Video streaming, a habit largely confined a decade ago to the more youthful life stages of millennial-aged consumers, is now a mature business.

How mature? Paramount announced Wednesday that AARP members can get a 10% discount on the Paramount Plus “Essentials” and “With Showtime” tiers. 

The promotion is available to all U.S.-based AARP members and applies to both new and returning Paramount Plus subscribers. 

Paramount is currently offering the $5.99-a-month Essentials tier for $1.99 a month, and the $11.99 Paramount Plus With Showtime plan for $3.99 a month via a three-month "Black Friday” promo. The 10% AARP discount off the regular price would kick in after those promotions expire. 

“Aligning with world-class brands has been a cornerstone of our market-leading growth strategy, and we are thrilled to introduce a new offer with AARP that enables us to engage with millions of their members,” Jeff Shultz, chief strategy officer and chief business development officer for Paramount Streaming, said. 

“This addition provides real value, catering to the diverse entertainment needs of our members and enhancing their everyday experiences,” added Jason Mugg, AARP’s senior VP of lifestyle, also in a statement. 

AARP Magazine’s annual Movies for Grownups Awards — which have been expanded to include streaming video — will be given out March 18, and streamed content dominated the nominations.

For example, AARP clearly loves Lucy. Being the Ricardos, which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, was nominated in multiple categories: Nicole Kidman (Lucille Ball) for best actress; Javier Bardem (Desi Arnaz) for best actor; J.K. Simmons (William Frawley) for best supporting actor; for “best movie for grownups;” and for “best time capsule,” as in best evocation of a particular time period.

Five of the six nominees for best TV series were on over-the-top services: Hacks (HBO Max), Ted Lasso (Apple TV Plus), The Chair (Netflix), The Crown (Netflix) and Succession (HBO).

Nominees for best actress in a ”television/streaming” series were all on the streaming side of that forward slash: Jean Smart (Hacks), Gillian Anderson (The Crown), Sandra Oh (The Chair), Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie, Netflix) and Andie MacDowell (MAID, Netflix). Best actor nominees were all streamed shows, except for one: Michael Keaton (Dopesick, Hulu), Kevin Costner (Yellowstone, Paramount Network), Ewan McGregor (Halston, Netflix), Billy Porter (Pose, FX) and Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building, Hulu).

Nominees for best TV movie/limited series were Mare of Easttown (HBO), Halston (Netflix), The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video), MAID (Netflix) and Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu).

None of the television/streaming nominees were from broadcast network TV or syndicated fare.

“During the pandemic, movies have been a source of entertainment, comfort, connection and reflection for grownup audiences,” AARP the Magazine film and TV critic Tim Appelo said. “TV and streaming have played those roles too, so we're excited to continue with our expanded categories. Every year, we spotlight films and shows that feature crucial issues, thoughtful storylines and the most talented grownup filmmakers that speak directly to a powerful 50-plus audience."

The awards will be given out in a virtual special March 18, hosted by Alan Cumming and carried on PBS as part of Great Performances. ■

AARP the Magazine is expanding its awards tent to include next-generation TV.

AARP said Monday it is both moving its awards to March 4, 2021 as a result of the pandemic and would expand its salute to big screen content for grownups to add categories that reflect the rise of streaming to screens of all shapes and sizes, as well as traditional TV.

“The growth in streaming in recent years has been fueled in large part by smart, superbly produced, directed and acted content that speaks to a grownup audience,” said Heather Nawrocki, AARP VP of Movies for Grownups. “It’s time to recognize the groundswell of excellent streaming and television programming and the grownup audience that’s consuming it.

The new categories are "Best Television Series For Grownups, "Best Movie Made for Television or Limited Series for Grownups," "Best Actress, Television," and "Best Actor, Television."

"Television" encompasses content on broadcast, cable, satellite as well as streaming platforms.

AARP looks for content that "resonates with older viewers [50-plus]." 

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) said the FCC should restore net neutrality rules and that ISPs are glossing over the issues the deregulatory ruling raises. 

It was filing reply comments in the FCC's court-ordered review of how reclassifying internet access as a Title I information service not subject to Title II common carrier mandatory access rules and eliminating the rules against blocking, throttling and paid prioritization affected public safety, pole attachments or the FCC's low income broadband subsidies. 

AARP signaled it was not surprised the ISPs were "glossing over" specific issues in their comments, though it was surprised Comcast suggested that there had not been any problems with the FCC's Title I classification in the past, saying that was unsupported by the evidentiary record, a nice way of saying that was not true.  

"[T]hese parties do not offer the Commission a plausible path forward, and instead rehash the alleged benefits of Title I classification on broadband investment, all the while ignoring the patent failure of current universal service and competition policies to survive the stress test imposed by the COVID-19 crisis," AARP said. 

Its members are in the categories of highest morbidity with the novel coronavirus.  

AARP also told the FCC that if it makes any changes to the rules, it should put them out in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking so the public can respond to them before the FCC adopts them.  

Reelz will air AARP’s 14th Annual Movies for Grownups Awards Gala on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT, honoring 2014’s best movies with special appeal to audiences over 50 years of age. The hour-long broadcast airing on Oscar day will feature red-carpet scenes and highlights from the awards podium as told by KTLA entertainment anchor Sam Rubin and former Good Day LA co-host Dorothy Lucey.

Hosted by John Leguizamo, this year’s affair presents top honors to Julianne Moore as “Best Actress” for her heartbreaking portrayal of a woman’s battle with early onset Alzheimer’s in Still Alice and Steve Carell as “Best Actor” for his gifted performance in Foxcatcher. Plus, The Lego Movie is deemed the “Best Movie for Grownups Who Refuse to Grow Up”, Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones take the stage to accept the award for this year’s “Best Picture” The Theory of Everything and Kevin Costner receives a Career Achievement award adding him to an illustrious list of past honorees including Robert De Niro, Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon.

Reelz will re-air the event on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 a.m. ET/ 11 p.m. PT and Monday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. ET/ 6 a.m. PT.

“AARP’s Annual Movies for Grownups Awards is all about celebrating movies and stars with universal appeal,” Stan E. Hubbard, CEO of Reelz, said in a release. “Reelz is proud that an independent network is able to bring this event to television for the first time, connecting viewers across the country with the excitement of Hollywood wherever it happens -- especially just ahead of Oscar night, the biggest movie celebration day of the year.”

The gala raised more than $100,000 for the AARP Foundation, AARP’s affiliated charity, which works in communities across the nation to help struggling older adults meet their basic need for nutritious food, safe and affordable housing, adequate income and much-needed personal connections.