MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) English entertainment channel in India, AXN has announced a multi-year content deal with CBS Studios International. The new deal gives AXN access to all content distributed by CBS, including exclusive rights to air some of the studios’ biggest existing television series, Hawaii Five-0 and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The deal will also give AXN the access to all new shows produced by CBS Television Studios.
Commenting on this occasion MSM CEO NP Singh said, “This acquisition marks a memorable milestone in the journey of MSM. It has been our endeavour to create a differentiation for our viewers through product offering and innovations, both through our marketing and content novelties. The CBS deal allows us to more effectively build and deliver a rich library of content to our viewers, thereby strengthening the commitment of MSM to the Indian entertainment market.”
Talking about the deal MSM English cluster head Saurabh Yagnik commented, “This deal with CBS Studios International has only strengthened our long-standing relationship with them. Increasing our brand presence and reach in key markets is a cornerstone of our growth strategy. Now, with the new deal, we are bringing some of the most cutting edge shows from the US. This deal is all set to strengthen the ever expanding bouquet of AXN programming.”
CBS Studios International president of sales Barry Chamberlain added, “We are thrilled to expand our relationship with AXN India and deliver more of our world class programming to audiences across India and the subcontinent. We have an exciting slate of new and returning content that will be right at home on the channel.”
CBS Studios International distributes some of the best long-running shows, like Blue Bloods, Survivor, Elementary, Beauty and the Beast, NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, among others. Hawaii Five-0 won the favourite new TV drama award at the 37th People’s Choice Awards. Last year, Lucy Liu, who stars as Joan Watson in Elementary, won Best Actress at the Teen Choice Awards and the Seoul International Drama Awards.
The Studio distributes some of the most exciting new series. Extant, starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry and from Amblin Television, is a mystery thriller about an astronaut trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in space. Her experiences in space lead to events that ultimately change the course of human history. And in Penny Dreadful, some of literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all re-imagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The series stars Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green.
This year’s line-up has shows including CSI: Cyber, a spin-off of the hit CSI franchise focused on the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI and NCIS: New Orleans, a sequel to the popular NCIS procedural set in the Big Easy. Other new CBS dramas include Madam Secretary, which stars Tea Leoni as the newly appointed secretary of state and Scorpion, which is about an eccentric genius and his team of brilliant misfits who help protect against high-tech threats of the modern age.
