CBS All Access is Dead, Long Live Paramount +: ‘New’ Streaming Service Launches March 4

Enlarge / Star Trek: Picard will be offered on the new / old streaming service.

It’s time for another streaming service – sort of. ViacomCBS has announced that Paramount + will launch on March 4, but this is more of an evolution than an entirely new service, as it replaces and extends the company’s previous service, CBS All Access.

The decision to replace CBS All Access was announced several months ago. This is largely the result of the completion of the merger between CBS and Viacom, as CBS All Access launched prior to this merger, but the merger has significantly increased the library of content that could be put on a streaming service. managed by the company.

In addition to shows associated with the CBS television network, Paramount + will include content from the properties Viacom brought to the mix, including MTV, BET, Comedy Central, VH1, and Nickelodeon, as well as theatrically released films from Paramount Pictures.

Beyond the myriad Star Trek shows that CBS All Access has already offered, the original series planned for Paramount + include a series based on The Godfather as well as a revival of VH1 Behind the music.

March 4 is the planned launch day in the United States and Latin America, with a launch in the Nordic countries on March 25, as well as in Australia around mid-year. Canada will also receive the service this year, but no date has been given. However, CBS All Access will be renamed Paramount + immediately in this country even before new content is introduced.

Prior to this point, CBS All Access was arguably best known for its various Star Trek programs; it included all the Star Trek TV series that have aired on television in the past, as well as new Trek series like Discovery, Picard, and Lower decks. However, he didn’t have the Star Trek movies at first, as those were owned by Paramount. The merger brought together all of Star Trek’s TV and film content under one corporate roof.

CBS All Access also broadcast live television, sports programs and additional shows like the The good fight. These will continue under Paramount +.

Over the past year and a half, there have been plenty of new streaming networks launched, including Peacock (NBC Universal), Disney +, and HBO Max, among others.

The onslaught disappointed those who expected a service like Netflix or Hulu to offer virtually all content for a flat fee of $ 10 per month, but it was never going to be economically viable, especially since the production costs of television series have increased in recent years. as viewers responded to more generously produced shows – what the industry calls “premium television”.

The new standard for television appears to be similar in some ways to that of cable, with each media company offering a channel that consists primarily of corporate content, plus small amounts of licensed content.

Still, there are significant differences in the new standard from the way television previously worked, even beyond the fact that content is now being delivered to the internet. For example, the services aren’t bundled, so viewers can choose which channels to pay for, and there are far less (and in some cases, no) ads.