In this week's collection of recent cord-cutting news items from around the web: ViacomCBS to launch rebranded Paramount+ streaming service on March 4, Tubi says streaming rose 58% In 2020, Netflix's 'The Crown' and 'Ozark' top TV nominations at Critics' Choice Awards; all five seasons of The Muppet Show are heading to Disney Plus, NHL Center Ice now available on Sling TV, and more!
ViacomCBS to Launch Rebranded Paramount+ Streaming Service on March 4
"ViacomCBS will launch its rebranded streaming service under the new Paramount+ brand in the U.S. and in Latin America on March 4,"says The Hollywood Reporter. "The company, led by CEO Bob Bakish, will roll the streamer out to international markets in phases, with the Nordics debut set for March 25, and Australia following in mid-2021. In Canada, the CBS All Access streaming service will be rebranded to Paramount+ on March 4 as well, and 'an expanded offering will be available later in the year,' the company said."
Ars Technica explains that the renaming is result of the merger between CBS and Viacom, which made available a large amount of content from Viacom that could be added to the existing CBS All Access service. "In addition to shows associated with the CBS TV network, Paramount+ will include content from properties Viacom brought to the mix, including MTV, BET, Comedy Central, VH1, and Nickelodeon, as well as theatrically released films from Paramount Pictures. Beyond the myriad Star Trek shows that CBS All Access has already offered, planned original series for Paramount+ include a series based on The Godfather as well as a revival of VH1's Behind the Music." More information about CBS All Access on Roku can be found here.
Tubi Says Streaming Rose 58% In 2020, With Half Of Viewers Younger Than 35
Deadline reports that "Fox-owned streaming service Tubi said total viewing hit 2.5 billion hours in 2020, up 58% from 2019," and "[h]alf of all viewers of the free, ad-supported platform were younger than 35 years old... In addition to a sizable library of film and TV titles, Tubi has increasingly been used as a platform for Fox unscripted originals like The Masked Singer, which stream after their broadcast network premieres. More information about Tubi on Roku can be found here.
Netflix's 'The Crown,' 'Ozark' top TV nominations at Critics' Choice Awards
"Netflix is leading the field at the 26th annual Critics' Choice Awards," says USA Today. "The streaming service had the most nominations of any outlet this year (26, to HBO's 24) when nominees were unveiled Monday (January 18) by the Critics Choice Association. Netflix's 'Ozark' and 'The Crown' are up for six awards each, including best drama, while HBO's 'Lovecraft Country,' FX's 'Mrs. America' and 'What We Do in the Shadows' and Pop TV's 'Schitt’s Creek' followed with five nods. AMC's 'Better Call Saul' and HBO's 'The Plot Against America' received four nominations apiece."
All five seasons of The Muppet Show are heading to Disney Plus
The Verge reports on a Disney announcement that "[a]ll five seasons of The Muppet Show will stream on Disney Plus beginning February 19th... With the addition, Disney Plus is now home to nearly every Muppets title — except two." The Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets from Space are owned by Sony and so cannot be streamed by Disney. More information about Disney Plus on Roku can be found here.
Every New Movie & TV Show Releasing On Amazon Prime In 2021
If you like to plan your binge-watching and movies streaming well in advance, Screen Rant gives us details about titles coming to Amazon's Prime Video. Here are just a few:
- The Lord Of The Rings - "Undoubtedly the main draw for Amazon Prime in 2021, The Lord of the Rings is a prequel series that takes place before the events of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel franchise and the feature film adaptations. The storyline is set in the Second Age of Middle-Earth, with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay serving as the show runners. The Lords of the Rings stars Robert Aramayo (Game of Thrones) as the primary male protagonist Beldor, along with Markella Kavenagh (True History of the Kelly Gang) as the lead female character, Tyra. Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones) co-stars as the main villain, Oren."
- Invincible - "Based on the eponymous comic series by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows a 17-year-old whose father is the world's most powerful superhero. Steven Yeun voices the teenage protagonist, Mark Grayson, who slowly begins to to develop powers like his pops, Nolan Grayson aka Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). Invincible features an extraordinary supporting cast in voice roles."
- Madres - "Madres takes place in the '70s and follows a Mexican-American couple who moves to a California farming community. When the wife develops unusual symptoms, they learn about a legendary curse. "
- One Night In Miami - "Based on real events, One Night in Miami takes place in a Miami hotel room in 1964 after Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston in a now-iconic boxing match. The storyline imagines what kind of conversations might've transpired between Ali (Eli Goree) and other influential Black Americans such as Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.). "
NHL Center Ice Expands Sling TV's Live Sports Offering
Sling TV is the first streaming service to integrate NHL Center Ice, The National Hockey League's out-of-market live game subscription service that is now available for $29 per month as a standalone premium à la carte subscription, or as an add-on to any Sling TV base subscription. "We're thrilled to give our customers and hockey fans everywhere NHL Center Ice on SLING TV, which will offer the best NHL experience in the game," said David Teplinsky, vice president of Programming and Strategy, Sling TV. "With the addition of live, must-see sports programming like NHL Center Ice, we continue to deliver better value and more choice to our customers who want a high quality streaming TV experience across traditional TV and mobile devices."
NHL Center Ice provides fans with up to 40 live, out-of-market games each week, across the NHL, all season long. Fans can stream the goals, hits, commentary and analysis, from Florida to Vancouver. Games included on NHL Center Ice are in addition to games available on NBCSN, NHL Network and local channels. Find more information about Sling TV and NHL Center Ice here.
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