Hello, Jerry! Viacom Acquires Exclusive Cable Rights to Seinfeld From Sony Pictures Television
September 21 2019 - 9:00PM
Business Wire
Viacom’s Entertainment Brands to Begin Airing
Seinfeld in 2021 ... Yada Yada Yada ... Select Episodes Will Also
be Available to Stream on Authenticated Viacom Websites and
Apps
Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) today announced the acquisition of
Seinfeld from Sony Pictures Television, in a deal that features the
exclusive cable rights for all 180 episodes of the iconic series.
Beginning in October 2021, the full library of Seinfeld episodes
will air amongst Viacom’s entertainment brands, including Comedy
Central, Paramount Network and TV Land. Additionally, catch-up
episodes will be available through Viacom brands via authenticated
video on demand, websites and apps. The deal was closed by Barbara
Zaneri, EVP, Viacom Global Program Acquisitions, and Flory
Bramnick, EVP, US Distribution, for an undisclosed sum and a loaf
of marble rye after a spirited Festivus feats of strength
competition.
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(Photo: Sony Pictures Television)
“We’re extremely proud to bring this little-known series to our
viewers. With the right programming and promotion, we believe we’ll
finally get Seinfeld the recognition it truly deserves, as merely
the greatest sitcom of all-time,” said Kent Alterman, President of
Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land and Vandelay
Industries.
John Weiser, President, First Run Television for Sony Pictures
Television said, “Seinfeld airing on Comedy Central and the Viacom
networks brings together the greatest comedy of all time, with the
best brands in cable. This was a tremendous team effort and we are
delighted to be working with the first class executives at Viacom
who are experts in programming and promotion. For a show about
Nothing, this is really Something!”
An Emmy and Golden Globe-winner for Best Comedy Series, Seinfeld
is one of the most popular, most award-winning and longest-running
comedy series of all time. Jerry Seinfeld stars as a stand-up
comedian whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by
his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life's
most perplexing, yet often trivial questions. Often described as "a
show about nothing," Seinfeld mines the humor in life's mundane
situations like waiting in line, searching for a lost item, or the
trials and tribulations of dating. Co-starring are Julia
Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry's ex-girlfriend and current platonic pal,
Elaine Benes; Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry's neurotic
hard-luck best friend; and Michael Richards as Jerry's eccentric
neighbor, Kramer.
Seinfeld is a West/Shapiro Production in association with Castle
Rock Entertainment. Seinfeld was created by Larry David and Jerry
Seinfeld and executive produced by Larry David, Howard West, and
George Shapiro.
About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television
industry’s leading content providers, producing, distributing and
carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every
platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest
libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and
formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business,
operating 24 wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies in
12 countries, as well as linear and digital channels around the
world. Sony Pictures Television is a Sony Pictures Entertainment
Company.
About VPAG
Viacom Program Acquisitions Group (VPAG) is responsible for the
coordination of program acquisitions across multiple Viacom
platforms and brands. VPAG harnesses the collective buying power of
Viacom in negotiating series and movie licenses by synchronizing
multi-channel deals and program buys across the Company
portfolio.
About Viacom
Viacom creates entertainment experiences that drive conversation
and culture around the world. Through television, film, digital
media, live events, merchandise and solutions, our brands connect
with diverse, young and young at heart audiences in more than 180
countries.
For more information on Viacom and its businesses, visit
www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following us on Twitter
(twitter.com/viacom), Facebook (facebook.com/viacom) and LinkedIn
(linkedin.com/company/viacom).
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190921005015/en/
For Viacom Jake Urbanski 310-481-3757 jake.urbanski@viacom.com
For Sony Pictures Television Stacy Weitz 310-244-8834
Stacy_Weitz@spe.sony.com
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