...Disney+, meanwhile, has signed branding and content sharing agreements with the U.K.’s ITV, Germany’s ZDF Studios and Spain’s Atresmedia. The House of Mouse is integrating Hulu into Disney+ and launching it as an international title, while bundling new sports streamer ESPN together with rival Fox One in the States. More examples of unexpected partnerships feel certain to emerge....
... Disney’s trio of deals with major European free-to-air broadcasters follows the assumption that they are a positive sign for the future.
“We’re proud of our longstanding relationships with free-to-air partners across Europe to both license and acquire TV shows and movies,” says a Disney spokesperson. “These recent agreements are designed to give audiences access to even more great local stories on streaming, while continuing to support investment in local production and benefit the broader ecosystem.”
Disney’s deals range in size from select shows to hundreds of hours, highlighting that there is no one-size-fits-all model for diagonal integration. Enders Analysis’ Harrington calls the ITV agreement in the U.K. — which sees ‘Taste of’-branded sections carried on the other streamer’s platform — “a very limited deal that could basically be seen as marketing.” In essence, ITV viewers can watch the likes of Andor, Only Murders in the Building and The Kardashians via a rail on ITVX, with an ITVX rail launching on Disney+ with shows including Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Love Island and A Spy Among Friends. Both sides will regularly sit down and explore what can be added. Deadline understands titles will rotate every eight weeks on average.
“We believe there is a mutually beneficial relationship here and we can reach free-to-air audiences in larger markets,” Disney+’s General Manager for EMEA Karl Holmes said back in July. ITV content chief Kevin Lygo called it a “mutually beneficial alliance”, while Holmes added that “there will be lots of different models that achieve a similar outcome” in the future, comments that came prior to Disney announcing its deals with ZDF Studios and Atresmedia....
...For some agreements, the situation is simpler. It’s worth noting, for example, that Disney+’s partnership in Germany is with ZDF Studios, the production and sales arm of German pubcaster ZDF. “Our license agreement with Disney+ is a normal distribution transaction and concerns ZDF films and series in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,” says a ZDF Studios spokesperson. “All rights holders will be remunerated correctly, and no other rights are affected.” Streamers also say that cash generated from the deals will maintain or even increase the volume of content for broadcasters’ SVOD services.
Pacts between Netflix and TF1, Prime Video and France Télévisions and Disney+ with ITV, Atresmedia and ZDF Studios point to an era of co-operation.
deadline.com