Viaplay Group and SBS bring Viaplay Select to Australian audiences

Viaplay Group and SBS have agreed a multi-year partnership that makes curated content from Viaplay Select available in Australia on the SBS On Demand streaming service. Launching today, SBS On Demand’s users will have access to hundreds of hours of Viaplay Originals and additional premium curated content over the course of the partnership.

In Australia, a wide range of upcoming Nordic Viaplay Originals, including series, films and documentaries, will premiere on SBS On Demand through Viaplay Select. The offering also includes an extensive library of Viaplay Originals and third-party Nordic series and features, with a selection of forthcoming English-language Viaplay Originals to be available in due course.

Viaplay is the Nordic region’s leading producer of original content, with at least 70 Viaplay Originals set to premiere in 2022. The scripted Viaplay Original series set to premiere shortly in Australia as part of the deal include the crime shows “Fenris,” “Cell 8,” “Where Were You,” and “Huss”; the biopic “The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen”; the dramas “Harmonica” and “Below”; the comedy-drama “Pørni”; the young adult shows “Two Sisters,” “Ida Takes Charge”; and “Thunder in My Heart,” among much more content.

“Viaplay Select is a compelling concept that helps our partners stand out in today’s competitive global streaming market. Nordic storytelling attracts audiences everywhere, and our Viaplay Originals deliver it better than anyone. Australia and the Nordic region may be on opposite sides of the globe, but top-quality drama is a universal language, and we are delighted to share our stories with millions of SBS On Demand viewers through Viaplay Select,”  said Vanda Rapti, SVP & Head of Acquisitions, Content Distribution & Partnerships at Viaplay Group.

Kathryn Fink, Director of Television at SBS, commented: “SBS has long been a pioneer of premium Nordic programming in Australia. Viaplay Originals like ‘Wisting’ and ‘Darkness: Those Who Kill’ are already among SBS On Demand’s most-watched series. We are thrilled to partner with Viaplay to showcase even more of the best programs from around the world and reinforce SBS’s reputation as a leader in international drama, while meeting the growing appetite of Australian audiences for global storytelling.”

The agreement is the latest Viaplay Select partnership to be announced, following recent deals with DMD’s CINDIE service in nine Latin American countries and with WOWOW in Japan, with further markets targeted before the end of 2022. Viaplay Select is focused on markets where Viaplay is not currently prioritizing the launch of a direct-to-consumer service, and where local partners can benefit from Viaplay’s unique content pipeline. Viaplay’s direct-to-consumer offering is today available in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Poland, the Netherlands and the UK, and will launch in the United States and Canada in the first quarter of 2023.