ViacomCBS’ 10 streaming plans a blow for Stan

Streaming service Stan is set to lose the bulk of its key Showtime TV programs as ViacomCBS prioritises a major upgrade of Ten’s streamed offering.

Californication could be among the shows lost to Stan as ViacomCBS ramps up its streaming efforts in Australia. Picture: Supplied.

Streaming service Stan is set to lose the bulk of its key Showtime TV programs, as Showtime’s owner, US media giant ViacomCBS, rolls out its own streaming service internationally early next year.

CBS announced rollout plans for the new service in the US on Friday morning, the move having been foreshadowed by The Australian in June.

Stan, which is owned by Nine Entertainment, currently has a content deal with Showtime that expires in December.

The loss of the Showtime programs could significantly weaken Stan’s subscriber appeal as the coronavirus restrictions prompt a spike in streaming subscriber numbers and the competition for new subscribers among streaming services intensifies.

Stan could lose as much as 500 hours of library content, including shows like Californication, Happyish, Nurse Jackie and Dexter. It also won’t get any new Showtime programs.

A Stan spokesman declined to comment, saying an update would be given along with Nine’s annual results on August 27.

Australians already have a range of streaming services to choose from, including Netflix, Foxtel, Binge, Hayu, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video.

Announcing the rollout, ViacomCBS said the existing 10 All Access service would be significantly rebranded.

Australia will be prioritised during the roll out process, as ViacomCBS said it had identified Australia as a market where it had the opportunity to become a leader in the paid-for streaming space, based on its competitive position.

ViacomCBS has taken more interest in its Australian operations since last December’s merger between Viacom and CBS.

CBS took ownership of Ten in November 2017, and just over a year later launched a subscriber streaming service called 10 All Access in Australia.

The new SVOD service will offer Showtime programs as well as CBS All Access originals. In some markets, the service will also combine Paramount Pictures and box sets from Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon.

The service will use the technology and platform that powers the existing CBS All Access service and the roll out will be executive using existing international infrastructure, which spans offices in more than 30 countries.

“Launching a super-sized premium streaming service will be a game-changer for ViacomCBS and can help us become as powerful a player in international streaming as we are in linear TV,” ViacomCBS chief executive David Lynn said.

“We will market a world-class content offering at a very competitive price, and we’re convinced it will have significant appeal for audiences everywhere and strong growth potential in every market.”