Paramount+ and Showtime become one
Paramount’s Showtime and streaming service Paramount+ will soon be one, incorporating the premium Showtime content with Paramount+ originals and linear broadcasting content. The aptly named Paramount+ with Showtime will provide viewers with all their favorites in one place, and at a more efficient cost to them. The company will also evaluate which series have franchise potential and develop new seasons or spin-offs as appropriate. Pricing and release plans for this new package will be announced in the next few weeks.
The NPD Take
- As competition between streaming platforms continues to be heated, this will allow Paramount+ to generate scale and appeal to a wider audience.
Peacock’s no longer free as a bird
As of January 30, users can no longer sign up for Peacock’s free with ads tier. The free platform, which offers a subset of the programming (about 10,000 hours) available on Peacock, will no longer be available for new sign-ups. New users will now only be able to choose between Peacock Premium with ads for $4.99/month or Peacock Premium Plus without ads for $9.99/month. As the content catalog is growing on the platform, NBCUniversal has said this will allow the company to focus on the unique experience Peacock offers. Eventually, current users subscribed to the free plan will be required to pay, but for now, their access remains unchanged.
The NPD Take
- Peacock initially launched in 2020 with a focus on their free, ad-supported tier in a market where streaming services all came at a cost to users. Now, as viewers are watching more, Peacock is working to grow their paid subscriber base with this move.
- Going way back, remember this is how Hulu launched (free) and evolved circa 2007? But that transition took nearly a decade.
Warner Bros. Discovery is launching FAST channels
HBO Max will no longer be the only way for users to watch popular Warner Bros. Discovery content. The company is launching free, ad-supported channels on Roku and Tubi. Fourteen new Warner channels on Tubi (owned by Fox) will feature content such as Westworld (previously on HBO Max), The Time Traveler’s Wife, Cake Boss, and My Five Wives. These channels will be available on the platform along with on-demand movies and other content. Roku will feature about 2,000 hours of Warner on-demand content by Spring 2023, including shows such as Westworld, The Bachelor, and Say Yes to the Dress.
The NPD Take
- While the cost of subscription video services rise, people are looking for ways to watch content for free, and FAST channels have provided that. Warner’s move to create channels on Tubi and Roku will allow for more exposure for their content and more ad-revenue from those who may chose not to sign up for HBO Max.
- There’s also the promotional opportunities that allow usage of free streaming to drive viewers to the premium HBO Max, sound familiar to cable TV back in the day?