Last February we learned that Paramount+ and Peacock have started talks to merge into a single streaming service, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Now CNBC is reporting that Parmount is in talks with Warner Bros. Discovery for a potential merger of Max and Paramount+.
The deal would see Paramount get partial ownership of the newly merged streaming services if a deal is reached. The hope is that rather than a discounted bundle of streaming this merger would would see the two services come together into a single streaming platform. It is important to note the companies won’t be merging but are looking at a joint partnership of their two streaming services.
Details are still thin. No pricing, naming, or other details have been decided at this time. And, neither company has made a formal announcement about the talks.
This all comes as Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery recently announced plans to launch a joint venture streaming service that will offer access to their sports networks without the need for cable TV.
Now it seems that a large part of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount’s plans to merge their streaming services is not only about making both services profitable but also a way for Paramount to stand out as this new joint streaming service launches later this year.
With this merged streaming service, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount could help the streaming services attract more subscribers.
For consumers, these two newly joined streaming services could give offer access to most sports that are on TV right now without the need for cable TV or even a streaming service like YouTube TV.
The question now is what will the new services charge, and what would the limitations be. For now, we will have to wait and see. Increasingly it’s looking like sports have become one of the main reasons behind the move to cut out the middleman of cable TV and streaming services.