Showtime getting ready to go online?
By Richard Lawler 
posted May 10th 2010 4:31PM
posted May 10th 2010 4:31PM
What's a "premium" movie service these days without access on additional screens? Not much, which is probably why rumors indicate Showtime is about to follow EPIX HD and ESPN 3(no 60) by creating an online service for subscribers to view on their PCs and mobile devices. Don't expect to watch Weeds, Dexter and The Real L Word on your iPad just yet (except for what's already available on Netflix) as a spokeswoman had only a standard "nothing to announce to" offer Bloomberg Businessweek, but their sources indicate it will resemble the HBO GO service we tested out recently when it went live for Verizon FiOS TV customers. Heading online seems like a good followup to turning on interactive HDTV features, but we'll see if that's enough to keep viewers signing up for its service when there are so many alternatives available.
it's Showtime
@Stevenk Dexter online? Yes please.
How much will that cost a month? $30 just like a cable or sat subscription?
@Jaylittles531 I assume it'll cost you a cable subscription to Showtime. But yeah, its possible they'll offer it a la carte, i.e. just online. The latter would piss off their cable/satellite partners though, so I wouldn't bet on it. If so, I would assume a price close to the $12.95/mo to $15/mo they charge cable customers.
Hello HBO, are you listening!??! I'd love to watch True Blood (legally) on my epic road trip this summer.
@barkerja Not if your streaming over AT&T
@Stevenk Negative sir. I have a Sprint Overdrive.
Bring me Dexter a la carte... the suspense is killing me.
You can finally watch naked women on the Tudors on your cellphone.
Um, If I can't get this for a reasonable amount of money, and if it's only locked down to people who already subscribe to cable and Showtime already, then they are going to then blame it's failure on the phrase "Guess people don't want to watch this on the internet then!"
I mean do these guys actually think that putting it on the internet in a LIMITED form is going to get subscribers back like me who have completely cut the cable subscription from their Comcast bill. I only use the internet now to get what I watch. If it's not online then I get it from Netflix. These guys are going to die if they do not catch on soon.
Make it $4.99 a month and make sure you keep increasing the amount of shows on it or you might as well not bother hooking up those servers guys.
@ttringle If its $4.99/mo I would cut off my cable subscription and just watch the occasional show on my laptop. They won't offer it for less than the cost of the cable channel, sorry. Not gonna happen. And no they won't unbundle the shows either, since of course EVERYBODY would just drop the channel then and subscribe to just the shows they like for less. Me included.
@Fanfoot You cant seriously expect any premium network to give away shows for free or any major discount - im not so much defending the cable companies but as far as a networks go you cant expect them to make decent programs without any real profit coming in. Showtime makes some great shows (terrible movie selection though).. So i have no problem paying the premium as long as they make good shows.
Overall message - quit whining about why everything isnt cheap or free. Internet piracy and this new "frugal" trend has bred nothing but crybabies over paying for entertainment!
can't wait until PAX follows suit.
I gave up my cable subscription a long time ago, but I would certainly love to subscribe to online only versions of HBO, Showtime and Speed.
I can already watch shows on Showtime via Comcast's TV Anywhere initiative. This would interest me only if they added new twists--like say an iPhone application that can store up some shows to watch on an airplane?
I thought HBO, and thus its subsidary (showtime) both were already online.
@Captain Underpants and the Bring
Showtime is owned by a completely different company to HBO.
Cinemax is HBO's other premium cable channel.
Showtime hasn't been a "premium movie service" for years.
how about putting up Dexter season 3 on Watch Instantly first?
Price it right, and let me subscribe ala carte, and I'm sold.