CBS teams with Ten for Eleven

CBS Studios has announced its second channels joint venture in a week, this time teaming with Australia’s Network Ten to launch a new digital offering. As part of the channels deal, the studio has also extended an output agreement with the Australian broadcaster.

Youth-skewing channel Eleven will roll out early next year. It will be able to transmit a raft of CBS’ programming from its 70,000 hour library, which includes comedies Everybody Loves Raymond and Frasier and scripted series Sex and the City and JAG.

Ten’s announcement closely follows one from Seven about its third digital channel, new male-skewing digital network, Mate. Nine, meanwhile, is expected to roll out its third digital channel, reportedly a crime-focused offering, at about the same time, or just before, as Mate.

Ten has a two-thirds stake in the CBS joint venture, which needs regulatory approval.

Ten CEO Grant Blackley said: “Importantly, the joint venture will ensure long-term continuity of this prolific U.S. content pipeline, underpinning the sustainability of Eleven and also delivering continued supply of high-quality international programming for Ten.”

CBS has been inking channels-focused JVs in different parts of the world recently. It has an agreement with Chellomedia in the UK and last week announced a deal to roll out channels in India in association with Reliance.