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Showtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States.
 | |
| Type | Cable network (movies, sports |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | National |
| Owner | Showtime Networks, Inc. (CBS Corporation) |
Key people | Matthew C. Blank - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks, Inc. |
Launch date | July 1, 1976 |
Former names | None |
Official website | http://www.sho.com/ |
United States
The U.S. Showtime primarily shows motion pictures as well as some original programming and occasional boxing matches. Showtime, a service of Viacom, went on the air on July 1, 1976, on a local cable system in Dublin, California. On March 7,1978, it expanded to the national market via satellite, competing with HBO. In 1979, Viacom sold 50% of Showtime to TelePrompTer.
In 1982, Westinghouse, who had acquired TelePrompTer the previous year, sold its share of Showtime back to Viacom. In 1983, Viacom and Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment merged Showtime and The Movie Channel to form Showtime Networks. In 1985, Viacom acquired Warner-Amex's cable properties, including their share of Showtime Networks.
In the 1990s, Showtime ventured into acquiring and premiering independent films directly for the channel, including such well-received fare as Lolita.
During the 2000s, Showtime launched several additional Showtime channels, including Showtime Too (a pun on its previous name, Showtime 2) Showtime Showcase (also known simply as "Showcase"; formerly Showtime 3), Showtime Extreme, Showtime Beyond and digital cable networks Showtime Next, Showtime Family Zone, and Showtime Women. Showtime Networks also owns the additional channels The Movie Channel and Flix; and manages the CBS Corporation, Robert Redford and NBC Universal joint venture the Sundance Channel. Each offers movies and programs fitting each channel's particular theme. Premiers of popular movies are usually made on the primary channel.
In 2000, Showtime launched the "Showtime Interactive 24.7" channel—providing DVD-like interaction opportunities to its entertainment offerings.
In the 2000s, Showtime began test marketing a subscription-video-on-demand SVOD system. Now there is a Showtime subscription-video-on-demand channel called Showtime On Demand, which users are able to see episodes of Showtime original series, movies, and specials like boxing. This channel is only available on digital cable in the US.
Showtime also became one of the first cable TV networks to broadcast an HDTV version of its channel, along with Dolby Digital sound.
Showtime's official website is unusual in that it can only be accessed from computers located within the United States. (This may be due to licensing restrictions involving programming). It is one of if not the only broadcaster with such a website restriction.
Original programming
- Brothers
- It's Garry Shandling's Show
- Red Shoe Diaries
- The Chris Isaak Show
- Dead Like Me
- Fat Actress
- The L Word
- Out of Order
- Queer as Folk
- Queer Duck
- Soul Food
- Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
- Stargate SG-1 (Seasons 1 - 5)
- Poltergeist- The Legacy
- Huff
- Odyssey 5
- Jeremiah (series)
- Family Business
- Weeds
- Barbershop: The Series
- The Outer Limits
- Resurrection Blvd.
- Street Time
- The Leap Years
- Going To California
- Jamie Foxx Presents: Laffapalooza
- Freshman Diaries
- Free For All - Animated
- Interscope Presents: The Next Episode
- American Candidate
- The Brotherhood
- Sleeper Cell
- Masters of Horror
- Sherman Oaks
Movies
The quality and selection available on Showtime and The Movie Channel has fallen off considerably in recent years. This is attributable to a few factors. After its launch, Starz signed exclusive agreements with several movie studios. After being acquired by the Viacom of 1986-2005, Paramount Pictures began an output deal with Showtime, effective after 1997, at that time owned by the company now known as CBS Corporation. In addition to Paramount, Showtime has agreements with MGM Studios, Lions Gate Films and IFC Films, among others.
During March 2007, MGM will movie their movies from Showtime to Starz! as it is now part of the Sony/Comcast consortium, which has an output deal with the Starz/Encore networks.
Showtime HD
Showtime HD is a cable television network owned by Viacom that broadcasts 24/7. It is a high definition simulcast of the best programs from Showtime inlcuding series, specials and movies. Showtime favourites such as Dead Like Me, The L Word and Huff are all here.
Other countries
Australia
Showtime Australia is a group of movie channels in Australia that began in 1995. Their owner Premium Movie Partnership is owned equally by Sony, NBC Universal, CBS Corporation, News Corporation and Liberty Media. This means CBS corp has only a small stake in the service.
