Star Trek’s expanding future on television is tied explicitly to CBS All Access, the streaming service from CBS. So, it is important to keep up with what the company has to say about the future of the platform, and some clues came earlier this week at the Deutsche Bank 2019 Media, Internet & Telecom Conference where CBS President and Acting CEO Joseph Ianniello discussed the plans for All Access both in the USA and overseas. There is also some more corporate news that can impact Star Trek’s future.
Rolling out more content to keep subscribers happy
Last month CBS reported they hit their goal of 8 million subscribers early (split evenly between CBS All Access and Showtime) and moved up their long-term goal to 25 million subscribers (combined) by 2022. When asked why they are so confident, Ianniello said they have learned from their first few years running these streaming services that new original content is the key for both new customers and keeping customers interested, as well as bringing back those who canceled (what CBS refers to as “pausing”). The CEO said:
When they come back is when we launch new original content…We want to limit or eliminate all of the pauses…We saw that as we were adding more and more originals, we saw the subscriptions keep going up and the churn coming down. That gave us the confidence to say hey what was the number one reason you paused your subscription? And again it was “we want more of this, we want more content like this.” And so we have Star Trek season two airing right now on All Access. We have The Good Fight season three starting on Thursday, and then we are going to have The Twilight Zone on April first. So, the folks that like Star Trek we think are really going to stay for The Twilight Zone. So, we are thinking about holistic kind of year-round programming strategy that reduces those pauses and increases the subscriptions.
As this was an investors’ forum, Ianniello was pressed about the cost of all this spending on original content, but he justified it:
As we always say, revenue follows the investment. We feel really good that it is the best return for our shareholders we can make. On All Access we are going to have four more originals this year, to bring that up to eleven. The Good Fight starts on Thursday, and then go right into The Twilight Zone. We also have Why Women Kill coming in the summer, Interrogation coming after, Strange Angel is starting early summer with season two. So we have a nice rollout of how we are going to release the originals throughout the year. And then we end the year with a new Star Trek series. So, it really kind of buttons the year up. A nice flow. A nice sizable investment of content. We expect to see the subs and the revenue trail that.
This commitment to original content for All Access, with an emphasis on Star Trek, explains why last year CBS tasked Alex Kurtzman to expand the Trek television franchise and we have seen a number of new shows go into development since.
Changing international licensing approach could impact Picard series
The Star Trek show coming to CBS All Access at the end of the year Ianniello referenced is the one starring Patrick Stewart, returning to his Next Generation role of Jean-Luc Picard. It is still an open question as to where the new Picard show will be seen outside of the United States. The deal with Netflix to distribute Star Trek: Discovery outside the USA and Canada was announced early on in the development process and the show is actually promoted as a “Netflix original” in those markets. As for the Picard series, it is going into production next month and the recent official press statements note the show “will air exclusively on CBS All Access in the United States and will be distributed concurrently internationally by CBS Studios International.”
Ianniello did not specifically discuss plans for the Picard series, but did discuss how they have started expanding All Access around the world:
Because we saw what was happening in the United States, because we saw the demand for our content from other SVOD platforms [media industry jargon for streaming providers like Netflix] that would pay high license fees for our shows, clearly, they’re smart and must be building a business model on our content as well. So, when we looked at that we thought why don’t we try that? We started with Canada [CBS All Access Canada], which is close enough to the United States and not a huge bet. And then we made a little acquisition in Australia, and we launched our service there just in the fourth quarter [Ten All Access]…We have had a lot of early success in Australia and we will be rolling these out in other markets as well.
Ianniello noted that this expansion has them reconsidering how they license their content overseas:
So, again it is really confirming what we saw here in the United States: the “If you build it they will come” theory. It has really proven out to give us optionality as we license our content…So, what we are doing now is literally pausing and making sure we are thinking about that value proposition to make sure we are maximizing the value proposition of each piece of our content. So, we don’t have a holistic strategy where we say we are never going to license our content to third parties. All we are saying is we want to pause and we want to look carefully to make sure we are getting the right value for it. But if another company has an infrastructure to maximize the content better than we can, we will certainly take their money.
