According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Paramount Global is having “early” discussions about shutting down the standalone Showtime streaming service and merging its content with Paramount+.
It was just several weeks ago when Paramount announced that they would be bundling the Paramount+ and Showtime streaming services together for interested subscribers. “The Paramount+ with Showtime bundle offers consumers unprecedented value by providing one of the broadest content libraries in streaming at one of the lowest prices in the marketplace,” said Tom Ryan, president and chief executive officer of Paramount Global Streaming. “This singular user experience streamlines sign-up and enhances discovery, and this lower price will allow more households to enjoy this exceptional combined entertainment offering.” It now appears as though they’re considering fully uniting the two services under one roof.
It’s still early days and no choice has been made, but a Paramount representative told Variety, “We are always exploring options to maximize the value of our content investment by giving consumers access to great Paramount content through an array of services and platforms.” Current Showtime series include Yellowjackets, Billions, Your Honor, City on a Hill, American Gigolo, and more. Paramount+ is home to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Halo, Tulsa King, and the various Yellowstone spinoff shows.
As it stands now, new subscribers can sign up for Paramount+ with Showtime for $7.99 a month for the ad-supported package, with the ad-free version going for $12.99 a month. This discount period will end on October 2nd, after which the bundle will cost $11.99 with ads and $14.99 without.
What do you think? Should Showtime be kept as a standalone service or should it be merged with Paramount+?
