Posted in: Max, Movies, Paramount+, streaming, TV | Tagged: max, Paramount Global, paramount plus, streaming, warner bros discovery

Paramount In Streaming Merger Discussions with WBD/Max, Others: Report

According to a CNBC report from earlier today, Paramount Global is discussing a streaming merger with Warner Bros. Discovery and others.

So would it be "Paramount Max"? "ParamountMax"? "Paramount MAX"? "ParamountMAX"? "ParaMAX"? Okay, that last one sounds like one of those prescription drugs you see advertised online with all of the happy faces and pleasant music distracting us from the long list of side effects that could result from taking it. Are bleeding earlobes a thing? But we digress… we were asking those questions at the opening because CNBC is reporting that Paramount Global is looking to merge its Paramount+ streaming service with another existing streamer – with Warner Bros. Discovery/Max reportedly expressing more than a passing interest in the idea. Earlier this year, there were reports that WBD was interested in an overall merger with Paramount Global – while Comcast's NBCUniversal reportedly had an interest in seeing if Peacock and Paramount+ could play nicely together.

Just to be clear, this isn't a streaming "bundle deal" that we're talking about here – where companies package their streaming services together to offer consumers a discounted rate (like the recently announced Peacock, Netflix & Apple TV+ bundle). This move reflects a streaming reality that many had seen coming for some time. Simply put, we have a case of way too many streamers and not enough subscribers to sustain them all. With a streaming merger, Paramount Global and WBD could see themselves better positioned to take on Netflix, Amazon's Prime Video (let's not forget Freevee and MGM+), and The Walt Disney Company's Disney+ (along with Hulu and ESPN).

Based on the numbers offered in CNBC's reporting, a streaming merger between Paramount+ and Max wouldn't be an equal partnership – with Max in a better position from the standpoint of subscriber numbers, streaming libraries, and Paramount Global's and WBD's respective financial situations. For example, WBD's Max boasts approximately 100M global subscribers – with 52.7M set in the United States – while Paramount Global's Paramount+ wrapped up its first quarter with approximately 71M subscribers. But a couple of things to keep in mind. First, all parties involved would not comment to CNBC for their reporting. Second, all of this is reportedly only in the "interest" stage, so make sure to put a huge asterisk next to it. Finally, while the headline-grabbing news is the possibility of streaming services merging, Paramount Global is keeping its options open when it comes to getting the most for its streaming service with a number of tech companies and their respective platforms.

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