Premium prices for stellar content
So, how much will Star Trek consumers have to pay if they want to continue having access to the science fiction franchise’s complete library of television and film content — minus seasons 1 and 2 of the animated must-see Prodigy — through Paramount/HBO Max’s upcoming streaming service? Well, this is where things get nauseating for consumers.
At the time of this writing, Paramount+’s ad-free premium plan, which includes Showtime, costs $13.99 a month. Meanwhile, HBO Max’s best platform will run viewers $22.99 on a monthly basis, but it includes access to live sporting events like Major League Baseball (MLB) games and coverage of the NCAA’s March Madness tournament. Does that mean consumers are going to have to shell out nearly $40 a month for the Paramount/WBD bundle? And will the current Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle remain intact?
Is the vast library of content going to be worth paying such an elevated price for streaming content? Remember, Paramount/WBD’s direct competitor is Netflix. And currently, Netflix’s no-ad, premium offering costs only $24.99 a month. When faced with choosing a streaming service, will consumers go with the cheaper option? Perhaps. Or will they’ll choose to consume more high-profile content, which will be available on a platform that includes the likes of Star Trek and the DC Universe?
Maybe the most hardcore consumers of content will pay the ultimate price to have it all, while the budget-conscious streamers will have to make a difficult decision. It's also worth noting, according to a new report by THR, that over 25 percent of HBO Max subscribers are already signed up for Paramount+.
And let's not forget about those pesky (to David Ellison) antitrust laws in place to promote fair competition and prevent monopolies. In other words, the $110-billion merger is contingent on the Paramount/Warner Bros. deal being deemed by the United States and foreign countries as a formation that does not violate these laws. However, if the acquisition is fully approved around the world, the antitrust laws also provide that companies protects customers from exorbitant prices. (Continued on page 4...)