While streaming services continue to invest in original series to attract new subscribers, the SVOD battle over TV rights has also been heating up. Amazon, Hulu and Netflix are competing for the exclusive rights to stream popular shows that first air on television. A number of new deals have been announced in recent weeks, including Amazon picking up USA Network’s “Mr. Robot,” Hulu getting Fox’s “The Last Man on Earth,” and Netflix signing ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” and CW’s “Jane the Virgin.” Most recently, Viacom extended its licensing agreement with Hulu.

Extended the multiyear pact makes Hulu the exclusive streaming venue for popular shows from MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

“Some current series including ‘The Daily Show’ are available on Hulu the day after they broadcast,” reports Deadline. “Others are delayed. The deal makes those programs plus libraries of past shows available to subscribers who pay $7.99 a month to watch Hulu with ads or $11.99 to watch it commercial-free.”

According to Lisa Holme, Hulu’s VP of content acquisition, “It’s an extremely good time to be a content owner right now because there is such a healthy and robust market opening up in SVOD.”

However, the increased activity arrives “amid a growing concern among some media congloms that Netflix is growing too powerful,” notes Variety. “Strategically, studios and content owners are eager to maintain a mix of distribution partners.”

As a result, Netflix is increasingly picking up rights to shows earlier in their runs. Series with a proven track record are becoming more challenging to acquire. In addition, Netflix is pushing into worldwide markets.

“The more a show has been around, the harder it is to acquire all the territorial rights,” said Jonathan Friedland, chief communications officer for Netflix. “Our hope is to successfully bid on shows early in their lives, so we’re able to get as broad a geographic footprint as we can.”

Meanwhile, networks are faced with the challenge of meeting consumer expectations regarding content availability on streaming services — and potentially losing viewers for ad-supported TV channels.