Paramount+ Will Fully Integrate Showtime In June

The move was announced in January as part of a strategy to make "Paramount+ With Showtime" a thing on streaming and linear

The march toward ending Showtime as a standalone brand in Paramount's portfolio continues.

As first revealed last week in an email sent to Showtime subscribers who subscribe through Apple, the merged Paramount+ with Showtime service will launch on June 27. establishing it as the company’s top-tier streaming product without commercials. Paramount+ with Showtime will cost $11.99 a month, while Paramount+ without Showtime will cost $5.99. The latter is a price increase of $2 for the existing Paramount+ premium plan from $9.99 and a $1 price increase for the “Essential” plan without Showtime.

The move was announced in January and still has more steps to accomplish, The Showtime app will wind down service, shutting down as the linear premium pay-TV channel will be rebranded to Paramount+ with Showtime, both by the end of the year. It is said to “deliver a distinguished premium service with hit originals across linear and streaming – the first to truly integrate streaming and linear content this way.” 

Tom Ryan, President & CEO of Paramount Streaming declared “This summer, Paramount+ will officially become the streaming home for Showtime, further advancing our lead in being the total household service. By integrating the Showtime premium and critically acclaimed portfolio with the service’s already broad and popular slate, all at a competitive price, we will solidify Paramount+ as a cornerstone in streaming.” 

The news comes on the day HBO Max is rebranded to Max by Warner Bros Discovery, fully embracing the incorporation of Discovery programming into the service, and earlier this month Disney announced an integrated experience app for Disney+ and Hulu programming for domestic customers, as will be the rollout of Paramount+ with Showtime as it starts out. Paramount+ subscribers have become very familiar with Showtime programming during the bundle era that ends with this move.

Sources: Variety, Deadline, Cord Cutters News