CBS CEO Les Moonves said the company is considering streaming Showtime content direct to consumers in international markets.
Speaking at Goldman Sachs’ 23rd Annual Communacopia Conference in New York Wednesday, Moonves noted that Showtime currently sells individual shows to other networks in international territories.
“I can see sometime in the future, and I don’t know how long that is, where we’re able to offer a Showtime product and stream it overseas internationally,” he said. “This would be a great way to establish a Showtime channel in the future and stream it all over the world.”
Moonves said that CBS was keeping an eye on Scandinavia, where HBO is offering its programming directly to consumers, rather than through a cable or satellite distributor. “We think it’s very smart.”
Domestic streaming of Showtime directly to consumers seemed a bit further off.
“Is there sometime in the future that that could happen? Absolutely. I don’t know when it is. I don’t know when the timing is right. It’s very exciting,” Moonves said.
Moonves also acknowledged that Tribune Co., which is the largest affiliate group for The CW, owned by CBS and Time Warner, has been looking for more input into how the network is programmed.
Tribune CEO Peter Liguori is a former programmer, Moonves noted. “He would like to participate. He has some good ideas. He’s part of our team. Will there be some change in how the CW is structured going forward? I don’t know.”
Moonves added that Tribune, which recently added the CBS affiliation in Indianapolis, is “a very important part of our future.”
