Earlier this week, HBO followed through with its long awaited plans to launch a standalone streaming service with HBO Now, which will allow anyone with internet access to subscribe to HBO without a cable or satellite provider.
Today, CBS Corporation CEO Les Moonves announced that Showtime will soon jump into the streaming service field as well. While speaking at the Deutsche Bank Securities 2015 Media, Internet & Telecom Conference (via Variety), Moonves said “The days of the 500 channel universe are over,” and added that Showtime’s streaming service will launch “in the not-too-distant future.”
Related: HBO Now Streaming Service To Launch In April
Moonves went on to say “I think the floodgate is now open… we got a number of calls yesterday from existing players and digital players that we’ve talked to in the past.… The content we have at Showtime is also premium. I don’t think there’s any way, shape, or form for anybody to look at [HBO Now] other than as a major positive for premium cable.”
It seems likely that STARZ, Epix and other premium movie channels will follow the example of HBO and Showtime and launch their own streaming services. The question is whether HBO and Showtime’s new ventures will eat into the subscriber base of traditional cable and satellite providers.
Share your thoughts on Showtime’s streaming plans in the comment section below!
