Paramount Mulls Merging Showtime, Paramount+ Streaming Services
Paramount Global is considering discontinuing its Showtime streaming service and shifting all content to Paramount+, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Showtime's $10.99-per-month service features series like Yellowjackets and The First Lady (which racked up a collective 10 Emmy nominations this year), as well as old favorites such as Dexter and Billions. But it's becoming more difficult to compete in the crowded streaming sector alongside powerhouse brands like Netflix and Amazon.
"We are always exploring options to maximize the value of our content investment by giving consumers access to great Paramount content through an array of services and platforms," a Paramount Global spokesperson told the Journal(Opens in a new window). Discussions to merge the networks are "still early," the newspaper said, citing people familiar with the situation.
The news comes seven months after ViacomCBS, now Paramount Global, announced plans to bundle Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) and Showtime, and make all Paramount movies exclusive to the streaming platform. The packaged services are available to order now through Oct. 2 at the discounted price of $7.99 a month with ads or $12.99 a month without them.
Executives are reportedly mulling incentives for cable and satellite companies to allow Showtime to be folded into Paramount+. Combining the two, the Journal points out, could help reduce costs during this time of economic uncertainty.
Paramount+ added 7.3 million subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2021, for a total of 32.8 million—more than Peacock (9 million paid subscribers) and smaller offerings like ESPN+ (7 million subscribers) and Discovery+ (20 million subscribers). The company does not disclose Showtime subscription
Read more on pcmag.com
