Showtime today unveiled its plan to provide subscribers with more choice, greater flexibility and more of what they want with its new packages including Platinum which heralds the launch of a new era of VIP viewing.
Showtime, a leading pay-TV network in the Middle East has had its finger on the pulse of key trends emerging in the market with regards to what subscribers want from their pay TV subscription. Three key opportunities have been identified:
1. A premium package to provide subscribers with more choice, more flexibility and exclusive benefits
2. Access to all Showtime channels and services in one comprehensive package
3. A family friendly package providing excellent quality entertainment for every member of the family
Showtime has redesigned its packages taking into account these findings and has launched a premium package for the first time – PLATINUM. With Platinum, in addition to subscribers getting all channels, they also get unlimited access to all Home Cinema movies, a second subscription, a priority hotline and a members’ card which will offer additional, incremental and exclusive benefits.
The Platinum package, which will be available in all markets for new subscribers from May 1 costs US$ 80 per month. Coupled with the recent launch of the region’s first DVR service Showbox, the 7 day EPG (the on screen TV Guide) and the great programming line up, Showtime subscribers are really in a position to choose to watch what they want, when they want.
Movies Premiere (which costs US$ 60) is targeting those who want access to all 50 Showtime channels including the 15 movie channels showing at least 70% of the Top 100 box office hits annually and no less than 1700 movies a month. Add to that 8 out of the 10 most successful TV series seen on US television in 2005 (including Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, 24 and CSI) and such global TV brands as BBC Food, Discovery, Disney, E! Entertainment, Extreme Sports, Hallmark, MTV and VH1.
For the family conscious who want quality entertainment, the entry level package (starting from US$ 20) now provides more choice too, offering clusters of thematic channels which combine children’s programming, documentaries, general entertainment, sports and music including the two new sports channels launching on May 1: Sportsnet World and Sportsnet America. The options to choose from are Kids and Knowledge, Lifestyle and Variety and Sports.
Commenting on the new packages, Peter Einstein, President and CEO of Showtime said, “We have listened to what the market is telling us. Showtime is committed to bringing superb entertainment to its subscribers and the new Showtime packages deliver a great additional benefit - more choice! The packages offer choice for families, choice for those who want all of our channels, and choice for those who want all of that and more. The new Platinum package will be the VIP entertainment package for customers, offering flexibility across the price and programming spectrum. The new packages deliver the ultimate TV solution!”
Showtime Arabia is a leading pay-TV network in the Middle-East and North Africa. It provides 50 channels of mainly international content, with an especially strong offering of first run Hollywood films, due to its exclusive relationships with Disney, Sony, Paramount, Universal and Dreamworks. Showtime owns and operates its own channels including The Movie Channel, TV Land, Nickelodeon, Paramount Comedy Channel and Movietime. Included in its third party channel line-up are such global brands as MTV, CNN, Discovery, the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Bloomberg.
The network is owned by Gulf DTH, which is a joint venture of KIPCO and Viacom. KIPCO is Kuwait’s largest private sector investment company with more than US$ 15 billion under management. Its portfolio of investments includes around 55 companies, in sectors such as media, telecommunications, financial services, real estate and aviation, throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the U.S.
Viacom is a leading global media company, with preeminent positions in broadcast and cable television, radio, outdoor advertising, and online. Viacom’s well-known brands include CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Paramount Pictures, and Simon & Schuster.
