Paramount+ Adds Live Channels for 'Effortless' Entertainment

Paramount+ adds Live Channels for ‘effortless’ entertainment

By Simon Cohen December 9, 2021

What could be easier than firing up your favorite streaming video service and picking something to watch? According to Paramount+, the answer is a new collection of so-called “live” channels based on Paramount’s most popular entertainment properties. The feature, called Live Channels, launches on December 9 and includes more than 15 linear streaming channels like Star Trek, Survivor, and SpongeBob Universe.

“Even in the era of on-demand, there is clearly a strong consumer appetite for reimagined linear channels that provide effortless, lean-back entertainment,” said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Streaming, in a press release.

Paramount+ Star Trek Live Channel. — Paramount+

Live Channels shouldn’t be confused with Paramount+’s actual Live TV channels like The NFL on CBS and UEFA, or breaking news from CBSN, but they do share one trait in common: You join the streams in-progress and you can see an on-screen schedule that maps out which shows are coming up next so you can plan your viewing accordingly.

In addition to taking the guesswork out of finding something to watch, Paramount+ hopes Live Channels will also act as a discovery tool, giving viewers the chance to see a show they might not have chosen to watch on-demand. The streaming service plans to expand the initial list of Live Channels in the future, and will be adding a dedicated movies channel and a RuPaul’s Drag Race channel later in December.

Here’s the full list of Live Channels available as of December 9, 2021:

24/7 Laughs: A destination for feel-good, laugh-out-loud content from popular series such as Hot in Cleveland, Reno 911, and Tosh.O.
Adult Animation: Genre-defining series such as Beavis and Butt-Head, Celebrity Deathmatch, and Daria.
All Day Drama: The best in drama, including everything from Evil and The Twilight Zone to Touched by An Angel and The Guardian.
Animation Favorites: Beloved kids’ animated series, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Rugrats, Spongebob Squarepants, and The Fairly Oddparents.
Black Voices: A celebration of Black voices and stories with a collection of popular series such as Chappelle’s Show, Key & Peele, The Game, and The Neighborhood.
Crime & Justice: Primetime procedurals such as Bull, Blue Bloods, CSI: Miami, MacGyver, Seal Team, and The Good Wife
History & Undiscovered: A curated selection for historians from the Smithsonian Channel, including Sacred Sites, Secrets, America’s Hidden Stories, and Secrets Unlocked.
Kids & Family Fun: A destination for the whole family to enjoy favorites such as Henry Danger, I Carly, the Thundermans, and Zoey 101.
Nostalgic Hits: A playlist featuring episodes from iconic series, including Beverly Hills 90210, Cheers, Frasier, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Wings.
Paw Patrol: Home to all things Paw Patrol, including Paw Patrol: Live at Home!, Paw Patrol: The Movie, and, of course, the original series that started it all.
Preschool Corner: Parent-approved programming for pint-sized viewers such as Blue’s Clues, Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, Paw Patrol, and Peppa Pig.
Reality TV: Competition: A collection of reality TV’s most popular series, including Ink Master, Rupaul’s Drag Race, and Survivor
Reality TV: Shores: Hours of content from the fist-pumping franchise, including episodes from Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, and Floribama Shore.
SpongeBob Universe: Home to all things Bikini Bottom, the channel will feature episodes from Spongebob Squarepants and Kamp Koral: Spongebob’s Under Years, as well as popular Spongebob movies.
Star Trek: A destination for Star Trek fans, featuring popular originals such as Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, plus iconic series such as Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Survivor: Featuring 40 seasons of the long-running reality series.
The Challenge: The best moments from the hit reality series, including The Challenge and The Challenge: All-Stars.
TV Classics: A curated selection of timeless series such as I Love Lucy, The Love Boat, and The Twilight Zone.

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