Paramount Rejects Cable Spinoff, Focuses on Streaming Expansion

In November 2025, Paramount has made the strategic decision to maintain its cable portfolio rather than spin it off into a standalone company. This contrasts with the recent moves by media giants Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery, who have opted to separate their cable assets.

Paramount president Jeff Shell acknowledged the continued decline in cable viewership and revenue, stating that "cable continues to decline, for us and for everybody." However, Shell believes that "streaming has become the replacement" for traditional cable bundles, and Paramount plans to leverage its well-known cable brands, including Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, and Comedy Central, to drive growth in its streaming business, which the company has identified as a key priority.

Rather than spinning off the cable assets, Paramount intends to "transform these brands" and integrate them into its "scaled, global streaming business." This could involve using the Nickelodeon brand for kids and family programming, or the MTV brand for music and youth-oriented content, to bolster Paramount's streaming offerings. The company's recent deal with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which made Paramount+ the exclusive streaming home for the show's library, is an example of this strategy in action.

By keeping its cable properties under the Paramount umbrella, the company aims to drive value from these established brands and use them to support the growth of its streaming platform, which it sees as crucial to its long-term success in the evolving media landscape.