Netflix And NBC Expand Content Partnership

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Netflix and NBC Universal on Friday expanded their content-sharing agreement to include more media properties, including USA Network and Syfy.

More than 75 episodes of Syfy's "Battlestar Galactica" as well as "Destination Truth" and "Eureka" will now be available on the service, in addition to the USA series "Psych," "In Plain Sight" and "Monk." Also renewed is the deal to distribute past seasons of "30 Rock," "The Office" and "Saturday Night Live."

What's more, new SNL episodes will be available on Netflix the day after broadcast for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons, in addition to hundreds of episodes from the first 35 years of SNL.

Frances Manfredi, EVP and general sales manager of cable and non-theatrical sales for NBC Universal Domestic TV Distribution, is credited with forging the deal. "We are very pleased to continue our successful relationship with Netflix," Manfredi said on Friday.

Earlier in the week, NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker said NBC was not likely to participate in Apple's 99 cent iTunes rental plan, telling investors at a Goldman Sachs conference that "it would devalue our content."

The new agreement adds to the selection of movies and TV episodes that can be streamed from Netflix with memberships starting at $8.99 a month. Every episode from the last season of "30 Rock," "The Office" and "Law & Order: SVU," as well as earlier seasons of those shows are renewed for streaming from Netflix under the current deal. Additional content includes all prior seasons -- and eventually next year's final season -- of "Friday Night Lights;" all prior seasons of USA Network's "Psych;" "In Plain Sight;" and "Monk."

NBCU and Netflix have worked together for a number of years. Back in 2007, NBCU's Digital Studios and Netflix began producing a series of online Webisodes promoting classic movies. NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution arranged the deal with Netflix's content acquisition group.

In the wake of Blockbuster filing for bankruptcy, Netflix is thriving. The movie rental service just inked a five-year deal worth nearly $1 billion to stream movies from Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM, and last year generated $115 million in net profit on $1.6 billion in revenue.

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