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Warner Bros Paramount merger could create another streaming giant
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Entertainment giants Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global are rumoured to be discussing a merger, which could create yet another streaming giant.
Axios isreportingthat Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish met in New York earlier this week to discuss the possibility of a merger.
If it went ahead, it would represent a huge consolidation that would have major repercussions for the rest of the entertainment industry – not least the streaming market.
Part of the conversation, according to the report, centred on how a combination of their respective streaming platforms – Paramount+ and Max – would be able to take on market leaders Netflix and Disney+.
It’s thought that Warner Bros Discovery’s international distribution capabilities and Discovery’s formidable roster of children’s programming would greatly bolster any resulting combined streaming service.
With Warner Bros valued at around $29 billion and Paramount at around $10 billion, this would not be considered a meeting of equals. Paramount is said to be struggling with a mountain of debt, which could further force its hand.
Regulatory approval isn’t predicted to be an issue, given that Warner Bros Discovery doesn’t own a broadcast network.
We awarded theParamount Plusstreaming service a decent 3.5-star review last year, concluding that it “delivers great content, but it isn’t as well rounded as its rivals”. The fact that it’s free with Sky here in the UK makes it a much more appealing prospect, however.
As forWarner Bros. Max, we scored it 4 out of 5, concluding that it “houses some of the very best movies and TV shows around, both new and existing, inside an excellent streaming app”.
Combining the two would make for a formidable player on the streaming scene.
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Jon is a seasoned freelance writer who started covering games and apps in 2007 before expanding into smartphones and consumer tech, dabbling in lifestyle and media coverage along the way. Besides bein…
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
