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Showtime's Standalone Streaming Service Set to Premiere on Apple TV [Updated]

Wednesday June 3, 2015 9:45 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
showtime4__140512213840A new report from Variety today (via iClarified) suggests that Showtime's parent company CBS is putting the final touches on a standalone streaming service for the premium cable network, with rumors pointing to an official announcement either later today or sometime on Thursday.

Just like HBO NOW, the service would allow customers interested in Showtime to circumvent a traditional cable subscription and gain access to all of the network's shows and films for a single monthly fee. Variety says that CBS will reveal a partnership with Apple and the Apple TV that will be the exclusive home of the Showtime online-only service, similar to HBO NOW's initial exclusivity window on Apple TV and iOS devices. CBS still plans for other online partners to be announced in the future, according to "industry sources."

No name or price model was detailed yet for the Showtime service, but as pointed out by Variety, the move would fall in line with the company's announcement last fall of a $6 per month streaming service that presented access to the network's library of old and new shows. With Showtime cable subscriptions aligning closely with that of HBO, the new service would undoubtedly fall in the ballpark of HBO Now's $14.99 per month charge.

Update: As expected, Showtime has confirmed the streaming service will officially launch on July 12 for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV. The monthly service will run users $10.99 and simply be called "Showtime." The early July launch will also coincide with the new seasons of Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex.



Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12
Tag: Showtime
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
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DotCom2
48 months ago
By the time you get through buying all the channels you want A la Carte, you'd be better off just buying a cable subscription.
Rating: 32 Votes
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Mad Mac Maniac
48 months ago
The longer time moves on, the less and less excited I am about the potential for a new Apple TV and any accompanying service. 3-4 years ago I was so ready for Apple to revolutionize the TV.

Now I'm just happy with any dumb netflix stream through my TV. I'd rather be motived to get outside than sit in front of my TV anyway
Rating: 10 Votes
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cmChimera
48 months ago
HBO can get away with $15 a month. Showtime cannot. Not every premium channel is going to make it through the transition to digital offerings, especially if they start thinking that they have shows as good as Game of Thrones.
Rating: 9 Votes
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69Mustang
48 months ago

By the time you get through buying all the channels you want A la Carte, you'd be better off just buying a cable subscription.

I came to say the exact same thing. Not sure why some thought a la carte would be so great. These companies are not going to short their revenue. They will evenually make a la carte an option, but an option that will not reduce their profits. If anything, it will be priced to slightly increase their profit.
Rating: 9 Votes
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WestonHarvey1
48 months ago
People are really hung up on price. Cable is like an expensive all you can eat buffet, but some guy keeps punching you in the face while you eat and bouncers at the door try to stop you from leaving.

I'm happy to pay the same or even more for the small number of channels I actually want to watch, without all the BS that comes with having cable TV.
Rating: 9 Votes
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Gasu E.
48 months ago

By the time you get through buying all the channels you want A la Carte, you'd be better off just buying a cable subscription.


HBO and Showtime are not part of Basic cable-- they are always sold A la Carte or in Premium bundles. So, while your statement MAY be true, it is not due to these HBO/Showtime moves.
Rating: 7 Votes
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nuckinfutz
48 months ago
What Showtime shows are worth watching? I'm loving HBO Now like a Nights Watchmen loves Dragon Glass
Rating: 7 Votes
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kds1
48 months ago

By the time you get through buying all the channels you want A la Carte, you'd be better off just buying a cable subscription.


Until you realise that you don't need all those channels you think you "want and/or need".

You only think you need and/or want them because that is what years of cable TV have done to your brain, with the cable companies making you believe that cable TV was a utility like electricity and water and gas that you must hook up right away when you move into a new apartment, and that all these channels they threw at you were "essential" (the ironic thing is that Internet service is and should be a utility, and now that it's being treated as such, they don't want that. Oh well, tough **** cable co's.)

I haven't had cable since May 2009. I don't miss it. Not one bit. I was paying for something I was almost never using. I subscribe to Netflix, and watch programming through it, iTunes movie and TV show sales and rentals, and Amazon Prime streaming to my AppleTV via AirPlay. Between all of that and YouTube, with an antenna receiving the broadcast networks for FREE. WTF do I need cable for? I don't (and neither do you!) News you say? BBC World and France 24 English give you all the world news and current events you need, and are far superior to CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and NBC News (they all suck in comparison). France24 streams live via AirPlay or on YouTube. Oh yes, and do more reading of news online through the New York Times, or whatever newspaper you choose.

Do you really need garbage like "Real Housewives" or "Bizarre Foods" all day marathons? I mean you really want to pay money for that kind of crap?
Rating: 6 Votes
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cmChimera
48 months ago

What he probably invisioned was the user interface with TV, a combination of Siri-style voice activation with natural language searching of multiple TV sources/streams/channels.

Samsung got a jump ahead with the SmartTV concept, leaving Apple to work on content. But this is proving tricky, as we can see.

As an owner of one of Samsung's "Smart" TVs, I can assure you they are anything but.
Rating: 5 Votes
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monaarts
48 months ago

By the time you get through buying all the channels you want A la Carte, you'd be better off just buying a cable subscription.


Not really.. If I had comcast and I wanted HBO, Starz, Cinemax, or Showtime I'd have to pay $10/month each anyways. So I'm not sure how this would be more expensive when added up....?
Rating: 4 Votes

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