Free-to-consumer, ad-supported streaming platform Tubi is reached a licensing deal with NBCUniversal to acquire nearly 400 episodes of older TV shows.
The deal includes older NBCU-owned shows from the 1970s and 1980s, including the original Battlestar Galactica, Quantum Leap, The Incredible Hulk, Magnum, P.I. and Bionic Woman. Classic syndicated “action hour” shows including Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys are also part of the pact.
Related:Tubi Takes $25M Loan, Prepares to Spend More Than $100M on Content
The NBCU deal follows start-up Tubi’s announcement last month that it had taken out a $25 million loan with the intention of spending $100 million on content.
“We are aggressively working to expand our library, and this is one of many deals to come for Tubi,” said Adam Lewinson, chief content officer for Tubi, in a statement.
In January, San Francisco-based said viewership was up by a factor of 4.3X in 2018, while its advertising revenue increased 180%. Tubi, which was founded in 2010 and has raised $26 million to date, also said it was profitable in the fourth quarter “marking a major milestone.”
Tubi was one of several AVOD companies checked out by Viacom before it paid $340 million to acquire rival streaming service Pluto TV.
Related: Sinclair Kicking Tires on XUMO: Report
Earlier this week, Variety reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group is one of several companies looking at another AVOD rival, XUMO.
