Paramount Global is reportedly considering renaming the Showtime cable channel Paramount+ With Showtime, and filling the network with programming from Paramount+, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The actions are a part of the entertainment company’s strategy to merge the Showtime and Paramount+ streaming platforms into a single one, the news outlet reports. The business is staking its bet that the adjustments will serve as a persuasion for the cable and satellite companies who carry the Showtime channel to accept Paramount’s proposal, per the WSJ.
Under the plan, Showtime subscribers with cable or satellite TV will be able to watch a selection of the programs and films now available on Paramount+, the news outlet reports.
The users would also receive a complimentary subscription to Paramount+, though which exact Paramount+ programming would air on the Showtime channel is still to be determined, according to the WSJ.
Paramount is considering such actions as it looks to reduce expenses while bolstering its Paramount+ streaming service with Showtime titles. It was previously reported that Paramount has been talking about discontinuing the $10.99/month Showtime streaming service and migrating its programming to Paramount+ for some time.
The action will assist Paramount in cutting expenses. Showtime content already airs on Paramount+ in several international markets, but the company has kept the Showtime streaming service distinct from Paramount+, which it launched in March 2021.