A+E Networks has settled its “Live PD” dispute with Big Fish Entertainment and Amazon-owned Reelz. As part of the deal, A+E and Amazon entered into a new multi-year license agreement for A+E’s programming.

“A+E Networks and Amazon have agreed to significantly expand their commercial relationship in a multi-year deal that will expand the reach of A+E Networks’ brands and content on Amazon Prime Video,” A+E, Big Fish and Amazon said in a joint statement. “In connection with this agreement, the legal dispute between A+E and Big Fish Entertainment and Reelz regarding ‘Live PD’ has been resolved.”

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Big Fish produced “Live PD” for A&E, where the show was a masterstroke and spawned several spin-offs, including “Live PD: Wanted,” “Live PD: Police Patrol,” “Live PD Presents: PD Cam”. But A&E pulled the show in the summer of 2020 amid ongoing protests against police brutality and concerns about coverage of police work following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Two years later, Big Fish revealed that it would be reviving the show’s live police format on Reelz, but under a new title: “On Patrol: Live.” Dan Abrams, who hosted “Live PD,” also returned to host the new show.

A+E then filed a lawsuit trying to block rival network Reelz from airing “On Patrol: Live,” which it claimed was a blatant rip-off of “Live PD” and that A+E owned the intellectual property. “AETN has never waived or assigned its rights to create episodes of ‘Live PD,’ nor has it authorized anyone else to prepare derivative programming based on ‘Live PD,’ except for works made for hire,” the statement said. complaint.

According to insiders, as part of the deal, Amazon and A+E entered into a new non-exclusive licensing agreement that includes library streaming content, titles to rent and buy, subscriptions to A&E add-ons and FAST channels, all available on Prime Video.

This now expands subscription availability for A&E add-ons in the US and Japan, and the deal extends the existing license to A&E movies and series currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the US, UK and other territories.

The deal includes an extension to the currently available A&E FAST channels and will include the launch of additional A&E FAST channels in the US

A&E got a big win in the case last year when New York Judge Katharine Polk Failla denied a motion to dismiss the copyright lawsuit, finding that the original production contract signed between A+E and Big Fish assigned all rights for “Live PD”. ” to the television company.

“Plaintiff owns exclusive, 100% ownership of all rights to the Live PD Series (including originally shot footage, newly created elements, format and title) in perpetuity, including any copyrights and trademarks held in connection therewith,” a said the judge in it. decision. “To the contrary, the Series Agreement provides that Big Fish Entertainment assigns to Plaintiff all of its rights and any title or interest in the Live PD Series in perpetuity.”

With that suit settled, “On Patrol: Live,” produced by Big Fish, is cleared to continue on Reelz. Big Fish Entertainment subsidiary Half Moon Pictures is producing “On Patrol: Live,” which airs Fridays and Saturdays on Reelz and has been picked up through January 2025; waiting for another renewal.

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