iWorld
ViacomCBS to rebrand CBS All Access to Paramount + for early 2021 launch
MUMBAI: Paramount+ is the brand name of the new global streaming service that ViacomCBS will be rolling out in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics in early 2021. This was revealed by the company’s president & CEO Bob Bakish who had announced in June 2020 that its subscription video on demand CBS All Access will be rebooted and relaunched with additional premium programming.
Said Bakish: “Paramount is an iconic and storied brand beloved by consumers all over the world, and it is synonymous with quality, integrity and world-class storytelling. With Paramount+, we’re excited to establish one global streaming brand in the broad-pay segment that will draw on the sheer breadth and depth of the ViacomCBS portfolio to offer an extraordinary collection of content for everyone to enjoy.”
Bakish also announced a slate of fresh shows and series which would be available to subscribers of Paramount+:
. The Offer, a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making The Godfather. The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (Escape at Dannemora and The Player). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, and Emmy-winning producer Leslie Greif (Hatfields & McCoys) will executive produce and be a writer on the series.
. Lioness, a spy drama created by Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) with Sheridan, Jill Wagner, David Glasser, David Hutkin, and Bob Yari set to executive produce. Based on a real-life CIA program, Lioness follows a young Marine recruited to befriend the daughter of a terrorist to bring the organization down from within. The series is produced by Paramount Network and 101 Studios.
. A reimagination of the Emmy®-nominated series Behind the Music entitled MTV’s Behind The Music – The Top 40, which will unlock MTV’s vault from the past 40 years for a unique and intimate look at the 40 biggest artists of all time, through their voices and their eyes. The series will be produced by Creature Films and MTV Studios.
. The Real Criminal Minds, a true crime docuseries based on the hit CBS Television series, and produced by XG Productions in association with CBS Television Studios and ABC Signature.
. The service is also developing a revival of The Game as part of BET’s programming on Paramount + from CBS Television Studios and Grammnet Productions.
The new original series announced today join the service’s previously announced plans for Kamp Koral, a new original children’s series from Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Squarepants, and the service’s role as the exclusive SVOD home to The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in early 2021. Additional new original content will be announced ahead of launch.
This programming will join CBS All Access’ robust existing offering of more than 20,000 episodes and movies from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and more, as well as exclusive original series including The Good Fight, The Twilight Zone, Tooning out on The News, No Activity, Why Women Kill, Interrogation, The Thomas John Experience, and Tell Me A Story, The Stand, The Man Who Fell to Earth,, The Harper House, Guilty Party, Star Trek: Discovery Star Trek: Picard, animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Strange New World.
Since the transformation of CBS All Access began in late July, the service has experienced significant growth and engagement. With the addition of a diverse mix of content, including UEFA, Big Brother Live Feeds, star Trek: Lower Decks, and more than 3,500 episodes from across ViacomCBS’ brands, the service broke a new record for total monthly streams in August and experienced one of its best months ever in terms of new subscriber sign-ups. In addition, the average age of new subscribers in August was measurably younger than the service’s overall average subscriber age, due in large part to the addition of UEFA and the newly added content from various ViacomCBS brands.
Leading up to the early 2021 rebrand to Paramount + , CBS All Access will expand its content offering to more than 30,000 episodes and movies and continue to develop additional original series across brands including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and more, transforming it into a diversified super service for the ViacomCBS portfolio.
“The response from consumers in just the early weeks of the service’s expansion already illustrates the tremendous opportunity ahead of us in bringing these phenomenal ViacomCBS brands together in one premium streaming home under the new Paramount + name,” said ViacomCBS chief digital officer & ViacomCBS Digital CEO Marc DeBevoise. “With the addition of even more content from across the portfolio as well as the new exclusive originals we are announcing today, we look forward to the early 2021 rebrand and bringing existing and new subscribers more of the compelling, genre-spanning live sports, breaking news and mountain of entertainment ViacomCBS has to offer.”
Earlier this month ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) president & CEO David Lynn had said that the super streamer would not be launched in India as it already has successful streaming operations in Voot and Voot Select in partnership with Viacom18 and Reliance.
iWorld
Amazon MX Player launches free micro-drama destination Fatafat
New platform offers serialized short-form stories with Munawar Faruqui campaign.
MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player just made micro-dramas free because the only thing shorter than the episodes is now the price tag (zero). Amazon MX Player has launched Fatafat, India’s first completely free premium micro-drama destination, giving mobile-first audiences access to fast-paced, serialized short-form stories without any paywall. Designed for quick viewing bursts, Fatafat features a growing catalogue of romance, drama, thriller and youth-led narratives in bite-sized episodes that are instantly bingeable. Unlike most micro-drama platforms that charge for access, Fatafat removes the barrier entirely, expanding the format’s reach across India.
The launch is supported by a humorous digital campaign fronted by comedian-actor Munawar Faruqui. The spots playfully highlight how small spends on paid micro-drama apps could be better used elsewhere, positioning Fatafat as the smarter, no-cost choice for engaging entertainment.
Amazon MX Player head Karan Bedi said, “Our vision has always been to make premium entertainment accessible to everyone, free of cost. With Fatafat, we are extending that promise to the rapidly growing micro-drama category quick, engaging and mobile-first while remaining completely free for viewers across India.”
Amazon MX Player head of content Amogh Dusad added, “Micro-dramas open up exciting creative possibilities for storytelling. With Fatafat, we are building a diverse slate of serialized stories across genres while keeping the experience fast, engaging and accessible to viewers everywhere.”
Munawar Faruqui said, “Today’s entertainment landscape is defined by content that is fast, engaging, and instantly accessible. Shooting for the campaign was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, especially as the scenarios felt incredibly authentic and relatable.”
Fatafat will continue to expand its library with several new titles in the coming months. The destination is available to stream for free on the Amazon MX Player mobile app.
In a country where attention spans are shrinking faster than episode lengths, Amazon MX Player isn’t just joining the micro-drama party,it’s throwing the doors wide open and telling everyone the snacks (and stories) are on the house.
