"Dora the Explorer" is coming to Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) Prime Instant Video. Amazon said Tuesday it agreed to license the hit kids' show and others from Viacom (NYSE: VIA).
"We are thrilled to be extending and deepening our relationship with Amazon," Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman said in a press release.
Other shows included in the deal are "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Bubble Guppies," the "Backyardigans" and "Blue's Clues." The deal also includes shows from MTV and Comedy Central such as "Workaholics," "Tosh.0" and "Key & Peele."
"Kids' shows are one of the most watched TV genres on Prime Instant Video," Bill Carr, vice president of digital video and music for Amazon, said.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but the Los Angeles Times reported it is estimated to be worth "hundreds of millions of dollars," citing a person familiar with the deal.
If that's true, the deal could prop up Viacom's distribution revenue for the rest of 2013, Bernstein Research analyst Todd Juenger wrote in a note to investors. That money was thought to be at risk after Viacom's deal with Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) largely expired last month.
But the deal could limit Viacom's ability to license its shows to other online video distributors down the road, Juenger wrote. "If the deal is really worth 'hundreds of millions,' then there must certainly be meaningful exclusivity involved, otherwise why would Amazon pay that much," he wrote.
For more:
- read the press release
- the Los Angeles Times had this story
- AllThingsD had this story
Related articles:
Amazon inks exclusive content deal for 'Justified'
Amazon's LOVEFiLM inks international TV distribution deal with NBCU
Amazon reportedly finished with Prime Video monthly fees