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After months of buildup, ViacomCBS next week is set to flip the switch for Paramount Plus – its bulk streaming platform designed to throw bigger elbows in an increasingly crowded market.
For now, the prices will not change. But this summer, the media conglomerate will lower the entry-level price of Paramount Plus, the new name of the renamed CBS All Access.
Paramount Plus’s ad-supported base tier, which launched in June, will cost $ 4.99 per month – a dollar less than the current entry-level CBS All Access package with ads. The full premium tier of Paramount Plus, ad-free (except in live programming) will be the same, at $ 9.99 per month.
There is one important caveat, however: The $ 5 monthly plan for Paramount Plus, while it will include live sports, including NFL games, will exclude local CBS stations. In June, the previous $ 5.99 / month plan will be discontinued, but ViacomCBS said existing subscribers will not be affected (unless they cancel and re-subscribe after the introduction of the new Paramount Plus plan. ).
The $ 4.99 Paramount Plus tier will have “a lot more content than CBS All Access,” and its price is designed to maximize consumer appeal and ad revenue, Streaming business CEO Tom Ryan told analysts from ViacomCBS. By removing the CBS premises from this package, ViacomCBS has more flexibility in how it structures distribution agreements, he added.
Additionally, the company plans to bundle Paramount Plus with other streaming packages; for example, subscribers will have a way to purchase a Showtime add-on with Paramount Plus.
Here are some other details ViacomCBS announced for the service during its investor day presentation:
What is Paramount Plus?
It’s the new name for CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’s existing subscription video service, which will be rebranded as Paramount Plus on March 4, 2021 in the U.S. The new version includes a significantly increased buffet of sports and news in direct and on demand. content – and a queue of new originals is expected to arrive in the coming months.
What is available to watch?
Paramount Plus launches with a library of over 30,000 TV episodes and over 2,500 movies, and in year one, 36 original series will air. It will also present more than 1,000 live sporting events each year. Content is sourced from CBS (including CBS News and CBS Sports) and cable network brands Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, and Smithsonian Channel, with films from Paramount Pictures, MGM, and other studios.
What new programming is coming to Paramount Plus?
The executives at ViacomCBS attempted to highlight the “mountain of entertainment” mantra throughout the presentation. Some of the new content coming to the service:
- TV series and comedies: Taylor Sheridan is screening “6666” (a spin-off of “Yellowstone”) and “Mayor of Kingstown” with Jeremy Renner; a reboot of “Criminal Minds”; “Halo,” based on the Xbox game franchise, which leaves Showtime in early 2022; a new series by Kenya Baris; serial adaptations of films “The Italian Job”, “Love Story”, “Fatal Attraction”, “Parallax View” and “Flashdance”; the seventh and final season of Darren Star’s “Younger” with Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff; a “Frazier” revival with Kelsey Grammer; the return of “Inside Amy Schumer”; spinoffs of “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” and “Reno: 911!”; and films based on “Workaholics” and “Beavis & Butt-head”.
- Children’s programming: Children’s animated series “Star Trek: Prodigy”, as well as the new seasons of “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks”; a new series hosted by CG “Rugrats”; new series in the world of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra” from Nickelodeon’s new Avatar studios; an “iCarly” restart; and live versions of “Dora the Explorer” and “The Fairly OddParents”.
- Reality and music: “Queen of the Universe”, an international drag queen singing competition from the producers of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”; covers of MTV’s “Behind the Music”, “Yo! MTV Raps, “” Unplugged “; and as previously announced, a reunion of the original” Real World “cast.
- Movies: Paramount Pictures will put many new releases on the service within 45 days of their theatrical release, including the upcoming “Top Gun: Maverick,” “A Quiet Place 2,” and “Mission: Impossible 7.” The studio’s original films for Paramount Plus include a new “Paranormal Activity” and a “Pet Sematary” prequel.
Will Paramount Plus be available outside of the United States?
ViacomCBS Says Paramount Plus Will Also Launch In Latin America On March 4; The Canadian version of CBS All Access will also get the new name on that date, but the expanded content won’t be available in the Far North until later this year. Paramount Plus is expected to debut in the Nordic countries on March 25 and Australia in mid-2021.
How do I sign up for Paramount Plus?
The service will provide direct registrations through its website (paramountplus.com) as well as through partner third-party platforms, including Apple, Amazon, and Google.
What devices can you watch Paramount Plus on?
At launch, Paramount Plus is available for iOS and Android mobile devices; on Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV players; and on the web. At this time, Paramount Plus is not supported on smart TV platforms.
What about Showtime and BET Plus?
These will continue as separate, stand-alone premium streaming services alongside their linear TV outlets. Showtime, for example, announced a “Ray Donovan” movie on Wednesday after the series starring Liev Schreiber ended its seven seasons last year. Additionally, ViacomCBS’s Pluto TV will remain a free, ad-supported streaming service, with 43 million monthly active users globally in the fourth quarter.
Are there any special discounts for Paramount Plus?
Ahead of the official March 4 launch, ViacomCBS is offering subscribers who subscribe to a CBS All Access annual plan a 50% discount for the first 12 months. The regular annual price for the service is $ 59.99 / year with ads and $ 99.99 / year without ads.
What about streaming CBS shows?
To continue watching CBS shows for free, starting March 4, users will need to download a new CBS app. Subscribers with participating pay TV partners can use their credentials to log into the CBS app to access their local station live.
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