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ABC and Warner Bros. TV Group have hashed out an agreement granting ABC rights to air all current-season episodes of new series on its video-on-demand platforms, both companies said Thursday.
The deal is sort of a watershed moment in the new environment of on-demand viewing. The issue of how many episodes a network can post on its on-demand platforms—known as stacking—has increasingly become an issue as the studios that produce those shows sell them to subscription video on demand (SVOD) providers. Netflix, in particular, has made a huge issue of the practice, refusing to pay as much for shows whose entire seasons have been made available online.
Under the terms of this deal, ABC will be able to offer all episodes of Warner Bros.-produced shows on-demand, instead of the five that has become typical. Once the season has concluded, Warner Bros. can sell the show to an SVOD provider, take it into syndication and place it on electronic sell-through platforms (such as iTunes) for day-after sales. Warner Bros. also has early DVD rights to the series.
“This is a real win for network television viewers,” said Jana Winograde, executive vice president, business operations, ABC Entertainment, in a statement. “Giving our audience even more opportunities to catch up on their favorite shows in their entirety, on demand, only enhances their loyalty to and engagement with ABC and our series.”
“Along with our partners at ABC, we’re pleased to offer viewers the convenience to discover and watch our shows on their own schedule and on the screen they choose,” said Craig Hunegs, president, business and strategy, Warner Bros. Television Group, also in a statement. “For our studio, the more people watch our shows, the more valuable they become for us over the long run.”
ABC has ordered two pilots from Warner Bros. this season: single-camera comedy Dream Team and drama Time After Time, reports Variety. Warner Bros. also produces sitcom The Middle and reality series The Bachelor for ABC, but those shows wouldn’t be covered under the new deal.
Brief Take: Granting ABC the rights to air full, current seasons of its shows is a consumer-friendly move that will help the broadcast networks compete more effectively against the upstart streaming services.
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