Showtime to Launch $11/Month Streaming Service in Early July
As was expected, Showtime will join HBO in offering a streaming-only plan, one that doesn't require a pay TV subscription. Showtime's service will debut in early July to coincide with the new seasons of Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex. With a $10.99 per month price, Showtime's offering is slightly cheaper than HBO Now.
Showtime's service will initially be available only on Apple devices. While Showtime didn't use the word "exclusive" in its announcement, and noted that other distribution partners "will be announced soon," this feels like the same three-month exclusive that Apple had with HBO Now. [Update: See below.]
Subscribers will have access to an on-demand library with hundreds of hours of movies, documentaries, and sports programs, including every episode of all original Showtime series. They'll also get access to live East Coast and West Coast feeds.
Showtime is owned by CBS, which has already entered the OTT space with the release of CBS All Access, a $6 per month subscription plan that offers live and video-on-demand CBS content.
“Going over-the-top means Showtime will be much more accessible to tens of millions of potential new subscribers,” said Leslie Moonves, CBS Corporation’s president and CEO. “Across CBS, we are constantly finding new ways to monetize our programming by capitalizing on opportunities presented by technology."
Update, June 8, 2015: Apparently Apple doen't have an exlusive on Showtime. Roku announced today that Showtime's standalone streaming service will be available through the Roku Channel Store in early July. Roku notes that customers who sign up for Showtime in July will enjoy a 30-day free trial.
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