Foxtel and Fox Entertainment strike development deal

The news: Foxtel Group and Fox Entertainment have struck a deal that will see the two companies identify and develop new screen programming for Australian and US markets.

The context: The venture will see the Murdoch-controlled companies co-commission programming that will be made available for Foxtel’s streaming platform, Binge, and licensed to third-party services in the US and other markets.

Projects commissioned under the agreement will be produced in Australia by Fox Entertainment studios with local and US crews. Fox Entertainment Global will oversee the sale of programs that come out of the agreement.

The agreement is the first of its kind between the two entities, and emerges as the clock winds down on Foxtel’s deal with Warner Bros Discovery for the rights to HBO hit shows such as Succession and Euphoria, ahead of a direct-to-consumer launch in Australia expected next year.

The deal also comes as the Australian government prepares to introduce new content quotas that would force streaming platforms to make minimum investments in local drama productions.

What they said: “Investing in strategic content partnerships, like this one with Fox Entertainment, is reflective of our desire to deliver global thinking to local productions, whilst also sharing Australian stories around the world,” Alison Hurbert-Burns, executive director of entertainment content at Foxtel, said in a statement Tuesday.

“We’re looking to find new ways to collaborate and bring more production to our shores, to deliver Australian productions that are popular for Foxtel and Binge audiences but also deliver for international partners.”

The source:
Foxtel media release