Reading between the lines, it would not be a surprise to see the Picard series as an exclusive on All Access services in Canada and Australia, and possibly additional countries with services launched this year. As for the rest of the world, the show could end up on Netflix, another streaming service, or possibly even on broadcast or cable television.
All Access expected to be available through other services, including new Apple streamer
Returning to All Access in the US, it looks like there will soon be another way to subscribe, which could add convenience for some fans and bring in some new subscribers for the service. Later this month Apple is expected to officially announce the launch of its new video streaming service. In addition to its own original programming (including a new sci-fi show from Star Trek vet Ron Moore), the service is reported to also include the option to subscribe to other streaming services, and CBS All Access is expected to be one of the options available through this new Apple service.
This approach is similar to what Amazon Prime Video is doing with its Prime Channels (which includes CBS All Access). While you will still have to pay to subscribe to All Access on top of any other fees for the service, the ability to bundle different services together adds convenience and is a growing trend.
While he wouldn’t confirm the deal with Apple, CBS Interactive president Marc DeBevoise did confirm the company is looking to make All Access more available via other services, telling Variety:
We’ve been really successful at launching our apps across a number of devices and we’ve launched with Amazon Channels. I would anticipate on us doing more of those deals certainly in the future. How many and with whom? TBD. But we like that opportunity. Getting our service to more people, as easily accessible as possible for many different devices, we think is a good thing.
CBS/Viacom re-merger buzz continues
In other business news, industry outlets are reporting that CBS is nearing the end of its search for a permanent replacement for former CEO Leslie Moonves. According to Bloomberg, the board is considering a “handful” of candidates with the final decision expected by the end of March. Acting CEO Ianniello is one of the front-runners along with Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, who joined the CBS Board of Directors last year.
Variety and others reporting on the CEO search note how it is “widely expected” that CBS will re-merge with Viacom, the parent company of Paramount Pictures, which could be “a first step to a larger and more transformative transaction.” And speaking of transformative deals and Apple, some in the industry expect the company to spend some serious capital in order to build up a library of content for its new streaming service, with Deadline reporting that both CBS and Viacom are seen as potential targets for acquisition.
Keep up with all the corporate business news impacting Star Trek here at TrekMovie.com.
CBS needs to hurry up. Apple will have a streaming service soon. The Disney Fox merger will be done on March 20. CBS and Viacom should merge into one company to stay competitive with a powerful Disney now owning 20th Century Fox. So the Picard show won’t be on Netflix overseas? CBS All Access is not at the Netflix level yet but its getting there. I’m not getting the Apple streaming service. Disney will have their own streaming service later this year called Disney+. CBS got the head start. I’m happy they are making more content and more Star Trek. CBS knows their future. Streaming is here to stay. CBS All Access should be on Hulu. I do have Amazon Prime. Their shows are not good enough like Netflix. Netflix is the best of the bunch.
You are just asking to be banned. Is there a point here? You are just complaining about CBSAA nay, rambling about it. It’s greatly exceeded their projections and they are taking the slow and steady approach. I’d greatly prefer if nothing was rushed.
So I can’t have an opinion Duncan MacLeod. CBS All Access is okay but Netflix is better.
I’m just going on your usual complaint filled rambles on this site. It’s not productive and does not encourage discussion.
He is expressing his opinion. It is bad enough that the admins are attempting to censor him without community members following suit.
Yep, I noticed that too. I was quite shocked to see the admins censure him for some harmless comments.
Isn’t it the VOLUME of comments that turn it into spam-style trolling?
Don’t turn around! Oh oh! The Comment Police are in town! Oh oh!
I don’t know about that. Varied opinions generate more discussion. I don’t want this site to become an echo chamber. It’s not as interesting that way.
