The Conners is headed to streaming and syndication.
Lionsgate’s Worldwide Television Distribution Group and Debmar-Mercury are teaming with the ABC comedy’s producer, Werner Entertainment, for a licensing deal. The former will handle streaming — including SVOD, AVOD and FAST outlets — and basic cable distribution, while Debmar-Mercury will take on broadcast syndication in the United States.
The deal covers the show’s five existing seasons — a library of 93 episodes — and also includes rights to future seasons. ABC has renewed The Conners for a sixth season, which will ramp up after writers and actors strikes are resolved.
“We’re proud to be selected by a great force in television like Tom Werner and Werner Entertainment to bring this incredible property to buyers around the world,” said Jim Packer, president worldwide television distribution at Lionsgate. “This agreement shows Lionsgate’s ability to marshal all of its resources, combining the strength and prowess of our global distribution with Debmar-Mercury’s unparalleled syndication expertise in support of a remarkable brand and series.”
Although it has a streaming component, Lionsgate and Werner Entertainment’s deal for The Conners is something of a throwback: an independently produced network sitcom being sold to multiple outlets. In-season episodes of the series stream on Hulu, but its full catalog doesn’t have a streaming or off-network home.
“Lionsgate’s global reach and success across all platforms makes us extremely confident they will successfully bring The Conners to audiences worldwide,” said Werner.
Added Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, co-presidents of the Lionsgate-owned Debmar-Mercury, “In the tradition of some of the most successful, longest-running multi-cam sitcoms, The Conners promises to be a great addition to TV stations’ lineups, and will offer a proven competitive advantage to broadcasters for years to come. Tom Werner, together with Marcy Carsey and their creative team, have been responsible for many of the mega-comedies that helped build the broadcast business in the U.S. We are excited to be able to team with Tom and with Jim Packer’s global distribution team on The Conners.”
