10ViacomCBS’s new SVOD service has officially launched in Australia. But will Paramount+ revolutionise the Australia’s streaming environment?
If you ask Liz Baldwin (senior VP, head of streaming) and Dan Monaghan (head of programming), Paramount+’s offering is unparalleled.
In conversation with B&T, both Monaghan nd Baldwin put this down to the expansive range of brands available on the service. As well as the Paramount collection (which includes titles like Top Gun and Indiana Jones), there will also be first run Paramount films, and scripted and unscripted content created for the platform.
Along with those, Paramount+ offers access to a number of globally known TV brands like Nickolodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and Smithsonian. Put frankly, it’s an exhaustive list, particularly when taking into account that the platform is replacing 10 All Access, meaning local content will also be commissioned through Network 10.
That Australian content or 2021 includes season two of Five Bedrooms, a new comedy called Spreadsheet starring the IT Crowd’s Katherine Parkinson, and a film called 6 Festivals.
Monaghan also assures that there will be more Australian comedy, drama and unscripted content for 2022.
“We’re investing quite a large amount behind that because we do appreciate that in order to stand out, we not only need to rely on those brands coming from overseas, but also we need to give that unique Australian flavor and be able to tell stories in conjunction with what we already do so well on Network 10,” he explained.
“The thirst for content in this market is unparalleled…we have such a thirst for content, local and overseas, here, that people really will seek out to find the best. And we believe those brands that we have are the best.”
For Baldwin, Paramount +’s pricing will be an essential element, at $8.99 month, or $89.99 a year, differentiating from Australia’s other streaming services.
“We’ve deliberately gone in at a very accessible price point, and we think it’s incredible value for money in terms of that price point versus the incredible breadth and depth of content that the service will have. So we feel pretty confident that when people see what we’ve got that there’ll be a strong uptake.”
That, combined with the backing of Paramount’s “huge global pipeline” will mean Paramount+ is “something different in the Australian landscape.”
“We talk about a mountain of entertainment,which is a nice little nod to our Paramount history, and credentials. We are not just another streaming service, you know, we plan on being one of the leaders in this market.”
