Paramount+, in a bid to differentiate themselves from their closest competitors, Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+, added live channels today, something none of the other major paid subscription streaming services have done to date. Peacock is the closest competitor in the competitive landscape using live channels.
ViacomCBS, the owner of Paramount+, also owns Pluto TV which is set to become a billion-dollar business this year on the back of its ad-supported, live channel model.
This is the full list of available channels as of yet:
- 24/7 Laughs
- Adult Animation
- All Day Drama
- Animation Favorites
- Black Voices
- Crime & Justice
- History & Undiscovered
- Kids & Family Fun
- Nostalgic Hits
- PAW Patrol
- Preschool Corner
- Reality TV: Competition
- Reality TV: Shores
- SpongeBob Universe
- Star Trek
- Survivor
- The Challenge
- TV Classics
Later this month expect a RuPaul channel and a Movies channel as well.
“Even in the era of on-demand, there is clearly a strong consumer appetite for reimagined linear channels that provide effortless, lean-back entertainment,” said Tom Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS Streaming. “Inspired and informed by the winning model Pluto TV pioneered and popularized, these highly curated channels underscore the power of our unified streaming organization and serve as a product differentiator in the SVOD space, by offering subscribers yet another way to experience and discover programming on Paramount+.”
Executives are willing to bet that a profitable segment of the market will show demand for the sit-back-and-view approach that was popularized by cable television models. And they could be correct. Psychologically, it’s less taxing to choose from options curated by a playlist than to delve through thousands of hours of proposed content yourself.
But streaming was built on the backs of binging. And binging was built on the back of choice. Whether there will be a large enough consumer populace drawn to live channels on their streaming services or on Paramount+ is yet to be seen.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and more. The lineup includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.