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Paramount+ adds Live Channels for ‘effortless’ entertainment

Simon Cohen
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What could be easier than firing up your favorite streaming video service and picking something to watch? According to Paramount+, the answer is a new collection of so-called “live” channels based on Paramount’s most popular entertainment properties. The feature, called Live Channels, launches on December 9 and includes more than 15 linear streaming channels like Star Trek, Survivor, and SpongeBob Universe.

“Even in the era of on-demand, there is clearly a strong consumer appetite for reimagined linear channels that provide effortless, lean-back entertainment,” said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Streaming, in a press release.

Paramount+ Star Trek Live Channel.
Paramount+

Live Channels shouldn’t be confused with Paramount+’s actual Live TV channels like The NFL on CBS and UEFA, or breaking news from CBSN, but they do share one trait in common: You join the streams in-progress and you can see an on-screen schedule that maps out which shows are coming up next so you can plan your viewing accordingly.

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In addition to taking the guesswork out of finding something to watch, Paramount+ hopes Live Channels will also act as a discovery tool, giving viewers the chance to see a show they might not have chosen to watch on-demand. The streaming service plans to expand the initial list of Live Channels in the future, and will be adding a dedicated movies channel and a RuPaul’s Drag Race channel later in December.

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Here’s the full list of Live Channels available as of December 9, 2021:

  • 24/7 Laughs: A destination for feel-good, laugh-out-loud content from popular series such as Hot in Cleveland, Reno 911, and Tosh.O.
  • Adult Animation: Genre-defining series such as Beavis and Butt-Head, Celebrity Deathmatch, and Daria.
  • All Day Drama: The best in drama, including everything from Evil and The Twilight Zone to Touched by An Angel and The Guardian.
  • Animation Favorites: Beloved kids’ animated series, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Rugrats, Spongebob Squarepants, and The Fairly Oddparents.
  • Black Voices: A celebration of Black voices and stories with a collection of popular series such as Chappelle’s Show, Key & Peele, The Game, and The Neighborhood.
  • Crime & Justice: Primetime procedurals such as Bull, Blue Bloods, CSI: Miami, MacGyver, Seal Team, and The Good Wife
  • History & Undiscovered: A curated selection for historians from the Smithsonian Channel, including Sacred Sites, Secrets, America’s Hidden Stories, and Secrets Unlocked.
  • Kids & Family Fun: A destination for the whole family to enjoy favorites such as Henry Danger, I Carly, the Thundermans, and Zoey 101.
  • Nostalgic Hits: A playlist featuring episodes from iconic series, including Beverly Hills 90210, Cheers, Frasier, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Wings.
  • Paw Patrol: Home to all things Paw Patrol, including Paw Patrol: Live at Home!, Paw Patrol: The Movie, and, of course, the original series that started it all.
  • Preschool Corner: Parent-approved programming for pint-sized viewers such as Blue’s Clues, Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, Paw Patrol, and Peppa Pig.
  • Reality TV: Competition: A collection of reality TV’s most popular series, including Ink Master, Rupaul’s Drag Race, and Survivor
  • Reality TV: Shores: Hours of content from the fist-pumping franchise, including episodes from Jersey Shore, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, and Floribama Shore.
  • SpongeBob Universe: Home to all things Bikini Bottom, the channel will feature episodes from Spongebob Squarepants and Kamp Koral: Spongebob’s Under Years, as well as popular Spongebob movies.
  • Star Trek: A destination for Star Trek fans, featuring popular originals such as Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, plus iconic series such as Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
  • Survivor: Featuring 40 seasons of the long-running reality series.
  • The Challenge: The best moments from the hit reality series, including The Challenge and The Challenge: All-Stars.
  • TV Classics: A curated selection of timeless series such as I Love Lucy, The Love Boat, and The Twilight Zone.

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Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
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