Seriously. You raise a valid point that they need to get on top of it FAST if they aregoing to succeed. There is an urgency. At any rate, keep posting please. At least I like reading a variety of opinions.
Professor Spock’s comments are on topic, I’m not sure what the problem is. If they launch a CBS AA service in the UK then I’ll pony up for it but given some of the comments made about the quality of the streaming and lack of app support when it launched in the US then I’d certainly be concerned about it.
It’s definitelt much better than when Discovery first launched. Image and sound quality have significantly improved. I subscribe through CAA and Amazon. The difference between them are not as big as they were before but Amazon is still a little better
Yeah I’ve been getting that impression from comments on here. My concern though @MattR would be that if they were launching in multiple new territories there might not be a lot of initial support for how you can watch it. For example I would tend to use it through my smart tv app or a console but always on a TV. When CBS AA launched in the USA I was reading comments from people that were having to watch it on their laptops.
That’s likely to be less of an issue now that CBS did the work to make apps for most of the common platforms over the last year and a half.
I guess, the question is whether or not there is a sufficient market for another streaming platform outside of the US. I’m fairly sanguine about it. I pay for Netflix and Amazon, I’ll doubtless subscribe to Disney’s platform in order to watch the Star Wars and Marvel shows and if I have to pay for another for new Trek then I’ll do it. I’m just not sure that there’s enough of an appetite for multiple streaming subscriptions in the wider European market.
Yeah that’s going to the next big question, what can the market support?
In the US we’re about to find out, things are exploding, and it will likely soon (the next 2-5 years) come to a head with just how many services people will put up with.
It sounds like the European market has its own challenges and that are quite a bit different from the US.
You’ve nailed it Matt.
Each market has its own structure, a one-size-fits-all model for delivering CBS content globally seems naive.
While it makes sense generally for CBS to reestablish a direct relationship between the content creators and the viewers, there is increasing pushback against streaming costs in several countries.
Netflix, for example, is rapidly losing market share in Canada due to a combination of increased price and reduced content.
I suspect that we’ll see more bundling and add-on options as offered through Amazon Prime in the US and Crave in Canada (which offers Showtime content, with an HBO add-on option),
In the end, there may be have some kind of distribution middleman, something like a cable or satellite service operator, but how it gets configured in different countries will vary.
I didn’t put it in the article but Ianniello said they have learned from their their early experience that local instances should include unique content for that market. That’s how Ten All Access is set up in Australia if you click link above. Buying Ten obviously made this localization a lot easier. Perhaps they will start buying locally in Europe and elsewhere. But for sure they know one size does not fit all.
Certainly from a cost perspective I’d be happy to see them continue with the current overseas distribution model. However, It does concern me slightly that it gives Netflix too much power over Star Trek particularly having seen what’s happened with the Marvel Netflix shows when Disney started to develop there own global streaming service. I guess purchasing or partnering with TV companies worldwide could be of benefit to their domestic service as original content produced overseas could be used to bolster their US library.
It’s not just the content that may need to vary Anthony, but the distribution model.
Even though many countries are deregulating and allowing integration, television has been a highly regulated industry worldwide.
The history of regulation and deregulation create market differences and consumer patterns that are persistent.
Or, in some cases like Canada the kind of integration the AT&T merger will soon permit in the US is long established.
Perhaps, although the episode recaps are always choppy for me even with the latest app updates. I use my Firestick and CBSAA app through an Amazon Prime channel. It could be better. Once we get to the meat of the episode the quality is always great though.
Locutus, my initial comment was only referring to the availability of All Access on a variety of hardware platforms. I wasn’t making any comments on the (mediocre) consistency of quality of AA itself.
It’s also kind of hilarious that AA can’t or won’t license all of TNG in HD, but Netflix and Amazon did.
