Still no hard timeline for CBS’s rollout of its HBO Now-like standalone streaming platform for Showtime, but it shouldn’t be too much longer.
CBS head Les Moonves had that much to say in a recent earnings call.
From CBS Communications’ Dana McClintock:
Moonves on #CBSEarnings call: We’re “looking forward to rolling out our new Showtime over-the-top service in the coming months”
— Dana McClintock (@Dana_McClintock) May 7, 2015
Ianniello: “We expect Showtime over-the-top to be a meaningful driver of our cable results in the near future.” $CBS
— Dana McClintock (@Dana_McClintock) May 7, 2015
Showtime first announced its intentions for a standalone, cable-free streaming option right after HBO announced theirs.
“The days of the 500 channel universe are over,” declared Moonves at the time.
Cord cutting isn’t a foreign concept to CBS. Last year, the network launched CBS All Access, offering full current seasons of over a dozen CBS shows and past seasons of more series. It also lets users livestream local CBS channels – for $5.99 a month.
HBO launched HBO Now in early April. It’s already a hit.