ViacomCBS Won’t Bundle CBS All Access, Showtime, BET+ and Noggin as Single Service

ViacomCBS is in transition.

As the two merged entities take shape as one company, alterations are inevitable.

For example, not all streamers under the ViacomCBS umbrella will be bundled together for subscribers.
ViacomCBS Chief Digital Officer Marc Debevoise spelled out some of the anticipated CBS All Access changes to Decider.

The big news is that ViacomCBS sees its properties — CBS All Access, Showtime, BET+ and Noggin — as strong standalone networks versus an overall integrated model. Showtime, BET+ and Noggin will not be add-ons to a relaunched CBS All Access, which is planned for 2021.

Instead, management wants the streamer to be a distinct entity, yet a name that can “aggregate those brands for users,” Debevoise says.

“We’re going to rebrand the service, add 10,000 episodes and movies to it, and develop a slate of exclusive original content from the brands within the service,” he adds.

CBS All Access retains the same price points and content library, but adds movies and shows from other ViacomCBS brands and Paramount Pictures’ titles. Further, while there will be some original BET and Noggin inventory on CBS All Access, BET+ and Noggin+ retain their identities as standalone streamers, he explains.

As for Showtime and CBS All Access, Debevoise rejects an integrated model. “We have Showtime as an add-on service to CBS All Access and vice versa, but we have not built them as channels of each other.”

Last week, ViacomCBS kicked off an update to CBS All Access, adding a new interface and titles to the streamer. Some of the shows included BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” MTV’s “Laguna Beach,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” and Comedy Central’s “Chappelle’s Show.”