Sky extends NBCU content deal
May 17, 2017
Sky has confirmed the extension of its long-standing partnership with NBCUniversal. The extensive multi-year agreements cover Sky Cinema and NBCUniversal International Networks’ (NBCUIN) suite of channel brands for Sky’s customers in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria. The partnership also includes a comprehensive EST and TVoD agreement for Sky Store across those territories.
Sky customers in the UK and Ireland will be able to enjoy a selection of NBCUIN’s channels including Universal Channel, Syfy and E! Entertainment and Movies 24 while customers in Germany and Austria will enjoy Universal Channel, Syfy and E! Entertainment and 13th STREET. In addition, Syfy and NBCU International’s all-reality service, hayu, will launch in 2018 on NOW TV, Sky’s streaming subscription service in the UK. In Germany, Syfy will launch on Sky Ticket in 2019.
The agreements cover tent-pole, first-run movies like the Jurassic, Despicable Me/Minions and Fast & Furious franchises. Additionally, it covers a range of critically acclaimed and films from Working Title and Focus Features alongside numerous titles from NBCUniversal’s iconic film library. At the same time, customers will continue to enjoy NBCUIN’s successful portfolio of channel brands, which are the home of popular TV series. In the UK & Ireland, this includes Chicago Med on Universal Channel and Dark Matter on Syfy; in Germany & Austria, this includes Chicago Fire on Universal Channel, Bull on 13TH STREET and Dark Matter on Syfy.
Gary Davey, Managing Director, Content, Sky commented: “It’s been a very successful year for rights negotiations and we are very pleased to have secured this long-term deal for our customers. Our focus remains on providing our customers with content of the highest quality and NBCUniversal’s movies, television programming and channel brands are globally renowned. Our partners’ trust in Sky as the custodian of their brands and content enables us to not only establish, but extend, these long-term relationships and we look forward to continuing to work with NBCUniversal International.”