Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Is the show going to be over for Showtime? Paramount Global is having “early” discussions about shutting down Showtime as a standalone service and migrating Showtime’s slate of premium content into its flagship streamer, Paramount+, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing anonymous sources.
Paramount has “broached the idea” of shuttering Showtime in talks with “at least one major pay-TV partner,” per the report. In a statement, Paramount did not directly address the question of whether Showtime will continue long-term as a separate service. “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,” a company rep said in a statement to Variety.
According to company insiders, there are no imminent changes being contemplated for the Showtime brand. However, sources confirmed that the media conglomerate is floating the prospect of combining Paramount+ and Showtime as part of long-term distribution discussions with partners.
Next week, SkyShowtime — a joint venture between Comcast and Paramount Global — is launching in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, before expanding into the Netherlands later this year in Q4.
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