?BBC Worldwide Strikes First India VOD Deal

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the U.K. public broadcaster, said Tuesday it has struck its first VOD deal in India.

Financial terms of the agreement with direct-to-home provider Tata Sky weren’t disclosed. The pact includes subscription VOD and transaction VOD services.

The companies said the deal gives subscribers in eight metro areas in India access to the best of the BBC’s drama and comedy via BBC On-Demand, a new branded property on Tata Sky. Viewers can also access content online via their TV sets, PCs, tablets and mobiles.

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Shows that will be available on the service include Luther,‎ starring Idris Elba; The Honorable Woman with Maggie Gyllenhaal; and Burton and Taylor, about Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor and starring Dominic West and Helena Bonham Carter.

“In a study commissioned by BBC Worldwide earlier this year, we found that quality of content, British humor, and a love of original British dramas were the top reasons why people, including Indians, enjoy British television programs,” said Myleeta Aga, senior vp and general manager of BBC Worldwide in India. “We are very excited to be working with Tata Sky to bring these award-winning and high-quality programs, many never before seen in India, to Tata Sky’s subscribers, where they can access them anytime, anywhere.”

“We are very pleased to be partnering with BBC Worldwide to launch BBC On-demand,” said Paolo Agostinelli, chief content officer at Tata Sky. “Viewing habits and customer needs in the industry are evolving as fast as ever. We are committed to remain the best choice in the country when it comes to premium entertainment, which means we must be able to offer top-branded content and the best viewing experience, including increasingly popular time-shifted and device-shifted binge viewing content.”

Twitter: @georgszalai