Last week, merger talks for Paramount Global heated up, with reports that the media company that produces and controls the Star Trek franchise had entered into exclusive talks with Skydance Media. One of the big questions has been how such a deal would impact Paramount+, home to original Star Trek programming. Now a picture of a possible future for the streaming service is starting to emerge.
Skydance wants to keep Paramount+
When the first reports about Paramount Global potentially being sold or merged started in December, industry analysts suggested Paramount+ might not survive the corporate shake-up. While Paramount has seen consistent growth with its streaming service, it has yet to turn a profit. However, now that Skydance Media is in exclusive talks to take over Paramount, they are apparently planning on keeping Paramount+, but will make some changes. The New York Times reports “The plan calls for Skydance to supercharge Paramount’s streaming capabilities, improving personalization with better algorithmic recommendations and making it more efficient through better deals with data providers.”
According to the same report, the post-Skydance/Paramount merger plan would call for teaming up with another major media company for a streaming joint venture in the USA. A new report in Bloomberg confirms Skydance wants to “preserve the Paramount+ streaming service and explore merging it with a peer, such as Peacock or Max.” A deal with Amazon Prime Video has also been considered, according to Bloomberg. Earlier this year, it was reported that Paramount had opened up discussions with Comcast to merge Paramount+ with their Peacock streaming service. The companies already operate the SkyShowtime joint venture in several markets in Europe.
A merged Paramount+/Peacock streaming service could be a winner, according to new consumer research reported today by Variety, 45% of US consumers say they would be interested in such a bundle. Analysis from consulting firm FTI Delta estimates a bundled service could bring in $1 Billion more than the current combined annual revenue of both services.
So if the deal with Skydance happens, it looks like some version of Paramount+ will survive. This would likely continue to be the primary home for original Star Trek television. Being part of a larger service could help ensure funding for more seasons and new Trek series and streaming movies as well.
Of course, none of this is finalized. The first step is for Skydance and Paramount Global to agree to a deal, and any such deal would have to be approved by the board. This can get tricky as the Skydance deal being contemplated is a rather complicated 2-step process, and current Paramount Global investors are expressing concerns over the deal structure being favorable to Shari Redstone, but not regular shareholders. There would also be scrutiny from regulators as well.
This is a developing story, and TrekMovie will continue to monitor the latest business news and what it means for Star Trek fans.
Keep up with all the corporate news that can impact Star Trek here at TrekMovie.com
Here it comes…Cock + !! Imagine the possibilities….
I’ve seen enough stories in the business pages that the only folks likely to make money off this in the short term are the lawyers. This merger is likely to get mired in lawsuits, even if the Justice Department doesn’t get involved.
And if the gov’t opposes such a merger, it is CockBlock+
Slow clap
Glad somebody finally noticed!
Paramount+ is a very functional streaming platform with decent content. It’s interface is far more user-friendly than Amazon Prime. Hopefully a merger with them would result in a better Amazon Prime video experience rather than a worse Paramount+.
Combining with Peacock would give them a really good content library.
Agree with all you said here. And as far as I’m concerned, as long as they’re further bundling the content we already pay for, in the long run I would hope it’s better for the consumer.
In terms of technology I agree. P+’s app UX is orders of magnitude better than a lot of the others out there. I have SlingTV for example and their UX is completely unusable.
It is not in Germany. Still waiting for surround (seems to be available occasionally) and 4K. And bitrates that aren’t attrociously low. Until then I won’t subscribe… Plus I think there is less content than in the US while costing full price…
They better hurry and get that MountCock+ domain before it’s gone. It’s way to good to pass up.
We could pool a few bucks and buy up those domains, you know. Get them under the Trekmovie name, just so the mods could have a little fun with it.
Didn’t the original series first air on NBC? Talk about your full circles. This one took a while.
Desilu was created so Lucy and Desi could control their show, rather than letting CBS, their network, do it. Desilu later became Paramount TV, and Paramount eventually bought CBS.
Which had turned Roddenberry down because they had Lost in Space.
