Showtime to Be Rebranded, Integrated With Paramount+
30Jan
Showtime will be integrated into Paramount+ later this year, as part of a rebrand that will take place across linear and streaming platforms in a major network shakeup that was long being speculated. The new title will be Paramount+ With Showtime, and will only involve the premium tier of Paramount+ and the Showtime linear network in the U.S.
Known as Paramount+ with Showtime, the goal is to make Paramount+ the definitive multiplatform brand in the streaming space. Per the network, the offering will allow a distinct and distinguished premium service with hit originals across linear and streaming. According to the company, it’s a natural next step in their integration strategy as one IP-driven, multiplatform, global content company.
No longer a standalone brand under the Paramount umbrella, the move will likely include further shakeups, including layoffs. Following the news, Showtime has already canceled “American Gigolo,” “Let the Right One In” and “Three Women” (which has yet to air but is completed), as first reported by Deadline.
In a separate note, McCarthy said an upcoming town hall on the week of February 23 would expound on the upcoming changes, including how it will strengthen three key components for the company: Complementary and Differentiated Brands; Redirecting Increased Investment into Showtime Strengths; and Integrated Platform – Greater Focus on Content. The executive noted that Paramount will “divert investment away” from areas that are “underperforming and that account for less than 10% of our views.” In reiterating Showtime’s brand strength, McCarthy pointed to complex characters, powerful worlds and metro cultures.
Ryan added in his message, “By further integrating SHOWTIME into Paramount+, we will now be able to deliver a seamless, fully integrated multiplatform premium service to our consumers with more of the original, culture-shaping content they love. This enhanced offering serves our audiences and our
creative partners – with an even greater ability to scale our franchises and build hits across the
Paramount+ universe in linear and streaming.”
