Pluto TV CEO to Oversee CBS All Access (Paramount Plus) as Head of ViacomCBS Streaming
ViacomCBS is revamping their streaming organization and putting Co-Founder and CEO of Pluto TV Tom Ryan in charge. He will now become the President and CEO of ViacomCBS Streaming, overseeing CBS All Access (soon to be Paramount+), as well as Pluto TV and the company’s global streaming strategy.
He will replace Marc DeBevoise who will remain in an advisory position for the remainder of 2020.
ViacomCBS has a unique opportunity to combine the best of our brands in a seamless ecosystem of must-watch, direct-to-consumer services for audiences around the world,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO, ViacomCBS. “As we plan for the launch of Paramount+, bringing together the leaders of our streaming platforms to create a unified global organization will enable us to execute a holistic strategy across both free and pay. We will draw on the breadth and depth of ViacomCBS’s franchises and branded IP to deliver an extraordinary collection of diverse content with the convenience consumers want.”
Bakish continued, “Tom is a pioneering streaming executive who has demonstrated extraordinary talent in creating a differentiated, consumer-centric service that resonates with global audiences. He will bring this same digital expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and strategic, collaborative mindset as we deliver the very best of ViacomCBS to Paramount+ and our portfolio of streaming platforms. I’m thrilled to work with him, Kelly and the team to unify, strengthen and scale our industry-leading digital offering.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to work with this talented team and build on their momentum, especially as we approach the launch of Paramount+,” said Ryan. “Together, we will leverage ViacomCBS’s beloved portfolio of brands, strong content pipeline and extensive network of partners to deliver must-watch on-demand, live and exclusive original programming to viewers everywhere.”
It seems the reorganization is part of a clean up parent company ViacomCBS is conducting before rebranding CBS All Access as Paramount+ next year, and after selling CNET last month. The company announced the change in September. The rebrand is part of a broader effort to make the service a more direct competition for other streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and HBO Max.
One of the more alluring points of the new service is the fact that it’s getting additional content, when it relaunches in early 2021 expanding to 30,000+ TV episodes and movies from the company’s library. The service is currently $5.99 for the ad-supported version and $9.99 for the ad-free version, but the company hasn’t said if that will change with the relaunch.
The company expects to expand Paramount Plus internationally in 2021, debuting first in Australia (where it currently exists as 10 All Access), Latin America, and the Nordics.