Disney+ Signs New Deal With RTVE
Disney has announced a new deal with the Spanish broadcaster RTVE to bring its new shows to Disney+ almost immediately after they premiere on the linear television channel La1 on TVE, similar to how FOX’s deal with Disney works in the United States.
The deal kicks off from next week with the 14th season of the Spanish version of “MasterChef”, with 13 episodes of the new season, along with 12 episodes of the celebrity spinoff. Other shows included in the deal include scripted content such as “Rojo Sobre Blanco.”
This is the first deal of its type in Europe, where a state broadcaster has signed a deal with a streaming platform to bring its shows the next day. Disney+ does have deals with some European broadcasters, such as the UK’s ITV, Spain’s Atresmedia, Germany’s ARD and ZDF, and Portugal’s SIC, though those are generally for older shows.
Disney+ EMEA General Manager Karl Holmes said in a statement regarding the deal:
“RTVE is loved by viewers in Spain, with a rich heritage of decades of incredible shows. Through this agreement, we are delighted to bring some of RTVE’s most iconic new shows to Disney+ customers which are some of the most popular and recognized formats in Spanish television. Incorporating these programs into Disney+ strengthens our ambition to enrich the service, while giving greater visibility to the extraordinary creative talent across Spain. We look forward to beginning this journey with RTVE and are confident it will lead to many more projects together.”
Disney has been signing different deals with European broadcasters to bring more local content to Disney+, as it looks to expand its reach to encourage new and retain existing subscribers, while also complying with rules regarding a European content quota.
Roger’s Take: Disney has drastically shifted its focus for how it approaches obtaining content for its European audiences. It has been licensing a wide selection of content from different producers, but this new approach is much more focused on getting higher-profile shows with more general appeal, which I think is going to work much better. While Disney+ still needs its own original content, having more local content will certainly help retain existing subscribers. It’s also unclear if these shows will also be available on Disney+ outside of Spain, so hopefully we will find that out once the first episode of “MasterChef” arrives next week.
What do you think of this new deal with RTVE? Let me know on social media!
