The biggest problem with the modern streaming boom is deciding what to watch. With so many shows at your fingertips, it can often be hard to pick, leaving you stuck with decision paralysis for hours on end. However, Paramount Plus is trying to solve this problem with its brand new feature.Â
Today the service launched a new feature that is a delightful fusion of modern choice and retro convenience, a collection of 18 linear channels. These channels show curated content 24/7, allowing users to select one and let it run.
This new feature is based on the linear TV-style model pioneered by Pluto TV, a service that ViacomCBS, the owners of Paramount Plus, acquired in early 2019. The former CEO of Pluto TV, Tom Ryan, was made president and CEO of ViacomCBS Streaming, showing that ViacomCBS saw something in the Pluto TV concept.
The channels on offer are a fascinating mix, and they offer something for every palette. There are two types of channels available right now. The first is genre channels that show a mix of shows from a single genre. There are currently channels focused on: comedy, adult animation, drama, animation, police procedurals, Smithsonian Channel history content, kids shows, pre-school content, nostalgic hits, classic TV, and reality shows.
There is also a channel dedicated to Black voices that Paramount says will feature some of the best Black-focused and created content, including Key & Peele and The Neighborhood.
The other channels are focused on a single show or franchise, including popular episodes, spin-offs, and lesser-seen content. This includes channels dedicated to Paw Patrol, SpongeBob Squarepants, Star Trek, Survivor, The Challenge, and a channel only showing Jersey Shore and its various spin-offs.
Paramount has confirmed that more channels will be coming to the live channels function over the coming month. A dedicated RuPaul’s Drag Race channel and a movies channel are scheduled to launch at some point in December.
Live channels will be available to all Paramount Plus subscribers without ads. This means live channels will function the same for users on both the ad-supported Essential package and the Paramount Plus Premium package. However, this may change in the future, especially if the live channel model is popular.
It will be interesting to see how users react to these new channels. If they do well, we’ll undoubtedly see more channels launching in the future, and we may see other platforms launch their own version of the concept. It is fascinating to think that the future of streaming could be a new twist on the linear TV model that many had presumed streaming would kill.
