Netflix lands four-year deal for CW TV shows
updated 01:45 pm EDT, Thu October 13, 2011
Netflix to stream CW TV shows for four years
The CW Television Network, owned by CBS and Warner Bros., agreed on a four-year deal to stream its TV shows on Netflix. This will allow subscribers to stream previous seasons of scripted series that aired on The CW until the 2015 season. More than 700 hours of older CW episodes will be available on Netflix.
The rights cover the four-year period after each series ends its broadcast on CW. This includes current and new shows. The current fall 2011 schedule includes Ringer, Hart of Dixie and The Secret Circle, with shows such as Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, 90210, Supernatural, Nikita and mid-season series One Tree Hill. Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, Nikita and One Tree Hill will become available on Netflix on October 15. Supernatural and 90210 episodes arrive in January. Scripted series airing now on CW will be on Netflix in the fall of 2012.
While the financial details weren't revealed, CNBC reported it could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Netflix has been rapidly increasing the scale of its deals, both to make up for its historic lack of major titles and to counter attempts by Disney-backed Starz to withdraw content and protect legacy TV. [via Hollywood Reporter]