This group includes:
- Showtime - recent mainstream movies
- Showtime 2 - the Showtime channel on 2 hour delay
- Showtime Greats (formally Encore) - older mainstream movies
This group is available on all three major pay-TV platforms in Australia.
Middle East
Showtime or Showtime Arabia (Gulf DTH F.Z. L.L.C., the operating company behind pay TV broadcaster Showtime) as it's called to distinguish itself from its U.S. counterpart, is the dominant subscription television service in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Levant territories. It is a joint venture between KIPCO and CBS Corporation, CBS Corp being a minor partner. The company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and has its headquarters at Dubai Media City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Only one channel on the service also includes the Showtime brand, Showtime Sport.
Showtime Arabia offers the latest Hollywood movies, sitcoms, children’s programming, fashion shows and sports coverage. Showtime currently offers five Irdeto Access encrypted programming packages (Kids Plus, Family Plus, Sports Plus, Movies Plus, Total Plus) offering more than 50 premium Western entertainment channels. Total Plus, Showtime’s most subscribed package, offers all premium channels that includes four movie channels, four sports channels, three news channels, three documentary channels, three music channels, three kids channels and five family entertainment channels. It also includes eight pay-per-view Home Cinema Channels and ten Music Choice audio channels. The Disney Channel (Middle East), which is an a-la-carte channel, is also offered in this package.
Showtime Arabia Channel lineup
| Category | Channel |
|---|---|
| Promotional | Showtime promo |
| Music | MTV Europe |
| Music | Vh1 B |
| Music | MTV India |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 1 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 2 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 3 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 4 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 5 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 6 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 7 |
| Pay-Per-View channel | Home Cinema 8 |
| Movie channel | Movie channel |
| Movie channel | Movie channel +1 |
| Movie channel | Movie channel 2 |
| Movie channel | Movietime |
| Movie channel | The Movie channel Farsi |
| Movie channel | Al Shasha |
| Movie channel | TCM Middle East |
| General Entertainment | TV Land |
| General Entertainment | TV Land +2 |
| General Entertainment | Paramount Comedy Channel |
| General Entertainment | Paramount Comedy Channel +2 |
| General Entertainment | Style UK |
| General Entertainment | Fashion TV |
| General Entertainment | E! International |
| Childrens | Disney Channel Middle East |
| Childrens | Cartoon Network Middle East |
| Childrens | Boomerang |
| Childrens | Nickelodeon Middle East |
| Childrens | Abu Dhabi Sports Channel |
| Documentary | Discovery Channel Middle East |
| Documentary | Discovery Channel +1 |
| Documentary | Discovery Civilisation |
| Documentary | Animal Planet |
| Documentary | BBC Food |
| News | CNN International Europe |
| News | Bloomberg Television Europe |
| Sports | Showtime Sport |
| Sports | Extreme Sports Channel |
| Sports | Eurosport News |
| Sports | Abu Dhabi Sports Channel |
| Music Choice Radio | Hit List |
| Music Choice Radio | Classic Rock |
| Music Choice Radio | Dance |
| Music Choice Radio | Jazz |
| Music Choice Radio | New Country |
| Music Choice Radio | Classical Favourites |
| Music Choice Radio | Love Songs |
| Music Choice Radio | New Age/Moods |
| Music Choice Radio | Chillout |
| Music Choice Radio | Arabe |
Showtime Arabia Official Channel Line up page
The Showtime Arabia network package is available via DTH satellite NileSat 101/102 located at 7.0°W.
Latin America
In the 1990s, Showtime had an early investment with Televisa, News Corporation and MGM in Cinecanal. Cinecanal was originally called "Cinecanal/Showtime".
Brazil
Showtime had also an early investment in Brazil with Globo to launch TeleCine.
Scandinavia
A Showtime channel is available in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The channel is operated by NonStop Television, which licences the name and logo from Showtime Networks Inc., but does not otherwise show Showtime programming. Programming is mostly action movies from the 70s to today, but the most recent movies do not premiere here. The channel is not subscription based, although it is commercial-free. NonStop also operates Star! Scandinavia.
Spain
In Spain the channel is branded as Showtime Extreme it provides three different audio layers, Spanish, English and Catalan. It is operated by Factoría de Canalesk which also licences the name and logo from Showtime Networks Inc
Turkey
In Turkey, Showtime channel is on Digiturk, yet it does not feature any of the original programming, only the movies.