Interview, Conference Presentation
Robert Bakish, President and CEO of ViacomCBS
- The rebranding of CBS All Access to Paramount+ leverages the brand's legacy to initiate a new growth chapter.
- Domestic paid subscribers reached 18 million by year-end, marking 60% annual growth and exceeding the June 30 target of 16 million.
- Revenue growth is projected to accelerate in the third quarter, building on increases in the first and second quarters.
- Continued momentum is anticipated in September driven by new content and existing incremental growth from August.
- By 2021, the company plans to utilize its marketing scale across linear, social, and other platforms to maximize Paramount+ reach.
- An Apple partnership aims to drive subscriber growth and reduce churn while offering a combined CBS All Access/Showtime bundle for $9.99 monthly.
- The success of the Apple arrangement has prompted the company to seek additional mutually beneficial distribution opportunities.
- Cross-company library content usage is expected to improve expense efficiency and drive MAU and subscriber growth rates.
- Bellator events will be added to CBS Sports Network in October for live domestic and international airing.
- ViacomCBS intends to retain 100% of Bellator's value given its ownership of the property and avoidance of future renegotiation.
- UEFA matches are set to be exclusive to the platform in the U.S. through 2024, with select games airing on linear CBS.
- UEFA content availability, which exceeded projections in August, is expected to continue driving platform sign-ups.
- Monday Night Football is scheduled to air on the UK broadcaster Channel 5 to demonstrate international asset integration.
- Season three of Star Trek Discovery will launch for subscribers in October, preceded by a fall linear airing of season one.
- New content from Paramount and Viacom brands maintains strong double-digit total consumption on the platform despite limited integration time.