It’s pathetic, I agree. The assumption is they have some kind of exclusivity with Amazon and Netflix. They had one with Amazon when it was first being released, Amazon was the only streaming service to get TNG-R for the first 2 years, then Netflix got them. So the expectation is that soon whatever deals they made should be up soon. But no one knows for sure.
How is it pathetic. Do you really expect CBS to break their deal with Amazon and Netflix?
It’s kinda sad when CBS is trying to position AA as “the place for Trek” and then you combine it with other issues the AA catalog has, for example there is no copy of The Cage on All Access. Yet it’s available on Netflix and Amazon Prime as season 1 episode 0. Also you can never be sure what version of a TOS episode you’ll get, some have the new VFX, others do not.
The exclusivity deal is an assumption, it’s the only logical reason why they’d not have all 7 seasons of TNG-R available, aside from sheer ignorance of their catalog, which can’t entirely be ruled out, see the examples I previously mentioned.
Then watch it on Netflix or Amazon. Be lucky CBS refused Amazon’s offer to be the only service to stream Star Trek in the US.
true
Right ,but you will pay for each service ,that comes out a lot of money a year.Streaming maybe here to stay but they are going to find out there not going to make as much money as they think.And physical media as much as were hearing the sky is falling ,it’s not ,4K discs sales are on the rise and more studio releases are coming and lot of catalog titles.It ain’t over till it’s over.
Blu ray sales are going down because of Streaming. I own a PS4 and I have never seen a blu ray movie.
CBSAA is nowhere near the Netflix level.
CBSAA is at the level when Netflix first got serious about streaming. Even somewhat higher since Netflix at that point had no original content.
Yes, but Netflix did have thousands of films and prior shows. CBSAA has a few dozen older shows (and not even complete episodes of many of those series) and a dozen or so films. It’s a non-comparison even when Netflix only had rental for DVD’s and streaming.
I don’t like Apple. I’m a Google user but Apple original content will be terrible. Apple can’t be like Netflix but at least they have the iSheep to cheer for them. Google has YouTube Premium. Pretty good stuff from that.
Don’t you have anything different to say?
I might sign up just to watch Moore’s “For All Mankind”. “Amazing Stories” was relentlessly mediocre the first time around, but maybe it will be better this time.
I’m personally not thrilled with the idea of CBSAA having the exclusive rights in Canada.
Broadcast cable meets most of our family’s needs. Given it’s something our kids shouldn’t watch, I’m not sure we’d have looked at Discovery if it wasn’t running on Space.
Looking beyond myself, from a corporate strategy perspective, I can see CBS wanting to try proof-of-concept in Canada and Australia.
However, the remark that Canada’s not all that different gave me pause. Very experienced US companies have made that assumption the Canadian market will be an easy first step and failed disastrously.
It’s just that attitude that led to abandoned Target stores in communities across Canada.
The differences may be subtle, but they can be profound. (Something that I learned the hard way through having lived in both countries.)
As well, Canada already has BellMedia as an integrated telephone, media content producer, TV channels, streaming services etc.
Breaking in the market significantly may be tough…especially when BellMedia and other Canadian streaming companies are making the case to Canadian regulators that Netflix, Amazon and other outside services should have to meet Canadian content and original Canadian programming requirements that are the norm for Canadian licensing.
I am very enthusiastic about having more Trek content available, so I hope that the CBS team on the ground in Canada (e.g. building the new studios in Mississauga) can give the senior US management better insight into the Canadian market.
That’s very interesting, I had forgotten about things like Target basically being rejected.
re: Canadian programing requirements, I don’t know anything about them, but I wonder does All Access perhaps already meet those requirements since multiple original AA shows are filmed in Canada and use lots of local talent?
No it would not be sufficient.
BellMedia (Crave) is required to have much higher proportions of original Canadian content (CanCon), which is the basis of its formal complaint against Netflix and Amazon Prime.
A certain portion of the product streamed would have to originate in Canada and have Canadian creative control with Canadians in the lead roles, although content filmed in Canada would contribute to the regulatory score.
