Netflix, Discovery Sign Deal for TV Shows’ Online Streaming

Online streaming giants Netflix Inc. and Discovery Communications Inc. announced that they have reached an agreement for the online streaming of the latter’s popular TV adventure shows.

Online giant Netflix Inc. on Wednesday said it has reached an agreement with Discovery Communications Inc. for the exclusive rights to stream the latter’s popular television shows on the Internet – including “Man vs. Wild” and “River Monsters”.

Based on the terms of the two-year agreement, Netflix would have exclusive streaming rights of all video materials from prior seasons of the popular adventure TV shows.

The shows, which already have short clips available on Youtube, would be available only to Netflix subscribers in the United States.

Sought for comment, both companies refused to disclose the financial terms of the deal, but said that Discovery will have the option to extend the contract for another year.

Discovery Communications is the mother company of cable TV shows like Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, ID: Investigation Discovery, as well as Science and Military Channel.

It will be recalled that David Zaslav, Discovery chief executive, has long shied away from offering episodes of Discovery Channel to online users, stressing that the move does not make economic sense.

But with the deal in place, Discovery has allow Netflix to sell big chunk of its library instead of separate video hits.

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