CBS May Agree to Stream Past Seasons of Current Series

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CBS, which has been very conservative in allowing its network programming to be viewed over the internet, says it is considering licensing episodes of past seasons of current series to companies like Netflix and Amazon.

On CBS’ third-quarter earnings call with analysts Wednesday, CEO Les Moonves said licensing those episodes of current series could generate “significant new high margin revenue for the company.”

Up till now, CBS has only licensed shows after they’ve been cancelled in order to preserve their value on the network and in syndication. Earlier this week, CBS agreed to license library programs to Hulu Plus. CBS, which opted not to be a partner in Hulu with  NBC, Fox and ABC, had previous not allowed Hulu to stream any CBS programming in the U.S.

CBS has previously made deals with Netflix and Amazon to stream library products.

Even with a change in its streaming strategy, Moonves said that CBS would maintain its position as the No. 1 network.

Moonves also said that its stations in New York, WCBS-TV, has sold a Super Bowl spot for about $1 million.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.