Showtime Is Rebranding As Paramount+ With Showtime, Here's What You Need To Know
Showtime, one of the most trusted premium cable channels this side of HBO, is rebranding. The channel, owned by Paramount Global, is officially set to relaunch with a new name in January 2024. Get ready for the Paramount+ with Showtime era. This is a title that the company had already been leaning into on the streaming side, but now the long-standing cable channel is taking on the new branding as well. For better or worse, it's a corporate synergy move.
On January 8, 2024, Showtime will officially rebrand as Paramount+ with Showtime, so anyone who subscribes to the channel will need to be aware of the title change. That means the cable channel will have the same name as the company's top-tier streaming offering. Paramount+ also has an "essential" plan with ads that does not feature Showtime's original series. In a press release, Paramount explained: "The move aligns the brand with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan, a cornerstone integration for the streaming service, making this the first of its kind multiplatform brand that integrates streaming and linear content."
That's a very jargon-heavy statement but, essentially, it's about the streaming-focused future. Paramount needs to lean into the Paramount+ name and Showtime can help it do that. To that end, Showtime cable subscribers are not going to be granted access to the Paramount+ with Showtime streaming package. The big difference is that certain Paramount+ originals will now be made available to those who subscribe to the linear version of Showtime.
"Halo," "Mayor of Kingstown," "Star Trek: Discovery," "Wolf Pack," and the upcoming "Sexy Beast" show will be available to Showtime subscribers in January via streaming apps of pay-TV partners. It seems the idea is to try and entice Showtime cable subscribers to go all-in on Paramount+ with Showtime by showing them what's available on the streaming side.
The end of the Showtime era
To that end, a launch campaign announcing the rebrand will air on Showtime channels to "drive awareness among viewers." That awareness might be needed. Showtime originally launched back in 1976 and has been a staple of the premium cable landscape for decades. It has been home to hit shows such as "Dexter," "Weeds," and "Queer as Folk," among many others. For those who are not entrenched in the ins and outs of the streaming landscape, this rebranding strategy runs the risk of being confusing to the average viewer.
The fact that Paramount+ with Showtime is the name of both the channel that used to just be Showtime and the company's top-tier streaming offering is a bit confusing, given that they aren't the same thing. Paramount+ also doesn't have the same recognition in the streaming game as, say, Netflix or Disney+ either. It certainly doesn't help that the company has already dealt with a major rebranding when CBS All Access became Paramount+ several years ago. The transition from traditional TV to streaming has not been easy.
In the short run, aside from the name change, it means that those who pay for Showtime will have access to more programming. In the long run, it's kind of the first nail in the coffin for Showtime the cable channel as we knew it. Looking ahead, Showtime has a stacked lineup of shows including "The Woman in the Wall," "Fellow Travelers," "The Chi," "The Curse," "Yellowjackets" and "Your Honor." Showtime originals premiering in 2024 include "A Gentleman in Moscow" and "The Department," which is executive produced by George Clooney.