Once upon a time, AOL and Yahoo were both notable players in the world of original video. Now, thanks to a pact between their shared owner Verizon and A+E Networks, they will once again gain access to high-quality digital projects. Those two media companies have inked an agreement that grants exclusive distribution windows to AOL and Yahoo for content produced by A+E’s year-old digital studio, 45th & Dean.
Since its launch, 45 & Dean has crafted projects for a number of different platforms. It cooked up a series about relationships called Second Chance, which premiered on Snapchat, and offered another romantically-inclined project, Bae or Bail, to Facebook Watch viewers. The latter of those shows premiered in September.
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Thanks to Verizon’s deal with A+E, forthcoming 45th & Dean releases will find their way to the two legacy internet brands that are now known collectively as Oath. “We’re excited to offer fans of A+E Networks more access than ever across Verizon’s Fios footprint and now, across our family of digital-media properties,” said Brian Angiolet, Verizon’s SVP, global chief media and content officer.
AOL and Yahoo, both of which had struggled before their respective acquisitions by Verizon, were merged under the Oath brand in April 2017. In November, a round of cuts resulted in more than 500 pink slips across the company.
With Oath’s staff trimmed down, Verizon is cutting deals to fill its platforms with content. Beyond the A+E agreement, Verizon also extended its pact with the NFL to bring more football to AOL, Yahoo, and its homegrown video platform Go90.
