first time its content portfolio has been licensed to a single media company across multiple European territories. It also marks a significant next step in the company’s global expansion strategy to distribute Showtime’s prestigious brand and broad programming slate as a bundled offering. Last year, CBS and Bell Media announced a similar exclusive agreement for Showtime in Canada.
“This is the most significant international deal in the history of Showtime, and further signals the value and prestige of its content brand in the global marketplace,” commented Armando Nunez, president & CEO of CBS Global Distribution Group. “This deal shows how robust and profitable Showtime has become as a standalone product and revenue stream. We look forward to working with our outstanding partners at Sky to present Showtime to its customers across Europe and on a wide range of their platforms.”
Alongside an expanding portfolio of the best shows from the US and around the world, Sky is also growing its investment in original production, which includes a successful partnership with Showtime to co-produce the gothic horror series Penny Dreadful.
“This is one of the most important content deals Sky has ever agreed, cementing Sky’s position as the market leader in Europe for world-class drama,” added Gary Davey, managing director of Sky’s content division. “We are enormously proud that Sky will be the exclusive home to new Showtime programmes for many years to come, building on a relationship that has grown over time.”
Sky Atlantic is to become the exclusive home to Showtime’s growing portfolio of programming across all its territories in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
The channel will be able to show select content from the US home of high-end drama on a programme-by-programme basis after along-term licensing agreement between Sky and CBS.
The deal will span all new and future series, including Billions, which premiered in the US with the best series debut performance ever for a Showtime original series. Other new series include the return of Twin Peaks and new seasons of current hits such as Ray Donovan and The Affair. The agreement also means customers will have on-demand access to an acclaimed catalogue of premium Showtime programming including Californication, Dexter and Nurse Jackie.
Alongside scripted content, Sky will have an exclusive option to take all new Showtime distributed unscripted shows such as documentaries, late night and reality shows. Premiere dates for the programming may vary by country, and current rights agreements with other platforms will remain unchanged.
In addition to new drama and comedy series, customers will have on-demand access to the Showtime back catalogue of shows. This will include the complete box sets of series, including The Borgias, Brotherhood, Californication, Dexter, Nurse Jackie and the original Twin Peaks. Customers who use the recently upgraded Sky Go mobile TV service and the NOW TV and Sky Online streaming platforms will also have access to the channel live and on-demand.
The move is hugely significant for both parties. For CBS Corporation, it is the largest and most expansive international deal to date for Showtime and the first time its content portfolio has been licensed to a single media company across multiple European territories. It also marks a significant next step in the company’s global expansion strategy to distribute Showtime’s prestigious brand and broad programming slate as a bundled offering. Last year, CBS and Bell Media announced a similar exclusive agreement for Showtime in Canada.
“This is the most significant international deal in the history of Showtime, and further signals the value and prestige of its content brand in the global marketplace,” commented Armando Nunez, president & CEO of CBS Global Distribution Group. “This deal shows how robust and profitable Showtime has become as a standalone product and revenue stream. We look forward to working with our outstanding partners at Sky to present Showtime to its customers across Europe and on a wide range of their platforms.”
Alongside an expanding portfolio of the best shows from the US and around the world, Sky is also growing its investment in original production, which includes a successful partnership with Showtime to co-produce the gothic horror series Penny Dreadful.
“This is one of the most important content deals Sky has ever agreed, cementing Sky’s position as the market leader in Europe for world-class drama,” added Gary Davey, managing director of Sky’s content division. “We are enormously proud that Sky will be the exclusive home to new Showtime programmes for many years to come, building on a relationship that has grown over time.”
