AXN India and CBS Studios International announce multi-year TV content deal

Multi Screen Media’s AXN, has today announced a multi-year content deal with CBS Studios International. The new deal gives AXN access to all content distributed by CBS, including the exclusive rights to air some of CBS’s biggest existing television series, like Hawaii Five-0 and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as well as the rights to all new shows produced by CBS Television Studios.

CBS Studios International distributessome of the best long-running shows,like Blue Bloods, Survivor, Elementary, Beauty and the Beast, NCIS, HawaiiFive-0, among others. NCIS, the #1 drama on U.S. television for five consecutive seasons, is now the most-watched drama in the world.Hawaii Five-0 won the Favorite 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.  In 2013, Blue Bloodswas Friday night’s most-watched scripted series in more than 10 years, averaging 13.77 million viewers.

CBS Studios International distributessome of the most excitingnew shows. 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 brilliantly reimagined 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 includingCSI: Cyber, a spin-off of the hit CSI franchise focused on the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI, and NCIS: New Orleans, a spin-off of the popular NCIS procedural set in the Big Easy. Other new CBS dramas include Madam Secretary, which stars Téa Leoni as the newly appointed Secretary of State, and Scorpion, about an eccentric genius and his team of brilliant misfits who help protect against high-tech threats of the modern age.

Commenting on this occasion, NP Singh, CEO, Multi Screen Media, says, “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, Saurabh Yagnik, English Cluster Head Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd, said, “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.”

“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," said Barry Chamberlain, President of Sales, CBS Studios International. “We have an exciting slate of new and returning content that will be right at home on the channel.”

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