Peacock Inks Massive Licensing Deal With A+E Networks (Exclusive)

NBCUniversal’s forthcoming streaming platform Peacock is bulking up on unscripted library content.

The SVOD service has signed a sizable licensing deal with A+E Networks that will see libraries for unscripted series including Storage Wars, Cold Case Files and several others be available later this year after Peacock’s spring launch.

The pact covers hundreds of hours of episodes from A&E series including Cold Case Files, First 48 and Storage Wars and History‘s American Pickers, Ancient Aliens, Curse of Oak Island, Pawn Stars and the scripted drama Project Blue Book. A date for Peacock’s formal debut as well as when the A&E and History content will be available have not yet been determined.

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“We are excited to make some of A+E Networks’ most popular shows available on Peacock later this year,” Frances Manfredi, president of content acquisition and strategy at Peacock and NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises, said Wednesday in a statement. “In addition to the strong portfolio of NBCUniversal programming available on Peacock, we continue to aggregate content from other networks and studios, like A&E and History, that maximizes the breadth and depth of choice for our customers.”

The A&E and History content will join a rapidly growing roster of library content coming to Peacock that includes exclusive streaming rights to The Office and Parks and Recreation as well as Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, multiple Dick Wolf shows like Law & Order and others from both within the NBCUniversal family and from third-party content suppliers.

“We are excited to partner with Peacock,” said Steve MacDonald, president of global content licensing and international at A+E Networks. “We of course strongly believe in the power of the A+E Networks’ library of content, and that it will prove to strengthen Peacock’s offerings.”

With the deal, Peacock bolsters an already impressive roster of unscripted library titles that already includes hits like Keeping Up With the Kardashians, American Ninja Warrior, Million Dollar Listing, The Real Housewives franchise and Top Chef, among others.

Peacock will feature an inventory of scripted and unscripted originals as well as library content from across NBCUniversal’s portfolio. The streaming service is the latest from a media giant as established players like NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia and Disney look to challenge established stalwarts like Netflix and Amazon.