Comcast and ViacomCBS will join forces to launch a new major streaming service in 22 European countries next year, with content from Sky, Universal, Peacock, Paramount, Showtime and Nickelodeon.
SkyShowtime in Europe
Paramount+ and Peacock are separate services in the US but the two will merge in large parts of Europe following a new deal between Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal and Sky, and ViacomCBS, the owner of Paramount and Showtime.
The new subscription video streaming service will launch in 2022 as SkyShowtime with over 10.000 hours of content from Showtime, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ Originals, Sky Studios, NBCUniversal, Universal Pictures, and Peacock.
- "Our new streaming service, SkyShowtime, will combine the best of the US and Europe with iconic brands and world-class entertainment for millions of consumers in more than 20 new markets in Europe," said Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive, Sky.
The official SkyShowtime logo
Paramount+ is already available in parts of Europe and will in 2022 be folded into SkyShowtime in applicable regions (see table at the bottom). SkyShowtime will compete with Amazon, Disney+, Netflix and others who have a significant lead in Europe
The companies confirmed that SkyShowtime will be built on Peacock's platform technology rather than Paramount+'s platform, which in Europe converts all Paramount Pictures movies from 24fps to 25fps. Peacock's platform does not currently support 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
- "On the heels of Peacock coming to Sky, this partnership provides an innovative approach to quickly scale internationally and monetize content across Europe. Drawing on the strength of the incredible programming from NBCUniversal, Sky, and ViacomCBS, and powered by Peacock’s platform technology, SkyShowtime will provide a truly compelling lineup for the whole family and strong brand recognition across these regions," said Dana Strong.
SkyShowtime is expected to launch in 2022, subject to regulatory approval, the companies said. Additional details including platform support will be announced later.
SkyShowtime FAQ
| SkyShowtime will launch in 2022 in the following countries:
Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
The partnership will be structured as a joint venture, with equal investment and joint control by ViacomCBS and Comcast. |
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