CBS All Access no longer exists and in its place has emerged Paramount +, the latest service to enter the streaming fray as a paid subscription offering. But Paramount + is also coming at a difficult time for smaller services, which – whether they admit it or not – compete with much bigger giants like Disney + and Netflix. So, where does Paramount + fit in and is it worth it?
That likely depends on the individual viewer’s perception of value, which is in many ways the same question that should be asked of all paid content services. But especially with regard to Paramount +, it is entering a space already packed with services catering to just about any niche interest. It also decided to launch without a free ad-supported tier, which could have helped lure insecure subscribers and NBCUniversal executives chose to pick up with rival service Peacock at launch. For existing CBS All Access customers – maybe hard-core fans of CBS broadcast programming or the sheer amount Star Trek Content—The value in Paramount + can be more content for the same price. For everyone else, however, I wonder if the fanfare will be enough to lure them into a new service and possibly away from those they already like.
First, let’s clarify what Paramount + actually is. This new streaming service is basically CBS All Access in addition to more stuff from ViacomCBS. After a 30-day free trial, it costs $ 10 per month for a premium tier that removes ads from on-demand titles, but not the linear feed, plus additional live sports and live news coverage from CBS. In June, Paramount + will introduce a reduced ad-supported tier for $ 5 per month. Confusingly, at launch, pricing will remain the same as for CBS All Access with a $ 6 subscription with limited commercials. That option will no longer be available when the new tier launches in June; However, existing CBS All Access subscribers who have been grandfathered can stay on that plan if they wish.
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On Paramount + you’ll find content hubs from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and the Smithsonian Channel, although content from these channels originally appeared on CBS All Access last year. The company also began to be child-oriented content late 2020 with more stuff from Nick Jr. and new features. In other words, CBS All Access had laid much of the foundation for Paramount + before launch. What’s new and specific to the service at launch are the originals – five included 60 minutes + For heaven’s sake Camp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years The Real World Homecoming: New York, and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run– as well as an extensive library of episodes from hit series and movies including The kite Mindhunters Mission Impossible movies, and Gone baby gone
Paramount + definitely feels like a catch-all for ViacomCBS assets rather than a single, cohesive product with a strong identity. The service describes itself as a ‘home base for top-notch entertainment for all the family’, but the collection of channels here, as are the ones that have been whipped together to create HBO Max– feels a bit strange. Make no mistake: there is plenty to see. The service has more than 30,000 episodes of shows and dozens of movies available to stream at launch. But it wasn’t clear to me who is really trying to operate this product, just that it has more stuff than CBS All Access.
The organization of these brands in the service also felt a bit strange, although I felt the mobile experience was easier to navigate than Paramount + on desktop. All content hubs appear in a row under a prominent recommended content carousel. At the top of the page you will find tabs for shows, movies, live TV, ‘brands’ and news. Just like on Netflix and other services, the homepage has categories for shows recommended for you, keep watching, trending, and originals, among others. But clicking through to individual ‘brands’ pages feels like a mess – everything just appears as one title catalog. Browsing is at least alphabetically organized on the shows and film pages.
It’s possible the service is introducing more content subcategories within these brand pages as it tweaks its product, but from launch day it seemed like you could know better what you were looking for, or be ready to scroll through lots of titles to find something to go to. look. Navigating this service is complicated by the lack of a formal watchlist, which makes it easier for users to browse the content by bookmarking interesting titles while browsing.
At launch, Paramount + will be available on desktop, iOS and Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Apple TV channels, Chromecast, Facebook Portal, Fire TV, LG Smart TVs, PlayStation 4, Prime Video Channels, Roku, Samsung TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs and Xbox devices. The service is coming to PlayStation 5 soon, a spokesperson confirms to Gizmodo. Paramount + offers up to six user profiles, but is limited to three simultaneous streams. The service advertised that some series and movies were available in 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision, but a spokesperson told Gizmodo that content is limited to Paramount + originals and some Smithsonian Channel content.
Presumably, as the service continues to grow, it will bring more to the table for people who have already been indifferent to CBS All Access. Two of this year’s biggest releases, A quiet place part II and Mission: impossible 7, goes to service a one and a half month after leaving the cinema, which can be a potential draw for new subscribers. Paramount + will also be home to every UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League match and will cover this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Thirty-six exclusive originals will arrive on the service in 2021 – another potential lure for subscribers when they premiere.
But as of launch day, Paramount + feels a bit unremarkable compared to its streaming peers. This may be less ViacomCBS’s fault, as it’s a product of the sheer number of services we now have to choose from, and Paramount + got to the party a bit late. Again, I think this service is absolutely valuable to longtime fans of CBS programming, especially those whose households include children. But instead of bringing more new and shiny offerings to the table, Paramount + may struggle to convince new subscribers that it can be great.