CBS News forms partnership with BBC, replacing Sky

By Jessica Toonkel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - CBS Corp's (CBS.N) CBS News division said on Thursday it has signed a new editorial and newsgathering partnership with BBC News to share video, editorial content and other resources across the globe.

For CBS, the BBC deal replaces a previous arrangement it had with Sky, which is being acquired by 21st Century Fox, pending regulatory approval. For BBC News, CBS replaces a deal it had with Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) ABC.

The partnership will enable both news organizations to strengthen coverage of complex international situations such as the crisis in Syria and Iraq, said David Rhodes, president of CBS News.

The deal also gives BBC more resources to cover the United States, particularly the Donald Trump presidency, in which there was a lot of international interest, he said.

Jonathan Munro, head of newsgathering at BBC News, said his organization began working with CBS more closely during the U.S. Presidential campaign "as it became clear they could offer unrivalled logistical support to our teams in the field."

In an e-mailed statement, Munro said: "We will also benefit from their focus on original journalism, their significant radio and digital operations and their extensive affiliate network which covers every state in the Union."

There will be no layoffs at either organization as a result of the agreement, according to Rhodes and a representative at BBC News.

The two organizations will begin sharing content immediately and additional newsgathering components will be added in the coming months, CBS News said.

(Additional reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and David Gregorio)