SkyShowtime is already up and running in Spain and Andorra and its CEO Monty Sarhan gives us the keys. It is a platform that operates in Europe, albeit with American roots. It brings together the offerings of Paramount+ and Peacock, video-on-demand services from ViacomCBS and NBCUniversal that had yet to reach our country. They’re doing this together to avoid further saturating this on-demand content platform market. Although Sarhan tries to defend, our country still has a lot to move forward and change in terms of television coverage. “If you think about it, streaming platforms have only been around for 15 years. Fifteen years after its launch, nobody would have told conventional television that there was no room for more. It’s been growing for decades,” he commented this Tuesday during his visit to Madrid.
He himself reveals some of the doubts about a catalog to a service that brings together film franchises, television classics, original series such as Bosé and Los envoys, and recovers other Spanish titles such as Por H o por B, of which it will premiere its second season.
How much does it cost?
The price is 5.99 euros per month. At the moment it is cheaper than the simplest option on other platforms and, in principle, will not contain advertising. “Last year, when we were planning the launch in Spain, we analyzed what is happening in Europe, with inflation and the rise in the cost of living. That’s why we think the price is a really important issue. Our philosophy is that entertainment shouldn’t cost viewers a fortune,” he says.
Anyone who signs up for SkyShowtime before April 25th will enjoy one offer: 50% off forever. That means it costs €2.99 per month for now. But that doesn’t mean that this number will be maintained forever. If the price increases in the future, half of this new amount will be paid.
What can we find in your catalogue?
Basically, the merging of the catalogs of the big brands in the industry: Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount +, Showtime, Sky Studios and Peacock. Natalia Marcos has prepared a practical guide analyzing the use of its interface and its content in the weekly TV newsletter. Sarhan himself illuminates the universe surrounding western Yellowstone and its derivatives, involving Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford and Hellen Mirren, among others. It also mentions Tulsa King via a gangster played by Silvester Stallone.
“We’re bringing the best of Hollywood while bringing the best of local content,” argues the company’s CEO. Because in addition to its own titles born from this conglomerate, SkyShowtime has already published an original title, Bosé. “We ask the Spanish production companies that work with us to provide us with authentic, solid and relevant stories for audiences in the country. Representation matters. We want all SkyShowtime viewers to feel identified with the stories and see characters that look the same,” he announces. Another original title soon to be released in Spanish is Los envoys by Juan José Campanella and starring Miguel Ángel Silvestre.
The platform has decided to save some of the original titles that HBO Max Spain removed from its own catalog a few months ago. They highlight Por H o por B, which already has a second season ahead of its premiere; Everything Else and Foodie Love, which are currently only coming with already-aired episodes. “We believe in good stories and they are,” comments Sarhan, who doesn’t close the doors on formats that other catalogs have already conquered, such as reality TV and documentaries.
SkyShowtime Executive Director Monty Sarhan in an image provided by the company MACIEJ STANKIEWICZ
What is your joint account policy?
SkyShowtime allows seamless sharing of personal accounts on up to three simultaneous devices. Each account can create up to five different user profiles. But Sarhan always talks about sharing an account “within the same family unit and within the same household,” so not doing it and sharing it with strangers or friends or relatives who live in other places can cause problems in the future, like it recently happened on Netflix.
Series released suddenly or by chapters?
“We believe that airing the series weekly will create more conversation, generate more interest, attract more viewers and grow a community of followers,” said SkyShowtime executive director. For example, the six episodes of Bosé following the double chapter will be released one after the other this Friday, March 3rd. “We don’t want to lose that magic, experience one thing at a time and share it with your friends. It’s something you don’t have with binge-watching — consuming the content right away —” he argues. It will change, he points out, the way they are launched. Sometimes the first two chapters are released right away, as was the case with the singer’s biography, and sometimes they aren’t. It is based on what works best for each piece of content.
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