CBS & Imagine enter strategic four-year deal

CBS Corporation and Imagine Television Studios have entered into a four-year co-financing and first-look agreement for scripted and unscripted television and long-form digital programming.

The new deal will see Ron Howard’s Imagine partner with CBS to co-produce and co-own programming for the CBS television network, SVOD service CBS All Access and premium cable channel Showtime, as well as for non-CBS affiliated platforms.

CBS platforms will have the first look at new Imagine series, with CBS TV Studios serving as a production partner and worldwide distributor for programming produced as part of the agreement.

Imagine will retain distribution rights in certain Asian territories, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

This comes after Imagine announced an independent US$100 million co-financing deal with TVB Ventures for the development and production of television projects.

The producer also named a new TV chief, Anna Culp, this July, after she left 20^th Century Fox Television, and secured another US$100 million in backing from Raine Group in February.

Imagine has a slate of television projects in its portfolio including Empire, Arrested Development and Genius.

CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves (pictured) said: “Imagine Television series always stand out for their quality, creativity and ability to connect with audiences.

“This agreement aligns our broadcast, pay cable and streaming businesses with a best-in-class partner, and represents another strategic opportunity to own and distribute more content across a dynamic television landscape.”