Taking a page from HBO’s playbook, CBS Corp. officially unveiled its new broadband-only Showtime streaming service. The company is set to launch the service in early July and will partner up with Apple. The monthly subscription will go for $10.99 a month and subscribers will be able to watch shows on their iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV.
There are other distribution partners expected to sign on with CBS shortly. CBS Corporation president and CEO Leslie Moonves looked forward to the move.
“Going over-the-top means Showtime will be much more accessible to tens of millions of potential new subscribers. Across CBS, we are constantly finding new ways to monetize our programming by capitalizing on opportunities presented by technology. This works best when you have outstanding premium content – like we do at Showtime – and when you have a terrific partner like Apple – which continues to innovate and build upon its loyal customer base.”
The launch date for the streaming service coincides with the season premieres of Ray Donovan and Master of Sex Sunday, July 12. Showtime chairman Matt Blank wants to make Showtime accessible for a wide range of people.
“At Showtime, we’re excited to offer consumers the opportunity to subscribe in new ways, by simply having an internet connection,” Blank said. “Our intent is to make Showtime available to viewers via every manner possible, giving them an enormous amount of choice in accessing our programming.”
Apple’s senior VP of Internet software and services Eddy Cue said the goal for the partnership is to make subscribing to the streaming service “as simple as buying an app.”
With the launch of the Showtime service, it continues CBS’s aggressive march into the streaming world. The company launched its $6 a month All Access service in October of last year, giving users access to its vast library of sitcoms, dramas and other shows.
With HBO Now, a service that launched in April, available on Apple and, soon-to-be, Android, CBS’s push couldn’t come at a more crucial time with HBO’s streaming subscriber volume exceeding expectations, at least anyway, according to HBO executives.
[button type=”link” link=”http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/cbs-showtime-ott-apple-tv-1201511351/” variation=”btn-danger” target=”blank”]Source: Variety[/button]Last Updated on January 12, 2019.
