CONTENT ASSETS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

CONTENT ASSETS

CONTENT ASSETS

5. CONTENT ASSETS:

The gross cost and accumulated amortization of content assets is as follows:

	As of December 31,				Period of
	2021		2020		Amortization
	(In thousands)
Produced content assets:
Completed	$	397,174	$	365,806
In-production		12,124		11,029
Licensed content assets acquired:
Acquired		66,005		56,913
Content assets, at cost		475,303		433,748	1‑5 Years
Less: Accumulated amortization		(389,265)		(342,139)
Content assets, net		86,038		91,609
Current portion		(25,883)		(28,434)
Noncurrent portion	$	60,155	$	63,175

Produced content assets include certain unamortized costs that will not be 80% amortized within three years from December 31, 2021, totaling approximately $18.3 million. Approximately 55.8% of these unamortized costs are expected to be amortized within three years from December 31, 2021. The remaining balance of these costs will be amortized through the year ending December 31, 2027. Amortization of content assets is recorded in the consolidated statements of operations as programming and technical expenses.

Future estimated content amortization expense related to agreements entered into as of December 31, 2021, for years 2022 through 2026 is as follows:

	(In thousands)
2022	$	25,883
2023	$	18,724
2024	$	8,505
2025	$	6,600
2026	$	2,297

Future estimated content amortization expense is not included for in-production content assets in the table above.

Future minimum content payments required under agreements entered into as of December 31, 2021, are as follows:

	(In thousands)
2022	$	18,972
2023	$	2,865