Paramount Global said its Paramount Plus streaming service has made a deal to be the exclusive subscription video on demand home for Ghosts, a freshman comedy hit on Paramount’s CBS television network.
Ghosts is produced by BBC Studios, CBS Studios and Lionsgate.
Paramount Plus already had existing in-season rights to Ghosts. The new deal with Lionsgate, gives Paramount Plus the SVOD rights to all episodes of the series all year round.
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Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the deal underscores the demand for programming to draw subscribers to streaming services and an effort to align broadcast and streaming programming within a single media company to reduce consumer confusion and simplify promotion.
“Ghosts is one of the biggest comedy hits in years and one of the most talked about shows. It is the perfect addition to the fantastic pipeline of content driving peak streaming at Paramount Plus,” said Tanya Giles, chief programming officer at Paramount Plus.
Ratings on CBS have grown virtual every week and the series is the No. 1 new comedy this season.
“With fresh story lines, an incredible cast and a brilliant creative team, Ghosts is that rare television series that taps into the popular zeitgeist to become a cultural phenomenon,” said Jim Packer, president of the Lionsgate Worldwide Television Distribution Group, who negotiated the deal with Barbara Zaneri, chief program acquisitions officer for Paramount Global. ■
