The Program Guide highlights notable programming announcements and upcoming original debuts from online video platforms around the world.
Top News
* AMC Networks Inc. launched four new channels on ViacomCBS Inc.'s Pluto TV streaming service. The channels are Stories by AMC, Slightly Off by IFC, All Reality WE tv and The Walking Dead en Español.
* National Football League Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. signed a multiyear renewal for Prime Video to stream "Thursday Night Football" plus an exclusive contest in the second half of the season. CNBC reported that the agreement is for three seasons, which would make Amazon's pact coterminous with FOX (US)'s "Thursday Night Football" deal that ends with the 2022 season.
* AT&T Inc.'s Warner Media LLC signed a distribution agreement to make its streaming service HBO Max available on Hulu LLC's platform when it launches on May 27. HBO Max includes 10,000 hours of curated content and will charge a monthly rate of $15.
The Americas
"Star Wars" |
* DISH Network Corp.'s streaming TV service Sling TV LLC is offering new and existing users free access to every "Star Wars" movie available on Sling TV, through May 10. Star Wars movies are available to Sling Blue and Sling Orange subscribers, and during Sling TV's Happy Hour Across America.
* ESPN Inc. struck a deal with Eclat Media Group to exclusively air six live, regular-season games of South Korea's KBO League per week in the U.S. The baseball games will be accessible on ESPN2 (US) and the ESPN App.
* Quibi Holdings LLC offered the first episodes of three of its shows on Alphabet Inc.'s YouTube LLC for free, according to a tweet. Quibi's YouTube channel features two episodes each of "Dummy," "Most Dangerous Game" and "The Stranger."
* Netflix Inc. said its next African original series "JIVA!" is in production. The drama series follows the life of Ntombi, a talented street dancer who juggles the demands of a dead-end job, family responsibility and rocky love life.
Europe, Middle East and Africa
* Telia Co. AB launched streaming platform Telia Play as a stand-alone service, giving both subscribers and nonsubscribers access to the offering, Digital TV Europe reported. Access to Telia Play was previously limited to Telia customers.
* Netflix unveiled its first Swedish feature film "Red Dot." SF Studios produced the action thriller, which will premiere globally on the streaming platform.
* STV Group PLC is adding about 270 hours of new content and two livestreaming channels to STV Player. The new batch of shows and channels bring the video-on-demand platform's exclusive content to 1,500 hours and seven live channels.
* Odeon Cinemas Group Ltd. has decided to stop screening all Universal Pictures after the studio said it will make some films directly available on streaming and on-demand services, The Guardian (London) reported.
Asia-Pacific
* Singapore-based video streaming platform Hooq Digital Pte. Ltd. shut down its service and terminated its partnerships with Walt Disney Co.'s Hotstar and Indonesia's VideoMax, TechCrunch reported. Hooq, a joint venture of Singtel, Sony Pictures Television Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., entered into liquidation in March after failing to generate sustainable returns.
Hooq |
* Chinese streaming platform Bilibili Inc. is upgrading the video content on its platform to 4K quality, Jiemian reported. The company started with the inclusion of 4K documentaries and will expand to include movies and TV series. The platform will also start recruiting 4K content creators.
* Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.'s streaming platform ZEE5 struck a deal with animation studio Cosmos-Maya to acquire over 250 episodes of content for its new ZEE5 Kids offering, C21 Media reported.
* POPS Worldwide Inc. introduced its ad-based video-on-demand service POPS App in Thailand, World Screen reported. At launch, the app has more than 2,000 episodes from shows curated for kids and families, including the Marvel Anime series and edutainment programs from ZooMoo.
Links are current as of publication time; we are not responsible if those links are unavailable later.