Vision TV and WNET New York have struck a partnership deal that will give the spiritual specialty group exclusive rights to license content from the leading PBS affiliate.

The two-year agreement will allow Vision first right of negotiation to pick up WNET content relating to areas covered by its group of channels including Wisdom: Body, Mind & Spirit, slated to launch in September.

"With less money at Telefilm, we have to be more creative about programming and so we’re looking to do a lot more of these kinds of deals with broadcasters," says Paul de Silva, director of programming, Vision TV.

Among the initial programs licensed as a result of the deal is The Face, a two-hour documentary on the image of Christ in art throughout the centuries.

Vision will initially acquire exclusive Canadian TV rights to WNET’s flagship magazine series, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly.

The two broadcasters are also in discussions about a handful of coproductions, including a program devoted to lighthouses and their spiritual dimension.

In other Vision news, the specialtycaster is planning to initiate a children’s block of programming, which de Silva was looking to start filling with acquisitions of series and features at this year’s NATPE in January.

Vision has an annual acquisition budget of roughly $1.5 million. *