Amazon’s IMDb TV Inks Disney Deal for ‘Lost,’ Desperate Housewives,’ ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ and More
Amazon’s add-supported IMDb TV streaming platform announced a licensing deal Wednesday with Disney, acquiring more than 20 scripted shows including Lost, Desperate Housewives and Malcolm in the Middle.
The agreement, carved with Disney’s increasingly powerful Direct-to-Consumer and International division, immediately delivers to the free streaming service full episodic libraries of Desperate Housewives, My So-Called Live, White Collar and The Glades.
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The service will be the exclusive AVOD home of Lost, with all 121 episodes of the J.J. Abrams-produced series available on the site starting May 1 (which marks the 10-year anniversary of the Lost finale.
Notably, Malcolm in the Middle will have its exclusive AVOD window on IMDb TV, as well, with all 151 installments posted June 1.
All 112 episodes of Ally McBeal will be available starting April 1.
Reruns have generated huge audiences for on-demand streaming services, both subscription and ad-supported. IMDb TV has acquired a few TV properties—notably, it acquired ABC series The Middle last year—but this is by far its biggest licensing agreement to date.
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Amazon hasn’t yet disclosed usage figures for IMDb TV, which has its own app for Fire TV devices. It’s accessible from most other OTT devices through the Amazon Prime Video and IMDb apps.
Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!