Deadline: Paramount Global’s Lisa Kramer On New Paramount+ Branded Hub In Africa & The Changing World Of TV Distribution

Story from Deadline:

The news when Deadline speaks to Lisa Kramer is the launch of a Paramount+ branded hub with African pay-TV giant MultiChoice. But a conversation with the President, International TV Licensing at Paramount Global Content Distribution (PGCD), offers a much wider insight into the world of TV in 2024.

The African launch is a case in point. The tie-up sees the Showmax owner ink a deal for a Paramount+ hub, bringing a raft of the studio’s content together in a branded block that will be available across the pay TV giant’s pan-African footprint. The deal puts the Paramount+ brand front and center, and hands MultiChoice content from CBS, Showtime, Paramount+ and Paramount Pictures ranging from Yellowstone to Poker Face to Special Ops: Lioness and Survivor.

The deal is indicative of a new approach to Paramount+. Rolling out a standalone Paramount+ service comes with hefty launch and operational costs and means being in direct competition with other streamers. Launching a branded hub, meanwhile, gets the brand into homes and delivers to the Paramount Global bottom line. Other hubs have recently been set up in Belgium, India, Greece and the Philippines.

“The company leaned heavily into launching Paramount+ and actually had tremendous success, the launches in territories were very noisy,” Kramer said. With huge investments in streaming under investor scrutiny, however, “there was a decision to be made” she added, and the question quickly became: “Do we continue to roll out these very large flagship Paramount+ [services], or do we look at the markets outside of that footprint and take a different strategy.”

Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish wants the company to refocus on U.S. content and franchises, a move that has seen some international shows culled from Paramount+ as it recalibrates.

International originals are lower priority, but they will not entirely go away. “We are pouring billions into our American content, and it was clear that is our strength,” Kramer said. “But international originals are important for local audiences, and we actually love the cycle. We are producing internationally, and we are also using international talent in our [U.S.] productions.”

At the London Screenings, PGCD will screen Paramount+ Italian original Miss Fallaci and Coma, a drama from Paramount Global-owned UK broadcaster Channel 5. Miss Fallaci was set for Paramount+ but is now being taken to the open market rather than launching on the streamer. It is the first time one of the international originals will have been shopped to buyers worldwide like this, and that includes in Italy, the market in which it originated.

Speaking to the focus on U.S. films and series, PGCD will also start talking about a pair of upcoming CBS shows in London: the NCIS: Origins prequel series and Watson, inspired by the titular Sherlock Holmes sidekick and building on the success of Elementary. These shows land as buyers are increasingly scouting for franchises and existing IP (or spin-offs), with many international buyers looking for safe bets.

Licensing shows to broadcasters and pay platforms and launching branded blocks hark back to a time before streaming. “I’ve certainly lived through that sequential windowing structure and all of those ups and downs,” Kramer said. “We’re able to pivot as necessary to adjust to the marketplace and the needs of the content and, internally, to all the divisions of our company.”

Is Kramer feeling the heat in terms of delivering licensing revenue to the Paramount Global mothership? “The pressure has always been there,” she said. “I look at this period as a period of recognition. The licensing piece definitely fits more noticeably into the overall strategy.” Her words come a few months after Bakish passionately reaffirmed his commitment to content licensing during a Mipcom keynote.

Paramount distribution topper Kramer signs off by sharing what might be – whisper it – signs of free TV bouncing back. “We’re seeing some green shoots in advertising in certain markets, it’s too early to call for sure, but we will be grateful for every bit of good news on that front.”