If there is a single takeaway from These Times, it’s that nothing is certain when it comes to streaming sites. Netflix used to be the pioneer in streaming, and even they are struggling. HBO Max is undergoing major changes and cancellations, meanwhile, Hulu is still raising its prices while hoping to get new viewers on board. Overall, it’s tough times for the big guys, and it’s even tougher for the smaller streaming services, like Showtime. It seems like this has become a problem for the service, who might be looking to migrate over to the other side of that snowy Paramount mountain.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Paramount is considering shutting down Showtime’s service and merging its content to Paramount+. The move is not official yet, though WSJ claims that they are in the “early discussion” phase of the merger, which would bring Showtime originals like Billions and Yellowjackets over to Paramount’s service, which includes everything from Star Trek to South Park.
Showtime launched its streaming service in 2015 before bigger sites like Disney+ and HBO Max were even available. Last month, Paramount+ announced that they had reached 43.3 million subscribers after launching in March 2020. The company does not disclose how many subscribers use Showtime, but Paramount has been bundling the two streamers as of this summer at a discounted rate, so merging the two would be a no-brainer. But, if it does happen, they would have to decide on a fun name, like ParamountTime or ShowMount. Just some ideas.
