Parks Associates: Paramount-WBD (Warner Bros. Discovery) Deal Signals New Era of Streaming Scale

Combined entity reaches 57% of US internet households, positioning it alongside Netflix, Google, Amazon, and Disney in viewer engagement and reach

PLANO, Texas, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Parks Associates' latest streaming video research highlights that Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) would extend the combined company's reach to 57% of all US internet households. This deal would put it on par with the four streaming giants, Netflix, Google, Amazon, and Disney, which each reach nearly 60% of all consumers via their various platforms and services.

Parks Associates provides monthly updates on the streaming ecosystem through multiple research services, including the Streaming Video Tracker. This research service delivers monthly reports on market and consumer trends, quarterly estimates on subscriber growth, and ongoing analysis on distribution strategies (e.g., film, broadcast, pay TV, SVOD, FAST, AVOD) and business models (e.g., licensing, subscription, advertising, transaction).

According to the latest data, nearly two-thirds (64%) of US internet households use Netflix, making it the most widely adopted streaming ecosystem. Amazon follows closely, with 61% of households engaging across its portfolio, including Prime Video and MGM+, while YouTube's suite of services reaches 61% of households as well. Disney's multi-platform strategy, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, drives adoption among 58% of households.

"There is a clear shift in how consumers engage with streaming content," said Michael Goodman, Director, Entertainment Research, Parks Associates. "Unless you are Netflix, it's no longer about a single flagship service. Success increasingly depends on building a broad ecosystem of complementary offerings that keep viewers within a single brand family."

Parks Associates data also shows strong performance from hybrid and legacy media conglomerates. Fox, Comcast (Peacock), and Roku continue to build meaningful engagement through niche and free streaming platforms.

The findings reinforce several major trends shaping the streaming industry:

• Ecosystem Advantage: Companies offering multiple services under one brand are better positioned to retain and grow audiences.
• Aggregation Strategy: Bundling across SVOD, AVOD, and live content is becoming a key competitive differentiator.
• Discovery Innovation: Improved navigation, recommendations, and AI-driven personalization will be critical to reducing churn.

Parks Associates expects further consolidation and deeper integration across streaming portfolios as competition intensifies. The Streaming Video Tracker is a comprehensive tool that tracks the streaming video services industry. This research provides extensive profiling for streaming video services in the US and Canada. It also estimates subscribers, viewers, and transactional users, including those that do not publicly release customer figures.

Request information about Parks Associates' Streaming Video Tracker. 

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates helps companies identify new opportunities, refine strategy, and accelerate growth in connected technology markets through data-driven insights and industry expertise. With more than 40 years of experience, the firm delivers proprietary consumer and industry research, market forecasts, and strategic analysis that guide business decisions across personal, connected home, small business, and commercial technology ecosystems. Parks Associates supports clients in navigating evolving markets including AI, security, smart home, broadband, entertainment, energy, multifamily, smart buildings, and connected health.

The firm also fosters industry growth and collaboration by convening thousands of leaders each year through its flagship executive conferences, including CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video.  Learn more at https://www.parksassociates.com.

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Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein
Parks Associates
972.490.1113
[email protected] 

SOURCE Parks Associates