Internet TV service Joost will provide a sneak peek of upcoming VH1 comedy series “I Hate My 30s” on its service 10 days in advance of the on-air premiere, Joost said today.
Viacom, the parent company of VH1, is an investor in Joost.
Under the programming deal, VH1 will premiere the scripted comedy series July 16 on Joost.
The agreement, the first programming deal for Joost with this sort of exclusivity, sends a message that Joost is aiming to be a serious competitor in the race to provide alternative venues for TV watching. Premiering shows online in advance of linear premieres has been a popular new-media strategy for a few years now, with networks including NBC and CBS premiering shows on Yahoo last fall before they ran on air.