RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Globoplay has begun its international expansion: the streaming service will be launched in the US on Sunday, January 19th, with over 500 titles, focusing on Rede Globo’s programming such as ‘Avenida Brasil’, ‘Domingão do Faustão’ and ‘Jornal Nacional’ (Evening News), in addition to the platform’s exclusive productions such as ‘Ilha de Ferro’, ‘Aruanas’, ‘Shippados’ and ‘Assédio’.
The service will cost US$13.99 (R$56) per month, higher than Disney+ or the standard Netflix plan.
Globoplay’s catalog in the USA will be different from the one offered in Brazil, particularly when it comes to American series: for one, it will not include The Big Bang Theory (from CBS All Access), The Good Doctor, The Handmaid’s Tale, Killing Eve (all present in Hulu), among others.
The focus will be on Brazilian productions, including national films, old and currently on show, Globo’s children’s attractions and GloboNews programs. There will also be ‘Globo Notícia Americas’ (Globo News Americas), aimed at the Brazilian community in the Americas; it is broadcast on Globo Internacional, a pay-TV channel available in the USA since 1999.
In 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Relations estimated that there were 1.4 million Brazilians living in the US, mainly in Florida. Perhaps because of this, Globo will hold an exclusive Thiaguinho concert in Miami on February 5th to mark the release of Globoplay in the US.
The Globoplay App is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast and Samsung TVs. Subscription costs US$13.99 per month; for comparison purposes, the standard Netflix plan costs US$12.99 per month in the US, versus $6.99 for Disney+.
“The onset of Globoplay in the US market is an important step in expansion and our digital vision,” says Raphael Corrêa Netto, Director of International Business at Globo, in a statement. In Brazil, the streaming service has about 22 million users per month.