CanCon requirements for federal telefilm funding such as Discovery receives are different. The scoring for that looks at total employment picture. The formula for the funding doesn’t insist on Canadian executive producers or writers or leading actors.
Much of the Canadian created original programming on Netflix and Amazon outside of Canada is distributed within Canada on the Canadian network that is the originator (e.g. Kim’ Convenience, Schists Creek, Annedroids, Anne with an E).
This is the same model wherein Discovery runs on CBSAA in the US but is branded a Netflix original outside of North America.
CanCon rules seem pretty arcane, but they have been successful in enabling Canadian literature such as The Handmaids Tale to thrive and reach a global audience.
Basically, to meet the regulatory requirement CBS AA and Netflix would need to create Canadian original shows that they would stream themselves in Canada rather than working with a Canadian network partner.
Gotcha. Thanks for education :-)
Thanks for indulging me Matt.
As I said, while taking its creative product directly to its US audience via CBS AA and Showtime is a return to the original business model, doing the same globally is new.
But so then is CBS building and running a major studio outside of the US.
It’s an exciting development in the business. I agree that having Netflix dominate the international distribution is not going to create a stable platform for Star Trek.
I sincerely hope that since, unlike in Australia, they can’t buy into an existing Canadian streamer, that CBS will build up staff in Canada that can help, or get into long-term contracts with Canadian-led production companies.
Last thought, it may not currently be possible to bring Showtime and CBS AA together outside the US due to longstanding contractual arrangements like the one with BellMedia in Canada.
I can see CBS making the strategic choice to move now globally with AA since it is a new product, with a long term vision to integrate the two.
I’ll be pretty disappointed if it’s not on Netflix. I guess Netflix didn’t offer them the big bucks like with Discovery.
All I’ll say is I will be really disappointed if the powers-that-be don’t see the potential of a Pike/Spock/Enterprise series.
Amen to that! Anson Mount has been spot on all season and it would be a shame to not see a Pike series. They’ve already got Spock and Number One. Seems a no-brainer to me.
He’s pretty boring as Pike, I liked him better as a cowboy.
The Enterprise is for the movies.
I really hope CBS and Viacom re-merge as I want to see all the licencing rights to Star Trek back under one umbrella. Let the Kelvin timeline die. In my opinion, if there’s another movie made with the USS Enterprise, I’d like to see Anson Mount as Christopher Pike in command. He’s doing an outstanding job on Discovery in the role. I’d also like to see more post Voyager content like the upcoming Picard series. Let’s keep moving the timeline forward and exploring strange new worlds… Or if you want to revisit TOS, or TNG eras, then lets do another DS9 or something periphery to the USS Enterprise.
I really don’t want Apple to buy Viacom though. As much as I haven’t loved some of the directions Discovery has gone in, I don’t think Star Trek would be at it’s best in the hands of the folks from Apple. If I see an Apple logo on a console on screen on a ship on Star Trek I will be very sad. Apple is great at gadgets, but they really don’t seem to get producing original content for music and video streaming. I don’t want them trying to learn the ropes with Star Trek.
He’s not wrong.
As a single studio, restricted to the U.S. I’m not sure CBS All Access will ever fund the variety of episode-of-the-week content we get on Hulu from NBC, ABC, and FOX combined. There’s over a dozen shows on Hulu that I watch all year long and that’s a fraction of Hulu’s total weekly content.
CBS has basically 1/3rd the content for the same asking price.
Unless CBS can rope in more networks within their $11 commercial free price bracket, I’m not seeing the value. I would bet the average household will eventually drop into a pattern of subscribing 2-3 months out of the year to binge watch the 2-3 shows they like.
The idea, I would think, would be that CBSAA could be expanded to include Viacom content, which is elusive on streaming services as Viacom holds its content for ransom in favor of old media distribution. If the combined company also buys the Discovery networks, that would be more potential added value.
