ProSiebenSat.1 has expanded its partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment Germany and, as part of a comprehensive content deal, has secured numerous film and TV series rights for its channels and the Joyn streaming platform. This is according to a company statement from the Seven.One Entertainment Group.
According to the company, the agreement covers first-run broadcasting rights in German-speaking countries for current films from the Sony Pictures Entertainment portfolio. The titles announced include, amongst others, „It Ends with Us“, „The Karate Kid: Legends“, „Anaconda“, „Materialists“ and „The Three Investigators and the Carpathian Dog“. Following their release in the home entertainment and pay-TV sectors, the productions are set to make their free-to-air TV debut on channels within the ProSiebenSat.1 Group.
In addition, the deal includes an extensive package of catalogue titles. According to the company, more than 100 films and eight series, comprising a total of around 1,000 episodes, have been licensed. These include, amongst others, films from the „Spider-Man“, „The Amazing Spider-Man“, „Spider-Man: Homecoming“, „Ghostbusters“, „Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle“, „Hancock“ and „Matilda“ franchises.
In the TV series category, the company lists selected series of „Breaking Bad“ and „Better Call Saul“, as well as complete series of „Married… with Children“, „I Dream of Jeannie“, „The Tudors“, „Charmed“, „Crazy About You“, „Pan Am“, „Unforgettable“ and „The Guardian“.
Another key element of the agreement concerns the expansion of Joyn’s streaming service. Under the „Sony One“ brand, the platform plans to launch five new FAST channels focusing on action, comedy and thrillers. FAST channels (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) are regarded as a growing sector within the ad-supported streaming market and are also becoming increasingly important in German-speaking countries.
In addition, ProSiebenSat.1 has secured the rights to several anime series via Crunchyroll, including „Hell’s Paradise“, „Kaiju No. 8“ and „Tokyo Revengers“, which are set to be available on Joyn+ and the group’s pay-TV services.
Henrik Pabst, Chief Content Officer of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group, explained that the partnership would strengthen both the linear channels and the Joyn streaming platform, and enable cross-platform distribution of content.
More than just a traditional licensing deal
The agreement can be seen as a further example of the growing importance of cross-platform rights packages in the European media market. Whilst licensing deals have long focused primarily on individual distribution windows such as home entertainment, pay-TV or free-to-air TV, current agreements are increasingly covering several forms of distribution simultaneously.
For ProSiebenSat.1, the strategic value of the deal is unlikely to lie solely in the announced free-to-air premieres. Of particular interest could be the extensive library package, which provides both the linear channels and the Joyn streaming platform with additional content. Catalogue titles are regarded within the industry as a key component of ad-supported streaming services, as they are available in the long term and can draw on well-known brands.
Also noteworthy is the planned launch of five FAST channels under the Sony One brand. The expansion of such ad-supported streaming channels is seen by many market observers as a growing business sector. For international studios and rights holders, they could create additional opportunities to monetise existing content through further distribution channels.
The inclusion of anime series also suggests that ProSiebenSat.1 is seeking to target different audiences more effectively. In recent years, anime has evolved from a niche segment into a significant part of the international licensing business and is also gaining in importance amongst German broadcasters.
Overall, the agreement reflects the ongoing trend away from licensing content in isolation for individual platforms, towards bundling it across multiple forms of exploitation. Competition between media companies and streaming platforms is increasingly shaped by the availability of attractive rights packages and catalogue libraries.
The financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed.