Amazon takes CBS summer drama – again

Subscription VOD service Amazon Prime Video has again secured rights to a CBS summer drama series.

The streamer has secured exclusive US streaming and download rights to Salvation, with episodes launching four days after their broadcast debut on linear TV.

The suspense thriller series follows a tech superstar and an MIT graduate who discover an asteroid will destroy Earth in six months.

CBS has commissioned a summer drama series every year since 2013, with Amazon using the same model to buy American SVOD rights to Under the Dome, Extant and BrainDead.

Amazon’s investment allows CBS to increase the budget of the summer series, which have traditionally cost far less than new season and midseason series, if they are commissioned at all.

“The CBS/Amazon relationship for original summer programming has been very successful, and we’re excited to build on it with Salvation,” said Scott Koondel, chief corporate licensing officer at CBS Corp. “It continues to be a great business model for year-round programming on the Network, as well as exclusive content for Amazon Video subscribers.”

Amazon also streams CBS series such as The Good Wife, Blue Bloods and Star Trek, the latter following a major franchise agreement struck last year.

Salvation, from Secret Hideout, CBS Television Studios and Still Married Productions, debuts on CBS on July 12 at 9pm ET/PT.