Wikipedia: “Star Trek aired on NBC from September 8, 1966, to June 3, 1969.“
That is correct. So is the post you’re replying to. One has little to do with the other.
MountCock+ is really happening, huh. 😁
Maybe just P+ for simplicity. And perhaps a giggle or two.
Glad they’re so committed to streaming. Hopefully that translates to continued investment in Star Trek, along with some other shows I like.
I wouldn’t mind a merger either, as long as it doesn’t hurt the cost too much. I do think a Peacock merger could be a good option. Two streaming services that aren’t exactly the most prominent or extensive with its catalogue, but could strengthen the value with combined. I’d be much more hesitant about a Max merger, because while they do have a solid selection, the price could be a lot worse, and I don’t want the Paramount+ shows anywhere near David Zaslav.
Right, Max is already expensive enough, imo.
I still have the contract through AT&T where my Max is free, so bring on the merger…
i wish they would dump broadcast tv and streaming and only realese shows and movies direct to physical media 15 to 20 dollar dvd and standard 24 to 30 dollar blu-rays as that is the only way i watch stuff anymore as i own it and then if they choose to pull something and delete it i can still watch it and there are no stupid dumb irrelivant pointless commercials to deal with
photos of my dvd blu-ray library in link
https://twitter.com/michellejosph/status/1777454758799786175
The only mergers that make sense, if Skydance keeps CBS/Viacom intact and doesn’t sell off the pieces, is a deal with Netflix or Apple+.
The others would risk antitrust issues.
Merging will only work in the US domestic market and will have no value to the rest of the world. So all other markets will receive an inferior product, which should be priced accordingly.
If that means getting Peacock in Germany I’m all for it. And please, for the love of god, 4K and decent bitrates?!
Wish this would have happened (P+ & Pcock) at the beginning of Yellowstone.
Sure, but there are far bigger issues to consider. Paramount shareholders are skeptical. This deal preserves Paramount assets, but is in some obvious ways less enticing than Apollo’s promise to pay $26 billion in cash. Shari Redstone is thinking about her special share value but also the company/family legacy, which isn’t the same thing every shareholder is thinking about for themselves.
As for how it helps consumers… sure some little synergies will be nice, but people said the same thing when Disney bought Marvel – fans burned out by X-Men movies were cheering the move. Hardly worth the layoffs and toppling of an independent competing studio with its own agenda. It’s all well and good to cut down on streaming services through consolidation because we collectively pay too much or schedule churns based on content. But once there are only 3 or 4 streamers left, prices and negotiating power balances will get thrown out of whack, and more layoffs will be coming.
*when Disney bought 20th Century Fox. Fanboys cheered the end of poor X-Men films and getting Star Wars all under one roof.
Reality wasn’t really worth losing an independent studio over.
I hope they do merge somehow, especially if it’s with a service that’s more widely available in Europe.
OMGOSH I’m gonna giggle if Star Trek ends up back in the hands of NBC! *sorta
Oh yeah that’s right! That’s so cool. NBC could actually broadcast it, say 10pm on Friday nights? Get the reference?
It’s funny to me because not only did NBC cancel TRek but they never green lit the cage. And that is essentially what SNW is now lol
I’m so for the next Star Trek series being the first since the original animated series to air on NBC.
No no no no no. Do not let Comcrap get their mitts on Star Trek!
Look I don’t care who wins or what ends up where. I care about one thing. Star Trek DS9 remastered in HD!!!
Eventually they are all going to come together and create what Hulu was to begin with.
Hulu was a failure because of Too Many Cooks syndrome which is why it was never taken global even though it launched a mere year after Netflix started streaming. Hulu should have 260M subscribers now like Netflix. Moral of the story: forget bundles, put the thing under one coherent management so things can happen and not get stalled because everyone is fighting or have other agendas.
Whatever they do, I hope they overhaul the app. Of all the streaming services, Paramount+ is the worst. Way too laggy trying to download video with every click, and then the whole stall-out problem when trying to start a video on the TV app.