Showtime to Release HBO Now-Like Streaming Service

It looks like HBO Now is going to see some competition with a second channel bypassing cable and satellite television providers. According to Hidden Remote, Showtime will also launch a direct-to-consumer service similar to what HBO is doing with its streaming service.

CBS chief Les Moonves announced that the service will be available in the not-too-distant future at the Deutsche Bank Securities 2015 Media, Internet and Telecom Conference.

Moonves also said in the conference that he's been trying to get the usual outlets to sign distribution deals, and although many were initially hesitant, they are coming around and getting nearer to sign agreements.

He said in the conference, as noted by Deadline, "I think the floodgate is now open...We got a number of calls yesterday from existing players and digital players that we've talked to in the past...The content we have at Showtime is also premium. I don't think there's any way, shape or form for anybody to look at [HBO Now] other than as a major positive for premium cable."

However, Showtime's announcement comes at a bad time, as the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau has just announced that streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are to blame for the decline in TV ratings.

Cinema Blend also noted that there has already been success in cord-cutting as CBS All Access was brought to subscribers late last year. A $5.99 monthly subscription fee grants access to over 6,500 episodes from CBS Shows, and with more affiliates coming to offer live streaming service, it seems that cable TV could be a thing of the past.

Moonves already stated that at this point that CBS All Access already has over 100,000 subscribers, and with CBS being the top-rated network, that is hardly surprising. However, it does not necessarily mean that it will translate well in streaming too. After all, "The Big Bang Theory" has 19 million viewers per episode, and that's a far cry from the 800,000 "House of Lies" audience.

Moonves also maintained that CBS has an advantage over other networks because it has not sold out to distributors yet. He said, "If people want them, they have to renegotiate with us. We are offering All Access to all of our partners, and it is not at $5.99 [a month] to them....

"That means our [retransmission consent] number is going to go up in each one of these markets because they're going to have to pay a certain amount per sub to get these out of home rights which are becoming more and more important."

What do you think of the shift from cable to streaming TV?