Comcast and ViacomCBS are partnering on a new SVOD service, SkyShowtime, which will launch next year in 22 European territories. The joint venture will be co-owned by the two publicly traded corporations.
A price point for SkyShowtime will come later.
SkyShowtime will include programming from Showtime, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ Originals, Sky Studios, Universal Pictures, and Peacock. Much of the programming was already available overseas through third-party distribution (especially Showtime) and linear carriage (like Nick).
Weeks ago, ViacomCBS announced that Paramount+ will launch next year in the UK, Italy and Germany.
SkyShowtime will ultimately be available to consumers in Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Those markets combine for 90 million homes.
The new service will have 10,000+ hours of entertainment, and include first-run, new movies and TV seasons launching every month.
“With the launch of SkyShowtime we are well positioned to utilize our global content engine to create a compelling streaming offering, quickly and at scale, with a smart strategic phased investment,” Raffaele Annecchino, president & CEO of ViacomCBS Networks International, said in a statement on Wednesday. “As a complement to our recently announced Paramount+ partnership with Sky in the UK, Italy, and Germany, SkyShowtime represents a huge opportunity to accelerate our market expansion and build a leadership position in SVOD in Europe.”
“Our new streaming service, SkyShowtime, will combine the best of the US and Europe with iconic brands and world-class entertainment for millions of consumers in more than 20 new markets in Europe,” Dana Strong, Sky’s group chief executive, added. “On the heels of Peacock coming to Sky, this partnership provides an innovative approach to quickly scale internationally and monetize content across Europe. Drawing on the strength of the incredible programming from NBCUniversal, Sky, and ViacomCBS, and powered by Peacock’s platform technology, SkyShowtime will provide a truly compelling lineup for the whole family and strong brand recognition across these regions.”
Leave a Reply