Paramount Global’s streamer Paramount+ will launch in the U.K. and Ireland on June 22, with other international territories to follow.
June will also see the service’s South Korea launch, with no date specified yet, with further launches planned in Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria in the second half of the year.
In India, Paramount+ will launch in 2023 in partnership with Viacom18 as part of a recently announced agreement. In April, India’s Reliance and Viacom18 entered a strategic partnership with Bodhi Tree Systems, a platform of James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems and former Disney president Uday Shankar, to form a giant TV and digital streaming company in India.
Raffaele Annecchino, president and CEO, International Networks, Studios and Streaming, Paramount Global, said: “This year will be monumental for our streaming strategy as we accelerate our global ambitions, rapidly expanding Paramount+ in Europe beginning with the U.K., Italy, Germany, France and more by the end of this year and debut in Asia with South Korea in June, followed by India in 2023. With an already expansive global footprint and a strong, long-term market-by-market strategy, we are well-poised to continue our positive momentum.”
Maria Kyriacou, president, Australia, Canada, Israel and U.K., Paramount, said, “The addition of Paramount+ to our strong portfolio of free-to-air, pay TV and streaming services will broaden the range of choice available to our audiences in the U.K. and Ireland. Paramount+ will be a one-stop destination for Paramount’s biggest brands, where fans of all ages can find exclusive original premium content, global hits, and discover a world of favourites from Paramount’s vast catalogue.”
In the U.K., Paramount+ will be available online and on mobile and a range of connected TV devices via the Paramount+ app, via broad direct-to-consumer distribution through Apple, Amazon, Google, Roku® and Samsung, with more platforms to be announced in the coming months. Users will be able to sign up to the service for £6.99 ($8.77) per month/£69.90 per annum in the U.K., after a free seven-day trial.
Paramount+ will launch on Sky platforms in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Austria in 2022 as part of a new multi-year distribution agreement that also includes the extended carriage of Paramount’s leading portfolio of pay TV channels. Sky Cinema subscribers will get the bonus of Paramount+ included at no extra cost.
The company reported its first quarter earnings on May 3, during which Paramount’s president and CEO, Bob Bakish, revealed global expansion plans.
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