Mumbai: ViacomCBS has announced that it will rebrand to become Paramount Global effective from 16 February.
In addition to the name change, the media company has detailed plans to accelerate the global momentum behind Paramount+, unveiling new content, enhanced product offerings and continued international expansion at its investor event.
"Paramount is an idea: A promise to be the best," said the non-executive chair of the company’s board of directors Shari Redstone. "That promise has always been at the center of what we aspired to build as the steward of more than a century of cinematic excellence, and with businesses and brands that have defined and redefined entertainment for generation after generation. We have made enormous progress, and I have never been more excited about the future of this company.
ViacomCBS will now be known as Paramount. #WeAreParamount pic.twitter.com/sGGM8Zediq
— ViacomCBS (@ViacomCBS) February 15, 2022
Paramount+ will make its debut in France as an exclusive bundle with CANAL+ Group giving subscribers immediate access through the country’s largest provider. Paramount+ will also be available on an a la carte and direct-to-consumer basis in the French market.
With Paramount+ and SkyShowtime, the global media company will have streaming services available in more than 60 markets across the UK, Latin America, Canada, Australia, South Korea, the Caribbean and all major markets in Europe by the end of this year. In 2023, the company will look to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, building on Paramount+'s strong momentum to grow its presence in every region of the world.
Additionally, Paramount+ subscribers in the US will be able to upgrade their subscription to a bundle that includes the Showtime service through two plans, starting in summer.
The company added 9.4 million global streaming subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2021 led by Paramount+ to add up to 56 million total subscribers and 84 per cent growth in streaming subscription revenue. Its streaming revenues for the quarter stood at $1.3 billion a growth of 48 per cent year-on-year. Its streaming revenue for 12 months ended on 31 December 2021 stood at $4.19 billion.
"Paramount's iconic peak represents a rich history for our company as pioneers in the golden age of Hollywood. Today, as we embrace the Paramount name, we are pioneers of an exciting new future," said president and chief executive officer Bob Bakish.
"We see a huge global opportunity in streaming, a much larger potential market than can be captured by linear TV and film alone," continued Bakish. "We're excited about our ability to not just compete, but thrive, creating significant value for both consumers and shareholders. How? Because we're broader in four key areas: our diverse content, streaming model, a mix of platforms and global reach. As we look forward, the size of the opportunity we see is matched only by our ambition to seize it."
"We are continuing to leverage our global footprint and long-standing relationships to expand Paramount+ into new markets with enormous potential quickly and economically," commented president and CEO streaming Tom Ryan.
