ViacomCBS Pacts with Sky for Paramount+ Rollout

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) has clinched a deal to bring Paramount+ to Sky platforms in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria next year.

Sky Cinema subscribers will gain access to Paramount+ at no extra cost. As part of the alliance, Paramount Pictures’ feature films will remain available on Sky Cinema in the U.K. and will join Sky Cinema in Germany and Italy in 2022. All other Sky customers will be able to subscribe to Paramount+ as an add-on to their account.

The new multi-year distribution agreement also includes extended carriage of VCNI channels on Sky. Sky will also remain VCNI’s ad-sales partner in the U.K. and Italy.

“We are thrilled to expand our long-standing partnership with Sky to continue delivering ViacomCBS’s leading portfolio of premium entertainment brands to Sky customers and importantly bring Paramount+ to new audiences in all Sky markets, including the U.K., Ireland, Italy and GSA,” said Raffaele Annecchino, president and CEO of VCNI. “This transformative distribution deal is key to accelerating our global ambitions in streaming while also supporting Sky’s strategic objectives to better serve audiences with greater flexibility in how they consume our content across all platforms.”

Stephen van Rooyen, executive VP and chief executive for the U.K. and Europe at Sky, added, “This is another example of how we are innovating for our customers and further aggregating all the best apps and content together in one place on Sky Q, giving them more great TV to watch than ever before. Paramount+ is an excellent service with a huge range of fantastic films and TV series, and our new, broader agreement with ViacomCBS will benefit both businesses.”