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Pluto TV brings CBS shows to streaming platform

"South Park," "Survivor" and others join a growing library of VIacomCBS content on the free streaming service

"South Park," "Survivor" and others join a growing library of VIacomCBS content on the free streaming service

The logo of ViacomCBS streaming service Pluto TV
(Image: ViacomCBS/Handout)

Pluto TV is adding more than three dozen CBS shows to its free streaming platform, with the first handful of shows being made available to viewers today.

The service is expected to bring more than 40 shows from CBS and Paramount’s back catalog of series, including past seasons of the reality competition “Survivor,” the science fiction drama “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and fashion contest “America’s Next Top Model.” Classic episodes of the show “South Park” will also stream on Pluto TV (except for five episodes, the full catalog is exclusive to HBO Max).

Pluto TV was acquired by Viacom Corporation early last year. Shortly after its acquisition, the streaming service began launching Viacom-branded channels, including offshoots of its traditional MTV, Comedy Central and TV Land networks, with dozens of programs and movies from Viacom’s back catalog.

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A merger with CBS last year opened the door for the newly-formed ViacomCBS to bring even more shows and movies to the platform. Earlier this month, ViacomCBS announced it would deliver more than 100,000 hours of unique content across more than 250 free streaming channels.

In addition to its American service, Pluto TV has international variants of its service available to viewers in parts of Europe and Latin America. The service offers more than 100 live streams in the United Kingdom, around 80 in Germany and around 24 in Mexico, Argentina, Chile and other Latin American countries with plans to add more than four dozen streams in the coming months.

Pluto TV’s global expansion has made it the biggest free, advertisement-supported services in the world, according to Olivier Jollet, a ViacomCBS executive who works specifically on the platform.

“We are not digitizing the existing TV landscape — we are creating a new one,” Jollet said.

In addition to the ViacomCBS content, Pluto TV has distribution agreements with FremantleMedia, AT&T’s WarnerMedia, Comcast‘s NBC Universal and the National Football League to make free content available on its platform.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys covers the business of broadcast and streaming TV, radio broadcasting, social media, technology and telecommunications. A journalist for over 15 years, Matthew previously worked at Thomson Reuters, KGO-TV in San Francisco, KTXL in Sacramento and McNaughton Newspapers. He received 9 California Journalism Awards between 2018 and 2020, and is a member of IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors).
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