CBS could announce as early as today deals to distribute its TV shows and other video programming via MSN, AOL and Joost, WSJ reports. CBS would be the first major network to have such an arrangement with Joost.
The agreements cover previously aired full episodes of shows such as NCIS, CSI, The Evening News with Katie Couric and various sports programming. CBS is also in talks to have the NBC Universal-News Corp. online video venture distribute its shows on a nonexclusive basis.
-- CBS has been asking for a 90-10 rev share – a similar payment structure to the one initiated by NBCU and News Corp—although, we would note, asking doesn’t always make it so.
Staci adds: The WSJ article mentioned the ad split but I don’t see any mention of CBS getting the same IP guarantees as the JV. Also, unlike the JV deals, I heard from someone familiar with the situation that the CBS deals are shorter and have 60-day outs. As for the JV, I expect the first non-equity content announcements to start rolling out soon and won’t be surprised if CBS is among them. It’s the only road to MySpace and possibly to Yahoo (in terms of major deals) at this point. No response to any of this from the JV yet. Why CBS isn’t an equity part of the JV is a little murky—the WSJ says, and I’ve also heard, that CBS balked at the exclusivity. But I’m also not sure CBS had an offer to be an equal equity partner in the deal.
Related:
-- It’s Official: NBCU-News Corp. Announce Video-Sharing JV; AOL, MSN, MySpace, Yahoo Will Distribute