Telefonica Media, the multimedia subsidiary of Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, has signed a non-exclusive, multi-year output deal with Warner Bros International Television (WBIT) for free-to-air, pay TV and PPV rights to WBIT product beginning in January 2002.

The deal gives Telefonica Media (TM, soon to be renamed Admira) non-exclusive rights to new WBIT feature films and TV series in Spain for free-to-air broadcaster Antena 3 and pay digital satellite platform Via Digital, as well as new and library films and series in Argentina for free-to-air networks Telefe and Azul TV. TM did not disclose the duration or value of the deal.

The deal represents a major coup for Telefonica Media: pay TV rights to WBIT product were previously destined exclusively in Spain to TM rival Sogecable, backer of Via Digital opponent Canal Satellite Digital (CSD) and pay channel Canal Plus. What's more, Warner Bros owns a 10% stake in CSD and its movie channel Cinemania.

The deal was negotiated by Ele Juarez, general manager of strategic alliances for TM (and former general manager of Sogecable) with WBIT president Jeffrey R. Schlesinger.

Warner Bros boasts an active presence in the Spanish sector through various partnerships with Sogecable. These include the CSD stake, a three-way exhibition venture Warner Lusomundo Sogecable with Portugal's Lusomundo and joint distribution venture Warner Sogefilms. Time Warner-Turner is also a 50/50 partner with Sogecable in 24-hour Spanish-language news channel CNN+. The Turner Classic Movies channel airs in Spain on CSD as well as on DTT platform Quiero.