The fact that CBS and Showtime are still not bundled though makes me think they’d indulge their greed and try separate services for awhile until forced to combine. Would not be surprised if Verizon snatches them all up and treats them like AT&T treats WarnerMedia content. Dunno if that’s any better than seeing the content belong to Apple so it can drive its sales.
What an evil plan.
😋
I stream Discovery on amazon prime 24 hours after aired on CBS access and ain’t paying for it except prime each year.What’s up with that.
You may want to check your statement.
With so many really good anthology shows on at the moment,is any one really going to pay for CBSAA just for the Twilight Zone?
Star Trek yes. Twilight Zone no.
I lost interest in Discovery but will be tuning in for TZ.
I’m paying.
Yes.
You might be underestimating Jordan Peele’s pull right now, especially with Us about to open.
Add that to TZ’s nearly unmatched brand in this regard, I’d say yes.
Now they just need to produce a few great episodes, too . . .
I’m not signed up now and probably won’t for TZ, but when Picard comes out I’ll sign back up and likely binge DSC, TZ at that time. Too many streaming services out there, too many balls in the air.
There are too many streaming services available. I pay for Netflix disc and piggy back with a friend for their streaming. I only pay for CBS while Trek is on and I honestly do not care how good the few TZ episodes will be during the overlap. I will be canceling the instant the Trek season is over. I can catch up on the other TZ’s when I re-up for the Picard show. Why waste the money? At this point, TZ is the only non-Trek thing I even have an interest in. There are shows on Amazon that I actually would like to see but just don’t want to spend the money on the service. It’s a drag that Amazon doesn’t make their content available on disc. But oh well.
“So, we are thinking about holistic kind of year-round programming strategy…”
When real corporate person sounds like Simpsons parody of corporate person.
There’s always a lot of spin on investor calls but basically what we’ve got here is concern about rising production costs for CBS All Access originals, limited distribution for Picard and a sense of urgency to re-combine the assets of Viacom and CBS.
Viacom’s cable assets could work to CBS AA’s benefit. Debut shows on CBS AA, provide the prior season just before the debut of the new season on CBS AA for greater exposure. Netflix inadvertently created this model which benefited Mad Men and Breaking Bad on AMC, Spartacus Blood and Sand on Starz and a number of CW series.
Not to mention Paramount’s extensive movie catalog. As Trek fans here, we’d all love to be able to stream all the shows AND all the movies in one place, for one price. Throw in franchises like Mission Impossible, Transformers, myriad others, content from Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, and suddenly the app becomes a lot more viable as a full time subscription.
I’m aware we viewers or fans are not the audience for this but their shareholder meetings are always a bit bizarre in that you get the distinct impression that the “content” (ie, Star Trek) is really strictly a means to the actual end (returns for the shareholders) and if they somehow could get people to buy subscriptions without producing any content they would totally do it! Can’t there be some sort of balance between creativity and business?
FYI to Trek Movie staff – the director of the Picard premiere already confirmed Netflix has the rights to the show outside of the US (CBS All Access) and Canada (Space). The head of animation at CBS Eye also says Lower Decks has same arrangement. Usually you guys are on-top of this stuff!!!
CBS has not said anything officially, and as you can see from this article they’re interested in keeping their content on their own streaming services. We’ve specifically asked and gotten no response. It’s very likely they’re still negotiating deals and thus won’t comment on things.
I assume you’re referring to this tweet? https://twitter.com/Hillview798/status/1101981698940579845?s=09
We believe Culpepper was making an assumption based on Discovery. Directors typically do not know much, if anything, about the distribution rights. They’re making the show (creative side), they’re generally not privy to deals being made on the business side.
