Yahoo Lifestyle Starz And BET+ Bundle Up In New Prime Video Package
Continuing the wave of recent streaming bundles, BET+ and Starz are joining a combo launching today via Amazon’s Prime Video.
The U.S. offering will cost $15.99 a month, about 30% less than the cost of subscribing to each outlet individually.
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The bundle news follows a similar announcement last month with Prime Video packaging Starz with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max.
Third-party bundles have grown much more common in recent years as streaming operators grapple with rising costs and the complex task of improving the streaming experience for consumers and advertisers. In all but a few cases, the bundles are primarily marketing and fulfillment initiatives, with the individual services remaining separate. Netflix, the market leader, has expressed firm resistance to bundles, saying in a letter to shareholders last fall that they work best for streaming services “which lack our breadth of content.”
BET+ launched in 2019 and by 2023 had cleared 3 million subscribers. Prior to reaching a merger agreement with Skydance Media, Paramount Global had considered selling the streaming outlet along with the larger BET network and studio operation, but then took the property off the market.
Starz, which is approaching a corporate split from longtime parent Lionsgate, had 12.4 million subscribers as of September 30. Long represented by its premium cable network, Starz now has a majority of its subscribers in streaming and makes about two-thirds of its total revenue there.
The timing of the Prime Video bundle rollout coincides with the start of Black History Month. A press release noted that it bring a “robust collection of stories that celebrate Black voices” on BET+, including All The Queens Men, Tyler Perry’s Zatima, The Ms. Pat Show, and Diarra from Detroit.
Starz also has significant Black programming, including the Power universe, whose latest iteration is Power Book III: Raising Kanan, as well as BMF and P-Valley.
“Starz and BET+ are a natural pairing for audiences who want to stream culturally rich content with iconic characters and authentic storylines,” said Alison Hoffman, President, Starz Networks. “Starz brings diverse perspectives to life across our entire slate, and these types of packages allow us to share the stories we love at an exceptional value to our customers. As a complementary service, we continue to establish ourselves as the premier bundling partner of choice through a series of offerings with leading streamers.”
Jason Harvey, EVP and Head of BET+, said the service “is dedicated to showcasing the myriad of black storytelling and this collaboration allows us to expand our reach to an even broader audience.”
Matt Cohen, GM and Head of Prime Video Channels said the new offering is the eighth bundle available via the streaming hub. “Customers have responded favorably to the convenience, cost-effectiveness, and deeper content offering bundles provide, and we’ll continue to innovate in this area,” he said.
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