(THR) Chinese streaming service iQiyi has acquired the exclusive online rights to The Late Late Show With James Corden from CBS Studios International.
The deal marks the first time that the U.S. talk show will be available in China, with current and past episodes available on demand.
"It’s exciting to join forces with iQIYI to bring the supreme talent of James Corden and the star power of his guests to Chinese audiences," said Armando Nunez, president and CEO of CBS' global distribution group. "Mobile viewing dominates iQIYI’s subscriber base, making it the perfect platform for The Late Late Show’s inventive content and viral moments."
Corden's Carpool Karaoke segment is the most social hit ever on U.S. late night television, with over 1.95 billion views on YouTube since its inception.
“We are more than delighted to bring The Late Late Show to our platform,” added an iQIYI representative.
Listed on the Nasdaq, iQiyi is often dubbed the "Netflix of China." But unlike Netflix, the company has various monetization strategies, including both subscriber and ad-supported video services, live broadcasting, online gaming, online literature, e-commerce and more. The company's core SVOD service is believed to have a slight subscriber edge over local rivals Tencent Video and Alibaba's Youku service.
iQiyi has an ongoing output deal with Netflix, as well as licensing arrangements with most of the major Hollywood studios.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter by