Release
SHOWTIME LAUNCHES ITS LARGEST PRIDE CAMPAIGN: QUEER TO STAY
QTS Small Business Preservation Initiative Expands Grants to $250,000 with The Human Rights Campaign
SHOWTIME® Streams Over 50 Hours of LGBTQ+ Programming For Free
NEW YORK – June 1, 2022 – SHOWTIME today launches its largest Pride campaign ever with QUEER TO STAY, expanding the QTS small business preservation initiative with $250,000 in grants in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign, while offering over 50 hours of LGBTQ+ content for free sampling. In celebration of queer artists, SHOWTIME has recruited acclaimed pop singer-songwriter VINCINT for a new single released exclusively for SHOWTIME Pride 2022 and QUEER TO STAY. "Believer (For SHOWTIME Pride)" is available today on all digital streaming platforms HERE.
The QTS small business preservation initiative launched in 2020 to support and preserve 10 LGBTQIA+ businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on LGBTQ+ people of color, women and the transgender community. This year, the initiative expands to support at least 25 businesses, targeting businesses from geographically diverse LGBTQ+ communities For the first time ever, QUEER TO STAY will launch with a grassroots outreach campaign kicking off during Pride Month with presence in over 155 national Pride festival events spanning coast to coast including activations in Mobile, and Nashville, and at iconic festivals including San Francisco’s longest running LGBTQ+ film festival, Frameline. Additionally, an enhanced crowdfunding feature will enable consumers to support the initiative through the end of the year. QUEER TO STAY will accept applications from qualifying businesses at QueertoStay.org from Wednesday, June 1 until Saturday, August 31, 2022.
In honor of Pride Month, SHOWTIME will also release over 50 hours of iconic LGBTQ+ programming for free sampling throughout June. Select episodes from titles including THE L WORD, THE L WORD: GENERATION Q, QUEER AS FOLK, WORK IN PROGRESS, XY CHELSEA and more will be available across multiple SHOWTIME partner platforms. The full list of SHOWTIME content available for free during Pride Month includes:
- The L WORD®️ season one
- THE L WORD®️: GENERATION Q season one
- QUEER AS FOLK season one
- WORK IN PROGRESS season one
- COUPLES THERAPY season two
- XY CHELSEA
- YELLOWJACKETS episode 101
- DESUS & MERO®️ (selected episodes)
- THE END season 1
- ZIWE (selected episodes including “Pride!” starting June 5)
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
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CONTACT:
Cici Ghattas