We’ve also seen nothing official about Lower Decks distribution deals, and can’t find anything from Katie Krentz (the head of the new CBS animation division) on social media, either. Did you perhaps see this article? which is about how both Netflix and CBS are creating their own animation divisions. They’re two separate things under one article.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tvs-animation-boom-sparks-new-studios-at-netflix-cbs-1156274
I’m sure the director of the show (and presumably one of the executive producers going forward) has knowledge of where it’s airing. Deadline has also said it’s a Netflix show outside of North America, so I’m going to believe a creative on the show and industry website.
I would imagine distribution deals are already in place, they’re just not announcing it until production starts.
the director of the show (and presumably one of the executive producers going forward)
Where did you get that idea? TV directors don’t usually become series producers. They’re hired to direct.
Example: the pilot of Discovery used a well known pilot director, David Semel. His job was to come in and use his veteran knowledge to get the pilot off the ground, and then he was off to the next project. He got an EP credit for “The Vulcan Hello,” to signify his work in setting up the pilot, but he’s not an EP of the series, his credit was on that single episode. EP titles are handed out for a variety of reasons and many are not active in the business side of things.
Deadline has also said it’s a Netflix show outside of North America
Every article on Deadline that I’m aware of simply says this:
This is all very interesting… including the animation divisions…
I’m wondering how this will play out with Corus/Nelvana being so dominant in the kids animated television market. Corus not only makes a lot in house, but has partnerships with many animation houses worldwide.
Yeah Nelvana is a big name. Should be interesting to see how things all shake out.
Hysterical. Here comes a train called Disney Plus.
Or you can just download them all anonymously, and not subscribe to anything.
There’s too many damned streaming services and I will not subscribe to one and another and another just to watch ONE show on each.
So I’ll forever be cancelling and re-subscribing? Utter nonsense.
No, it just means that rather the subscribing once a year for a month, I might end up doing it twice to be able to binge watch their shows all at once. No way I would be paying for it monthly on top of Netflix and DirecTVNow.
I love Discovery, and I am definitely going to stay for Twilight Zone. They also have every Star Trek series and most of the movies. And 2 more new Star Trek series coming down the pike (no pun intended) I can’t wait for the new Picard series and the Section 31 series probably will show up next year IMO.
Good luck with that. People are leaving cable and installing antennas by the hundreds in my area.
That has what to do with streaming?
I personally know two people who did that. And one returned to cable. In my neighborhood, there are no new antennas going up.
Yeah if the best they have to offer is Star Trek Discovery caliber star trek, then they lost me. More power to you if you like Discovery, but it’s not for me.
Disregard. Had a brain shutdown!
Uh…..no, CBS. I’m not paying Amazon Prime $120/year (and I really didn’t want to pay *that* much) PLUS CBS All Access a fee just to watch the new Trek. And cancelling is NOT “pausing”….cancelling is CANCELLING. Like what this 16+ year DISH subscriber is getting ready to do with DISH because they raised my fees to pay for a stupid March Madness promotion.
All that aside, the ST on CBSAA is mediocre at best. The best new Trek is by far The Orville.
Put that in your smoke and pipe it.
Lucky me I don’t need CBS access where I live and Netflix is enough to watch discovery. I wouldn’t subscribe to their streaming service unless they have many products I’m interested into.
I’m all in…for Discovery, the Good Fight, the Twilight Zone, unnamed Picard show, Lower Decks, and the eventual unnamed Georgiou show.
“… folks that like Star Trek we think are really going to stay for The Twilight Zone.”
They might have me there. What they should really shoot for is 52 episodes (52 weeks) of new Star Trek content a year. If they had 4 shows, each with unique characteristics, at 13 episodes a season, then BINGO they are there. And they are close to that offering with Discovery, and now Lower Decks, Picard, and Section 31 in the pipeline. Until they get there, I’ll keep “pausing.”
If it is 40 weeks of content, which I think is where they will hit it, I won’t be pausing. Right now I do. I will pause after the Twilight Zone and pick up with Picard.
And I anticipate we will soon hear of the Pike series. There is no reason not to do it and every reason to do it.
