Paramount Streaming Chief Tom Ryan Talks Global Expansion, New Originals (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comNick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAs Paramount+ prepares for its splashy, star-studded U.K. and Ireland launch in London on Monday, Paramount’s president and CEO of streaming Tom Ryan spoke to Variety about the rebranded company’s global streaming biz expansion that, besides being powered by original content, stands out in the field for its diversified model.This model involves a mix of platforms and partnerships, combining direct-to-consumer and a la carte offerings with a market-by-market approach.
The two main prongs that distinguish Paramount’s streaming offer are the combination of the fast-growing Paramount+ premium offer and its free, ad-supported streaming service Pluto TV, which Ryan founded.
The global rollout will see Paramount+ launch in 2023 in India in partnership with Viacom18, which recently scored streaming rights to the Indian Premier League cricket tournament previously held by Disney+.
In its first Asia launch, Paramount+ debuted last week in South Korea as a free-of-charge addition to the CJ ENM-controlled TVing platform.Elsewhere in Europe, Paramount+ has set firm dates to launch its standalone streaming offer in Italy in September, in partnership with Sky; and in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France in December, the latter in partnership with Canal+.In terms of content, Paramount at the London launch is trumpeting plans to commission 150 international originals by 2025 and announcing its latest commissions from around the world, which comprise:In a wide-ranging interview with Variety, Ryan outlined his global expansion plan.
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