Amazon is working to acquire MGM, and that mega-deal could significantly impact Survivor and other reality shows such as The Voice and Shark Tank. Ever since Survivor premiered on CBS, Mark Burnett has been the top executive producer of the series. In fact, the show has always been a co-production between CBS Studios and Mark Burnett Productions. In 2014, however, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) acquired a 55% stake in Mark Burnett Productions, taking control over the company, as reported by WSJ.
Following that acquisition, MGM also put Mark Burnett in charge of its TV division, MGM Television Group. After all, Burnett was already very involved with most of the reality shows that MGM inherited with its acquisition of Mark Burnett Productions - Survivor, The Voice, Shark Tank, and The Apprentice, to name a few. And as a result, all of those shows became co-productions of MGM Television Group after the acquisition was finalized. Now, Amazon is planning to purchase MGM, and with it, Amazon would gain control over the co-production of all of the aforementioned reality series.
Which Franchises Are Impacted By The Amazon-MGM Deal?
The Amazon-MGM deal is still in the works, and it includes an $8.45 billion price tag. With it, Amazon would inherit precious MGM assets such as the James Bond franchise, the Rocky and Creed saga, the Hannibal movies, Tomb Raider, RoboCop, and the Pink Panther films, among other IP. While most of the press is obsessing over the rights to these classic movies, the Amazon-MGM deal could also significantly impact some of the biggest reality shows of our time. As detailed by Variety, CBS and MGM are co-owners of Survivor in the United States. The Voice is owned by Warner in the US, but the show is co-produced by MGM. Sony owns Shark Tank, but it is also an MGM co-production. When it comes to The Apprentice, ownership is shared between Burnett/MGM and Donald Trump himself.
Will Survivor & The Voice Move To Amazon Prime Video Now?
In the short term, the answer is no. All 40 seasons of Survivor are available for streaming on ViacomCBS-owned Paramount+, but only a few seasons are available on Amazon Prime Video. This could change in the future, but it will be a tough battle considering that the show is co-owned by CBS itself, which holds an interest in keeping the exclusivity of Survivor for CBS and Paramount+. In turn, if NBC ever cancels The Voice, new seasons of the show could potentially move to another network or streamer. However, the series' co-ownership between Warner and MGM could turn into a fight over placing the show on Warner-owned HBO Max or on Amazon Prime Video.
So, What Happens To Survivor If The Amazon-MGM Deal Goes Through?
If the deal goes through for Amazon to buy MGM, not much will change in the short term, but Amazon will indeed hold more power over the production and distribution of Survivor, The Voice, and all the other aforementioned reality shows. As long as they are still hit shows, then Amazon will likely not change much about them. But that co-ownership becomes important if Amazon starts to "create obstacles" for these shows in an attempt to re-negotiate distribution rights so that it can also house them on Amazon Prime Video. For now, however, Survivor fans should not worry - it is extremely unlikely that Amazon would want to hinder a hit show that it will now co-own. With that said, don't be too surprised if Amazon boxes start showing up more often on Reward Challenges.