Screen Media and BBC Studios Sign Multi-Year Content Deal, Bringing 2,500+ Hours of Premium Content to All Crackle Plus Streaming Services

Rhea-AI Summary

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE) has announced a multi-year content agreement with BBC Studios, bringing over 2,500 hours of high-quality programming to its Crackle Plus streaming platforms. This deal includes exclusive U.S. premieres like A Life in Ten Pictures and access to series such as the celebrated Ripper Street and Happy Valley. Starting in April, viewers will find over 300 hours of available content for free. The partnership aims to enhance Crackle Plus's content catalog and attract a larger audience.

Positive

• Multi-year agreement with BBC Studios enhances content portfolio.
• Over 2,500 hours of premium content planned for Crackle Plus.
• Includes exclusive premieres and popular series like Ripper Street and Happy Valley.
• Free access to over 300 hours of content starting April.

Negative

• None.

Several-year agreement features U.S. premieres and several exclusives, including ‘Ripper Street’ and ‘A Life in Ten Pictures’

COS COB, Conn., March 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, today announced a multi-year content deal with BBC Studios that will bring more than 2,500 hours of premium content to all current and future Crackle Plus streaming services including Crackle, Popcornflix, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Crackle Plus, also a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company, is one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand networks.

This announcement comes on the heels of another major deal between the two sides that saw the exclusive rights to the popular series Sherlock go to Crackle Plus.

More than 300 hours of content will be available to viewers for free on various Crackle Plus streaming services beginning in April. This includes the award-winning, critically acclaimed mystery series Ripper Street, starring Matthew MacFadyen (Succession), several seasons of which will be streaming only on Crackle Plus. In addition, A Life in Ten Pictures will have its exclusive U.S. premiere in June on Crackle Plus. More content will be added each month throughout the multi-year agreement.

The deal will also include: All seasons of BAFTA award-winning series Happy Valley, starring BAFTA award-winning actress Sarah Lancashire and SAG award-winning actress Siobhan Finneran; the crime mini-series From Darkness, starring BAFTA award-winning actress Anne-Marie Duff and Johnny Harris; and the first five seasons of the long running crime series Silent Witness, originally starring Amanda Burton. In addition, the 2014-16 action/drama series The Musketeers, and drama series The Coroner, created by Sally Abbott who wrote on EastEnders, will be available to audiences as part of the agreement.

“The BBC has been producing highly sought-after content for years and we expect this content to perform exceptionally well on our streaming services,” said William J. Rouhana Jr, chief executive officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The long-term nature of this agreement enables us to plan ahead to maximize the value of the content to our viewers as well as our advertisers, the BBC, and us.”

“We are ecstatic to bring the Crackle Plus audience premium content from the BBC,” said David Fannon, president of Screen Media. “With the Benedict Cumberbatch series, Sherlock, the BBC’s extensive catalog of quality series and movies, and brand new titles that have yet to be released, this agreement provides Chicken Soup for the Soul with a wide array of unique and high quality content. Screen Media could not be happier than to announce this agreement with the BBC.”

Dina Vangelisti, executive vice president, content sales, BBC Studios said: “Through this multi-year partnership with Screen Media, we are making it even easier for customers to discover and access our robust programming catalog. The best of British content has never been easier to find in the Americas, and we’re excited by this new relationship with a leading AVOD service.”

Screen Media is the exclusive supplier of original content to Crackle Plus streaming services. Recent titles from Screen Media that have premiered on Crackle include the Crackle Originals Vince Carter: Legacy, Playing with Power and Insomnia, as well as the exclusives The Mercy starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, Tom Hardy-led Taboo, international thriller series The Platform and disaster film Skyfire, starring Jason Isaacs.

ABOUT SCREEN MEDIA VENTURES, LLC 
Screen Media Ventures, LLC, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, acquires the rights to high quality, independent television series and feature films. Screen Media Ventures acquires worldwide rights for distribution through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, video-on-demand, and new digital media platforms. The company acquires AVOD rights for third party networks and is the main supplier of content for Crackle Plus and other Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment properties. With a library of over 1,500 television series and motion pictures, Screen Media Ventures is one of the largest independent suppliers of high-quality tv series and motion pictures to U.S. and international broadcast markets, cable networks, home video outlets and new media venues. For more information, visit: www.screenmedia.net

ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) (the “Company”) operates streaming video-on-demand networks (VOD). The Company owns Crackle Plus, which owns and operates a variety of ad-supported and subscription-based VOD networks including Crackle, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Popcornflix, Popcornflix Kids, Truli, Pivotshare, Españolflix and FrightPix. The Company also acquires and distributes video content through its Screen Media and 1091 Pictures subsidiaries and produces original video content through the Chicken Soup for the Soul Television Group. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, which publishes the famous book series and produces super-premium pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand name.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance. Such assumptions involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to our core strategy, operating income and margin, seasonality, liquidity, including cash flows from operations, available funds, and access to financing sources, free cash flows, revenues, net income, profitability, stock price volatility, future regulatory changes, price changes, the ability of the Company’s content offerings to achieve market acceptance, the Company’s success in retaining or recruiting officers, key employees, or directors, the ability to protect intellectual property, the ability to complete strategic acquisitions, the ability to manage growth and integrate acquired operations, the ability to pay dividends, regulatory or operational risks, and general market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s services. For a more complete description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please refer the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2021, and for further information regarding our recent acquisitions and other information, please see our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed since the date of such 10-K. Our results for the year ended December 31, 2021 will be included in an Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

INVESTOR RELATIONS
Taylor Krafchik
Ellipsis
csse@ellipsisir.com
(646) 776-0886

MEDIA CONTACT
Kate Barrette
RooneyPartners LLC
kbarrette@rooneypartners.com
(212) 223-0561

FAQ

What is the significance of the recent deal between Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and BBC Studios?

The deal brings over 2,500 hours of content to Crackle Plus, enhancing its offerings and attracting a larger audience.

When will the content from the Chicken Soup for the Soul and BBC Studios deal be available?

More than 300 hours of content will be available for free starting in April.

What exclusive titles will Crackle Plus feature due to the new agreement?

Crackle Plus will feature exclusive U.S. premieres including A Life in Ten Pictures and series like Ripper Street and Happy Valley.

How will the Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment deal with BBC Studios affect stock CSSE?

This content partnership may positively impact CSSE's stock by potentially increasing viewership and advertising revenue through enhanced content offerings.