Paramount+ And Showtime OTT To Combine In Single Streaming Outlet Starting At $12 A Month; Showtime To Remain Available As Stand-Alone

deadline.com:

In one of the boldest efforts yet by a media company looking to enlarge its streaming subscriber base, ViacomCBS is combining Paramount+ and Showtime in a single, integrated offering.The merged service, which is expected to debut this summer, follows a bundling effort last fall that was mainly a bid to drive more customer acquisition with discount pricing.

Similar to Disney’s bundle, though, the services had remained separate.In the new iteration, subscribers to Paramount+ will be able to upgrade to a combined subscription and toggle between programming on one and the other.

The new service will cost $12 a month for the ad-supported (or “Essential”) tier of Paramount + and Showtime. An ad-free version will be $15.

Ads, of course, will not be served during Showtime programming, per the premium outlet’s longtime policy. In that respect, the service will resemble HBO Max with Ads, which has ads on a wide range of programming but not on HBO-branded fare.Showtime will continue to be available as a stand-alone app, for anyone uninterested in Paramount+.