Back in May, top U.S. pay TV operator Charter Communications reached a broad-reaching carriage deal with Paramount Global that, in addition to the media conglomerate’s linear channels, also let the cable company deliver direct-to-consumer streaming platforms to its subscribers at no additional cost.
On Thursday, Charter announced that the ad-supported iteration of Paramount's flagship streaming service, Paramount Plus Essentials, regularly priced at $5.99 a month, is now available to subscribers of its Spectrum TV Select and Mi Plan Latino packages at no additional cost.
“This partnership not only enhances the viewing experience with access to top-rated original content and live sports, but it also creates new distribution opportunities for Paramount and is a significant step towards building a healthier video ecosystem that benefits both our customers and the industry as a whole," said Tom Montemagno, executive VP of programming acquisition for Charter, in a statement.
Charter lost 393,000 pay TV customers in the second quarter, and it's questionable as to whether free Paramount Plus Essentials will spark momentum.
Back in late July, Puck’s John Ourand reported that less than 10% of Spectrum TV users had signed up for the ad-supported iteration of Disney Plus, even though that SVOD had been available at no additional cost since January.
