CBS All Access is becoming Paramount+, ViacomCBS’s new premium streaming service
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 - It’s official. Yesterday, CBS All Access announced the streaming platform will be rebranded as Paramount+ in early 2021 as part of the expansion to feature content from the ViacomCBS portfolio of broadcast, news, sports and entertainment brands. Paramount+ will also be coming to international markets with an initial debut in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics in 2021.
In the announcement, ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish drew on Paramount's deep roots in cinema history, saying, “Paramount is an iconic and storied brand beloved by consumers all over the world, and it is synonymous with quality, integrity and world-class storytelling.” With the massive amount of content at their disposal and the establishment of a global streaming brand, ViacomCBS hopes to, as Bakish said, “offer an extraordinary collection of content for everyone to enjoy.”
Currently, CBS All Access has more than 20,000 films and television episodes available to stream. Get ready for that number to rise, because leading up to the Paramount+ rebrand, CBS All Access will continue to expand its content, to more than 30,000 episodes and movies, transforming it into a diversified “super service” for ViacomCBS. So even if you do manage to watch all that Star Trek has to offer, it seems likely you’ll never run out of ideas for what to watch next.
While ViacomCBS’s announcement failed to mention pricing, it’s likely that for users already subscribed to CBS All Access, there shouldn’t be a price difference. Back in August, ViacomCBS Chief Digital Officer Marc DeBevoise told Decider that what they want “is that if you’re a subscriber, the [CBS All Access] app will turn into the new app” and confirmed that it would have the same price and content as CBS All Access.
Once again, mark your calendars for the first quarter of 2021, as we will be saying goodbye to CBS All Access, and hello to Paramount+.
Chris Peterson is a contributing writer for Daily Star Trek News on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. An outdoor enthusiast and a fan of film and literature, he is also an actor, singer and musician with stage credits including CATS, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show and The Producers.