TV Guide Network Gets Cable Exclusive for Ugly Betty; Includes Some Streaming

An interesting announcement from TV Guide Network as it continues the push to be seen as an entertainment destination. In its first major move since being acquired by Lionsgate and One Equity Partners, Multichannel News reports the network has acquired the exclusive basic-cable syndication rights to ABC’s Ugly Betty. The deal includes the ability to stream five episodes online at a time; it’s not clear if those episodes will be exclusive to TV Guide Network during the streaming. Ugly Betty, produced by ABC Studios, airs first on ABC. Parent Disney (NYSE: DIS) is an equity partner in Hulu, which has on-demand streaming rights for the last five episodes to air on TV.

TV Guide Network can repurpose episodes two weeks after the show airs on ABC and can start to strip episodes in 2010. Meanwhile, the network is looking for more ways to make a programming splash with syndication.