What in the world is going on here, you might be saying - aren't The Office and Parks and Recreation already over? Yes, both of these mocumentary-style television shows are done, and there will be no new episodes (for now). But the rights, the precious rights, like the spice melange, they must flow! The rights have been renewed for cable - exclusively*!
Viacom's BET Networks subsidiary has teamed with Tyler Perry Studios to launch BET+, a streaming service version of the network that'll offer more than 1,000 hours of programming, according to the company, including original shows and movies. The company plans a wide variety of original content for the service's first year, including a movie called Sacrifice starring Paula Patton.
Pluto TV, the free streaming live television service acquired by Viacom in January, is about to receive new versions of 14 popular Viacom channels. The announcement was made by Viacom Digital Studios this week, during which time the company also revealed plans to offer new digital shows on Facebook Watch, YouTube, and select other online platforms. The new Pluto TV channels are based on existing Viacom networks.
Facebook and YouTube are the two platforms selected to stream 'SpongeBob Smarty Pants Game Show,' a new online series announced by Viacom Digital Studios. The game show is based on the popular animated series SpongeBob Squarepants, and it joins a number of new streaming shows the company has in the pipeline. The plan arrives as a growing number of consumers get their entertainment content via the Internet.
Viacom has just announced plans to acquire cable-cutters' best free, live television option: Pluto TV. The service has proven popular among users seeking television content without the price tag accompanying cable and other streaming TV services. At this point in time, the service boasts more than 12 million active users every month and more than 100 channels.
Viacom and CBS talked about potential plans to merge back in 2016, but those plans were ultimately scrapped. That reportedly changed in recent days when the CEOs from both companies resumed talks on the matter, according to sources. Should the two companies actually proceed with a merger, the combined resulting entity would be worth more than $37 billion.
Viacom hasn't embraced the new world of online entertainment gracefully. The company pulled its channels from OTT services like PlayStation Vue last year, for example, and though some of its content can be streamed legally online through various destinations, it isn't as readily accessible as, say, Netflix original content. That may be changing, though, at least in certain cases, as the company has revealed it is talking with wireless carriers over potential mobile video streaming deals.
Dish Network has struck a deal with Viacom that will result in several new channels being added to the company’s Sling TV offering. The deal is described as a multi-year contract that, in part, renews access to Viacom networks for those with Dish’s regular satellite service. As well, Sling TV will soon offer Nick Jr., Comedy Central, BET, MTV, Spike, and more.
Hulu and Viacom have a good relationship, something yet again demonstrated by a new expanded deal between the two companies. Under this, Hulu has scored VOD rights for a bunch of new shows, including some from Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV, and more. Viacom and Hulu first began their relationship back in 2011, and have since grown it, tacking on more shows and expanding its offerings to cover a wide range of television programming.
As consumers continue to drop traditional cable in favor of various video streaming services, some companies and networks are (finally) accepting reality and getting on board with their own offerings. HBO announced its own video subscription service plans in the recent past, and consumers recently scored another option with the introduction of Sling TV. Viacom, which has notoriously been picky about where and when its shows are available online, is about to do its own dabbling in the world of video subscription services, and it'll be doing so through Nickelodeon.
Hulu is a decent subscription to have if it offers a show you like to keep relatively up-to-date on, but isn't so great when it comes to watching old episodes of long gone shows. Netflix fills that void to some degree, but it is lacking in its own way, which makes Hulu's latest announcement a welcomed one: a new deal is in place with Viacom that will usher in thousands of additional episodes, including ones from older shows like The Ren & Stimpy Show and Nickelodeon's under-appreciated Invader Zim.
Where the Microsoft-made Xbox One is set to continue the model set with the Xbox 360 as a middle-point between cable and your TV, Sony's reported deal with Viacom may just remove the third party altogether. According to news reported this week by the Wall Street Journal, Sony has only to lay out the final details of an agreement which could give them internet-based TV service rights to Viacom's network offerings. For the PlayStation 4, that might just be another killer feature the Xbox One just doesn't have.