The news comes after Fox Corp, Walt Disney, ESPN, and Warner Bros Discovery said they would launch a joint sports streaming service earlier this month.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Paramount Global initiated talks with Comcast to evaluate a partnership for the merger of Paramount+ and Peacock streaming in the EEUU. Although there are no official statements to date, it is estimated that the alliance seeks to join the streaming arena through a partnership or joint venture to face its most powerful rivals in the United States.
The news comes after Fox Corp, Walt Disney, ESPN, and Warner Bros Discovery said earlier this month that they would launch a joint sports streaming service, drawing from their extensive professional and college sports rights portfolio.
Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+, is home to Star Trek programming, originals like 1883 from super-producer Taylor Sheridan, and simulcasts of CBS soccer games, while Comcast’s Peacock is known for live soccer and soccer, originals like Poker Face and a deep library with shows like The Office.
Paramount has been pumping money into its fast-growing but unprofitable Paramount+ streaming unit, and in November, it said investments peaked a year ahead of schedule.
Reuters reported that analysts have stressed the need for mergers among smaller streaming companies to help monetize the business.
Paramount plans to lay off about 800 employees, or about 3% of its workforce, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters earlier this week, as the media company looks to cut costs and return to profit growth this year.
