Recently, Paramount has been looking to sell some of its assets and make cuts to others. Back in October, according to a report from CNBC, the largest shareholder of Paramount Shari Redstone, who owns roughly 80% of Paramount Global voting stock, was reportedly open to a merger or selling the company if the price is right.
Now, there is a report that Skydance Media is in talks with Paramount to buy the company or at least some part of it. This comes from a report by Puck that says NDAs have been signed, and Skydance Media is looking at the numbers, but the process is still early. Deadline is reporting that There are also reports that other possible buyers are interested in parts of Paramount or the company as a whole as Redstone is open to several possible sale options.
Paramount holds a lot of assets that would attract many potential buyers. Its local affinities and the CBS network alone are highly attractive, if for nothing more than their NFL contract. However, the company has a lot more to offer, including Pluto TV, Paramount+, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Showtime, and more. This also includes popular shows like Star Trek, SpongeBob, South Park, and more. Over the last few years Paramount has sold several assets and even looked at selling BET and VH1 before deciding to keep the companies.
Recently, Paramount and all media companies have been struggling with the growth of cord cutting. Paramount’s market capitalization has dropped to $7.7 billion as 2023 hit many media companies hard. That is the lowest level it has been at since the 2019 Viacom and CBS merger. That drop could make the company a target for a merger or a sale.
According to CNBC’s sources, any potential deal for Paramount would have to be at a good price or the Redstone family wouldn’t accept it. Exactly what that price is was not disclosed in the report.
Paramount has a lot going for it right now, with Paraount+ hitting 61 million subscribers. A number that other major streaming services could only dream of. It also has very lucrative sports deals, including the NFL, March Madness, and a new deal with the Big Ten that will see more college football and basketball games on CBS. This could help Paramount out last any further drop in the market, but it also makes it very attractive to potential buyers.
Some outsiders have said they believe Paramount is too small in the long run, though, to compete with Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and a growing number of streaming companies like Amazon along with Apple. Even with its large catalog of shows and networks, Paramount is facing massive companies like Disney and the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery.
For years we have heard predictions that there would be consolidation in the market because of cord cutting. Disney’s deal to buy 21st Century Fox was likely only the start of what could be a number of big mergers. We also saw Discovery and Warner Media merge recently. Now, there are rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery and even NBCUniversal could be interested in buying up some or all of their competitors. Could that mean they are looking at Paramount? For now, we will have to wait and see.
Cord Cutters News reached out to Paramount for comment, but no one at Paramount was available before the time of publication.