The one and only one way to get me to keep my CBS subscription is to have a Trek show on all year round. There are a lot of shows on HBO that I like but I’m not subscribed to HBO nor do I ever plan to. Same is true of Amazon. There are a couple of shows there that might be interesting but it’s just not worth it. The one and only one reason I’m subscribed to CBS is because I’m a Trek fan. If they want to throw in another show like TZ I might be interested in, great. Something to look at when I subscribe to Trek. But thus far, TZ is the only other show I’m curious about. And if Game of Thrones is not enough to get me interested in HBO no way TZ is going to get me to keep my CBS subscription.
Interesting. So CBS has done a deal with Channel 10 here in Australia. I wonder if they have a PS3 app. I may have to invest in a chrome-cast so I can watch Picard on my TV.
Not a deal, they own channel 10
The Picard show should be available on regular Cable TV! I don’t have a fancy smart TV or any of that stuff. Just a cable box with Comcast and a normal television from the 1990s. So I won’t be able to watch the Picard show if it’s only on CBS All Access.
You don’t have a PC?
I wouldn’t blame Data’s Stundent for the desire to watch TV on a… TV rather than some puny computer monitor.
My VPN to the UK will be ready if it goes to Ten All Access here…
From what I understand, Netflix actually finances the production of Discovery, so its presence on their platform internationally is not simply a matter of who won the tender and clinched the rights to the show. I would suspect the Picard series is not being financed this way if Netflix’s worldwide rights are not an automatic given like they are with Discovery. For those of us not in the US, it’s convenient to have all Trek content streaming on one platform. And I suspect launching the CBS brand in markets where it is currently unknown might not bode well for the Picard series (Trek is hardly an international phenomenon on the par with other big-name franchises).
As I recall, CBS executives mentioned Netflix has first look rights for any series that could be framed as a Discovery spinoff. Picard doesn’t qualify. I hope they will talk to Netflix first though. It will come down to how many markets would be enough for Netflix, if CBS plans to have Picard in his own service overseas. I suspect if it comes down to Canada and Australia only, Netflix will partner again. If it excludes european markets as well, they may lose interest.
I am not subscribing to another streaming service regularly unless it’s something spectacular. I already have Netflix, Amazon Prime (both worth having with thousands of films and hundreds of shows), and HULU (I got in on the Christmas deal they had for 12 months for $12 they offered otherwise I wouldn’t have it more than a month or two a year). I did have FilmStruck before AT&T screwed us and shut it down (that’s what AT&T is good at), and Shudder (it’s fantastic if you’re a horror fan).
What does CBS Access offer? A handful of shows (and not even the full series of many of those which makes it pointless to start watching as I don’t want to miss episodes if I’m going to watch something) and about a dozen films and “reality” TV drivel like “Survivor”. No thanks. They won’t ever have me more than maybe one month a year to watch STD and The Twilight Zone. And if they change their service to where you can’t subscribe but annually I’ll just have to find other means to watch anything they have on there.
If networks/streaming services think that they are going to get big numbers by offering a subpar streaming service with regular subscribers with only a handful of series/films they are woefully mistaken and will not last.
I must have missed the $12 Hulu thing, because I would have leapt at it to see the rest of THE LOOMING TOWER. I got to preview the first three eps when I did an article about it and loved what I saw, but am still waiting to try to see it sometime. On the plus side, I lucked into s1 blu-ray of HANDMAID for $2 at the pawn shop, so can’t complain about that part of Hulu.
I recently saw season 1 of Handmaid through Netflix. What an overrated pile of garbage. I had season 2 in my cue but have since removed it.
It would be nice if CBS had an app built into TV’s or Disc players. I was casting from my phone but now started casting from my tablet. The glitches are still there but at least incoming phone calls don’t screw up the casting.
Next, even if TZ is really good, I’m still cancelling when Trek is over. Why would I stick around for TZ when I can see the rest of the episodes the next time I subscribe? I guess most subscribers are more willing to spend the money than I am.