Comcast (the parent company of Sky) and ViacomCBS have announced a new streaming service called SkyShowtime that’s set to launch in 20 European markets next year. It will feature content from SHOWTIME, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ Originals, Sky Studios, Universal Pictures, and Peacock spanning all genre types.
SkyShowtime will launch in Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Interestingly, there’s no mention of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, or Italy in that list; those countries are set to receive Paramount+ next year instead.
Commenting on the launch of the new streaming service, Raffaele Annecchino, President & Chief Executive Officer of ViacomCBS Networks International, said:
‘With the launch of SkyShowtime we are well positioned to utilize our global content engine to create a compelling streaming offering, quickly and at scale, with a smart strategic phased investment. As a complement to our recently announced Paramount+ partnership with Sky in the UK, Italy, and Germany, SkyShowtime represents a huge opportunity to accelerate our market expansion and build a leadership position in SVOD in Europe.’
Similar to the Paramount+ offering, SkyShowtime will feature for than 10,000 hours of content for subscribers to enjoy. SkyShowtime will be set up as a joint venture between Comcast and ViacomCBS giving them equal control. More information about the pricing of the service will be announced closer to the launch.