Showtime Announces Standalone Internet Service

Showtime Announces Standalone Internet Service

Showtime will offer its programming over the Internet via a standalone service starting in July, the company said Wednesday.

Apple will serve as Showtime’s first partner in the service, which is called, aptly enough, Showtime.

The service, which will launch to coincide with the season premieres of “Ray Donovan” and “Masters of Sex” on July 12, will initially be available via iPhone, iPad, iPad touch and Apple TV. A $10.99 monthly subscription fee will cover all devices.

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In addition to unlimited, on-demand access to every season of Showtimes’ original series, subscribers will have access to movies, documentary and sports programming, along with the live broadcasts of the East Coast and West Coast feeds of Showtime.

CBS Corporation president and CEO Les Moonves said that the new service will open Showtime up to “tens of millions of potential new subscribers.”

“Going over-the-top means Showtime will be much more accessible to tens of millions of potential new subscribers,” Moonves noted in a statement. “Across CBS, we are constantly finding new ways to monetize our programming by capitalizing on opportunities presented by technology. This works best when you have outstanding premium content — like we do at Showtime — and when you have a terrific partner like Apple — which continues to innovate and build upon its loyal customer base.”

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“At Showtime, we’re excited to offer consumers the opportunity to subscribe in new ways, by simply having an internet connection,” added Showtime Networks chairman and CEO Matthew C. Blank. “Our intent is to make Showtime available to viewers via every manner possible, giving them an enormous amount of choice in accessing our programming, starting with the season premieres of our award-winning series ‘Ray Donovan’ and ‘Masters of Sex.'”

Showtime’s new service follows HBO’s standalone offering, HBO Now, which was announced in March and launched in April. Like Showtime’s service, HBO Now was initially offered via Apple.

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