Sling TV To Add EPIX As Part Of Dish Network’s Carriage Renewal Deal

We’ll get to the details, such as they are, in a moment. First, armchair corporate strategists should take note of the fact that Viacom negotiates for EPIX, which it co-owns with Lionsgate and MGM. The fact that it made a deal seemingly without a stink with Dish Network could affect the thinking of investors who wonder whether the No. 2 satellite distributor is preparing for a battle royale with Viacom when their carriage deal expires. Sure, the negotiation for a suite of channels including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET will be more demanding. But at least we’ve seen that both sides can talk and work together.

As for today’s announcement: Dish’s new $20 a month Sling TV streaming service will offer EPIX on an undisclosed date for an undisclosed additional price. The offering will include some 2,000 Video-On-Demand titles, as well as linear channels EPIX, EPIX2, EPIX3 and EPIX Drive-In.

“Our customers crave the newest movies like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Transformers: Age Of Extinction, but they also have a growing appetite for the classics and EPIX delivers both,” Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch says. His service will offer EPIX “in an add-on package that is accessible and affordable.”

Dish’s satellite customers also can subscribe to the EPIX programming, and stream it on DISHAnywhere.com, EPIX.com and the DISH Anywhere and EPIX apps.  Viacom Media Networks EVP Tom Gorke says that “we look forward to building on this agreement to provide an even better entertainment experience.”

They offered no details about financial terms, of course.