Paramount Global’s flagship streaming service Paramount Plus will debut an ad-supported tier in Canada and Australia in the coming weeks.
The ad-supported plan will roll out to Canadian subscribers next month, Paramount officials confirmed on Tuesday, followed by a similar launch in Australia two months later.
In Canada, the ad-supported plan will cost CA $7 per month (about U.S. $5.20 per month). In Australia, subscribers will pay AU $7 per month (about U.S. $4.60 per month). Streamers in both territories will also be able to pay for 12 months of Paramount Plus on the ad-supported plan for a discount off the normal monthly rate.
Paramount will also launch a premium version of Paramount Plus throughout Europe that will offer ultra-high definition (UHD/4K) content and support for HDR 10 and Dolby Vision. The premium plan will be introduced in France for €11 per month (about U.S. $12 per month), or about €3 higher than the streamer’s standard plan.
Future rollouts of the premium tier will take place in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland later this year, Paramount executives affirmed.
“Our pricing strategy and a market-by-market approach to our offerings is key to providing customers choice, flexibility, and value,” Marco Nobili, the Executive Vice President and International General Manager of Paramount Plus, said in a statement. “The premium tier has demonstrated great success in Canada, Australia, and Latin America, and I am confident this offering will enable us to reach new subscribers in Europe, as well. As we launch [an ad-supported plan] in our international markets, we can also offer our incredible content at an even more competitive price to ultimately increase our reach and expand our advertising offerings to partners.”
Paramount is focused on distributing its Paramount Plus streaming service in countries where the company has a mixture of existing business and brand awareness. As of February, Paramount plus counted 67.5 million global paying customers.
In parts of the world where Paramount does not operate linear channels or otherwise have brand recognition, the company has partnered with Comcast’s NBC Universal to offer content through Sky Showtime, which is operated as a joint venture. Sky Showtime is available in dozens of countries across Europe and North Africa.
Last month, executives from Paramount and NBC Universal laid out plans for Sky Showtime to launch its own ad-supported tier in several countries, starting next month. The plan, called Standard with Ads, will offer the same content from both brands, with short commercial breaks peppered throughout movies and TV shows.
