Sky extends multi-year programming partnership with WarnerMedia
Sky, Europe’s leading direct-to-consumer media and entertainment company, and WarnerMedia, the home of HBO, Turner and Warner Bros., have expanded their longstanding partnership to include new programming and co-production agreements.
The two companies have agreed an extension to their programming deals across Sky’s European markets, meaning Sky and NOW TV customers will be able to enjoy award-winning content from HBO and Warner Bros. as well as from Turner channels for many years to come.
Sky and HBO first agreed to an output deal in 2010, making Sky the home of HBO in Europe. Since then, the partnership has gone from strength to strength with Sky customers enjoying great HBO content such as Watchmen, Succession and Big Little Lies, alongside acclaimed Sky original productions such as Patrick Melrose, Babylon Berlin and Gomorrah on Sky’s exclusive, flagship channel Sky Atlantic.
The new expanded deal also extends the pay TV rights for Warner Bros. first-run feature films adding to the strong relationship already in place and brings Sky customers more movies from Warner Bros. than ever before. The deal also includes richer on-demand content under the Cartoon Network and Boomerang brands.
This extension confirms Sky’s position as an excellent partner for content and rights owners in Europe, as well as a first-class platform to reach Sky’s 24 million customers across seven European countries.
New co-productions
In addition, Sky and WarnerMedia have agreed to extend their longstanding co-production partnership in a new deal that will see Sky Studios and HBO Max collaborate on more original content for viewers.
Sky and HBO have long had a successful co-production partnership. Their co-production Chernobyl picked up 10 wins at last month’s Emmy Awards making Chernobyl the most-awarded British series this year. Sky and HBO’s latest co-production, Catherine the Great starring Helen Mirren was broadcast to critical acclaim earlier this month.
Building on the relationship with HBO, Sky Studios will now also work with WarnerMedia’s HBO Max programming team to produce premium drama and scripted entertainment for Sky and HBO customers across Europe and beyond, as part of a multi-year co-production deal.
This follows on from the launch of Sky Studios, the new creative home of Sky originals, earlier this year, with a commitment to more than double Sky’s investment in original content over the next five years.
Gary Davey, CEO Sky Studios, said, “Our partnership with HBO, and now Warner Media, has never been stronger as Sky continues to thrive as Europe’s leading direct-to-consumer media and entertainment business. Customers love our Sky original productions and together, Sky Studios and HBO Max will bring them more unique stories that you can’t find anywhere else.”
Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution, said, “We are thrilled to find new ways to deepen our longstanding relationship with Sky, and bring a fresh dimension to the great content we continue to bring to consumers.”
