The complex pact -- which includes cable (WGN America), subscription video-on-demand (Hulu Plus) and a not-yet-named broadcast component -- is one of (if not the) biggest drama sales on record.
While much of the TV syndication business was in Miami Beach at NATPE, CBS closed two significant off-network deals -- in Los Angeles.
Over several weeks in January, CBS hammered out a complex pact for its second-season drama Elementary that includes cable (WGN America), subscription-video-on-demand (Hulu Plus) and a not-yet-named broadcast component for about $3 million an episode, making it one of (if not the) biggest drama sales on record.
While much of the TV syndication business was in Miami Beach at NATPE, CBS closed two significant off-network deals -- in Los Angeles.
Over several weeks in January, CBS hammered out a complex pact for its second-season drama Elementary that includes cable (WGN America), subscription-video-on-demand (Hulu Plus) and a not-yet-named broadcast component for about $3 million an episode, making it one of (if not the) biggest drama sales on record.
WHAT?! Ok, with that syndication win the show is practically free now! (every episode cost around 3 million to produce) It could be doing 1.2s from now on and still be renewed with such a massive syndication gain! I've never seen something like this... good for Elementary, but I'm really shocked
ReplyDeleteWow. Guess Elementary just locked in a renewal for season 3, and, by extension, season 4!
ReplyDeleteThe might as well renew it for two more seasons right now
ReplyDeleteDefinitely bodes well for future of the show. Excellent.
ReplyDeleteI am delighted by this, it is pretty incredible seeing how its ratings haven't been great this season and its only on its second season. Yet I can see why its an attractive show for syndication, case of the week and with two stars people tend to like.
ReplyDeleteSo two more seasons pretty much guaranteed of Elementary? WOW! I love this news.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled for Elementary and Blue Bloods.They got a nice deal going into WGN and ION.
ReplyDeleteDoes that also mean that Elementary will get a bad time slot?
ReplyDeleteNo.It doesn't mean that.But on the other hand,we don't know what day or time they will get next season... We won't find out until the Upfronts in May.
ReplyDeleteNot likely, they still want it to get decent ratings so they can make money through advertisements.
ReplyDelete$3 million for Elementary
ReplyDelete$2 million for The Good Wife and Five-O
I don't understand the syndication market but I have two questions:
1) Why are dramas more valuable than comedies (2 Broke Girls and Modern Family, the biggest comedy syndication deals are 1.7 and 1.5 million per episode)?
2) Are syndication deals inflated and overbid?
The second one came to my mind because despite being a procedural (which means higher syndication value), Elementary is far from being a hit and The Good Wife has procedural elements but heavy serialized arcs, but it laso landed a big syndication deal and it is a low rated show.
If someone could answer this for me, I will be glad.
1. I imagine part of this is that comedies are only a half-hour while dramas are a full hour. To program a full hour of Modern Family would cost 2 * $1.5M = $3M
ReplyDelete2. Streaming deals are probably more important for dramas than comedies, and particularly for serialized dramas. The Good Wife has deals with both Hulu and Amazon as part of the $2M. Also, as far as Elementary, WGN America is launching original programming and needs companion syndication repeats, so they have been particularly aggressive in the syndication market.
And a season 5, with that kind of deal, the show is a winner even at the lowest ratings possible
ReplyDeleteI mean, what is it about this show that they'd be willing to pay this much?
ReplyDeleteWow, with that kind of deal, Elementary will be on forever. Might as well announce a 4 season renewal, its not going anywhere until the actors refuse to renew their contracts.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy right now! Great news for the future of the show!
ReplyDeleteNo neded to worry about Elementary's renewal. Good for the cast and crew.
ReplyDeleteDepends on the ratings. It wouldn't surprise me to see Elementary going to Sundays.
ReplyDelete3 million per episode for Elementary? Seriously? Don't get me wrong it's a good show but there are plenty of better shows out there who are/were largely undervalued. Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Person of Interest to name a few are far more superior & popular shows but don't fetch as much as Elementary. Eager to know who paid all this money! (Maybe I could get a stake in his business)
ReplyDeleteExactly my question!
ReplyDeleteI get your concern. While I have no idea why comedies fetch less than dramas (shorter airing time?), when it comes to dramas there is something seriously flawed in the system.
ReplyDelete- Elementary is a new show just in it's 2nd season. It hasn't exactly set the US or the rest of the world on fire (partly due to BBC's Sherlock being a far more superior & infinitely more popular portrayal of Sherlock Holmes). Thirdly it doesn't exactly dominate CBS's ratings, which cannot be said the same of some recent arrivals like Scandal, Blacklist, Arrow who either dominate or are in the top tier of their network's rating placements.
- At least The Good Wife is a multiple award winning show despite the low ratings.
- Frankly I have no idea why Elementary has got such a good syndication deal despite my pondering above. Person of Interest, Breaking Bad, BBT, Mad Men to name a few are much more accomplished & popular shows who fetched far less in syndication.
WGN acquired syndication for Person Of interest last year.
ReplyDeletehttp://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/07/wgn-america-acquires-exclusive-cable-syndication-rights-to-person-of-interest/207440/
Good for the fans! Show has a long future ahead of it, and the writers can make long-term story plans without worrying about ratings and the show possibly not returning the following season. And of course, some job security for the cast and crew.
ReplyDeleteI hope the buyers get more for their money for this one. USA is doing well with NCIS LA in syndication but TNT ponied up plenty of cash for Hawaii Five-0 and that show is flopping like a mackerel on the sidewalk. That's not the only flop TNT bought either. They brought CSI NY over to the network a few years ago and within a couple of months of its debut they moved the show to the wee hours of the morning 'cuz no one was watching.
ReplyDeletewow... great news for a great show... definitely bodes well for future seasons
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing, it's not like the show is a great success or something.
ReplyDelete