Streaming TV marketplace gets another 'plus' platform

It’s another “plus” streaming service. ViacomCBS will rename its CBS All Access platform Paramount+ in early 2021. The move comes as the company expands content on the platform to incorporate more from its cable properties following the merger of Viacom and CBS last year. It also marks a move to expand into international markets. Paramount+ will debut in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics next year. “Paramount is an iconic and storied brand beloved by consumers all over the world, and it is synonymous with quality, integrity and world-class storytelling,” Bob Bakish, president and CEO, ViacomCBS, said in a statement. “With Paramount+, we’re excited to establish one global streaming brand in the broad-pay segment that will draw on the sheer breadth and depth of the ViacomCBS portfolio to offer an extraordinary collection of content for everyone to enjoy.” Paramount+ will debut with new original content, including the scripted limited event series, “The Offer,” based on Al Ruddy’s experiences making “The Godfather.” There’s also “Lioness,” a spy drama based on a real-life CIA program; a re-imagining of MTV’s “Behind the Music;” “The Real Criminal Minds,” a true-crime docu-series based on the CBS series; and a revival of BET’s “The Game.” In July, CBS All Access announced the addition of 3,500 new episodes to the platform. CBS All Access, one of the first streaming platforms from a traditional TV company to hit the marketplace in 2014, made a name for itself with a new “Star Trek” series. CBS All Access and the Showtime streaming service have about 13.5 million subscribers and are on track to hit 16 million by the end of the year. Paramount+ joins a growing roster of streaming services with the “plus” moniker, including, of course, Disney+ and Apple TV+ The price of the service is expected to remain the same.

Streaming TV marketplace gets another 'plus' platform

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