Paramount and Comcast Announce Multi-Year Distribution Agreements

PARAMOUNT AND COMCAST ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS

Paramount Global (PRNewsfoto/ViacomCBS Inc.)

NEW YORK and PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 7, 2025 -- Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA) (NASDAQ: PARAA) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) today announced the renewal of their comprehensive distribution agreements to continue delivering Paramount's leading portfolio of broadcast, entertainment, news and sports brands across Xfinity platforms.

The multi-year deals feature ongoing carriage of Paramount's networks, including CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network and more. Comcast subscribers will also retain access to Paramount's popular streaming services across Paramount+, Pluto TV and BET+. Additionally, as part of the renewal, Comcast has the right to make Paramount+ with SHOWTIME available to qualifying Xfinity customers.

Comcast

"We are pleased to renew and expand upon our broad partnership with Comcast," said Ray Hopkins, President, Paramount Distribution. "This new deal ensures that our dynamic portfolio of popular brands and premium programming continue to reach and entertain our valued audiences everywhere."

"Paramount Global is a valued partner, and we are excited to continue providing Xfinity customers with access to their traditional and streaming content across our industry-leading entertainment platforms," said John Dixon, Senior Vice President, Entertainment, Comcast Cable.  "This agreement gives us the ability to offer customers more choice and flexibility in what they want to watch and how they want to watch it."

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Paramount

Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount's portfolio includes CBS, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Paramount holds one of the industry's most extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions.

For more information about Paramount, please visit www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social platforms.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

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More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

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Altafiber Drops Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central and More Paramount Channels In Cincinnati

Dispute with Paramount Global removes channels from lineup

WCPO

Cincinnati-area Altafiber customers are finding blank channels on their TV screen this week, most notably Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, which are very popular with children and young adults.

It is all the result of the latest dispute over over carrying fees, as programmers ask for more and more money from cable companies.

But this time, it's not DirecTV or Dish customers caught in the middle of the dispute.

It is local viewers who use Cincinnati-based Altafiber, formerly known as Cincinnati Bell, for their TV package, who are now missing more than a dozen TV channels.

Whenever a Altafiber customer tunes into a Paramount-owned channel, such as Nickelodeon, MTV, VH-1, BET, and Comedy Central, they are now greeted with a message that the channel is longer available in the line-up, along with a QR code that they can check for more information.

Altafiber has sent an email to customers, and has posted an explanation on its website, saying: "Paramount Global was demanding rates that do not reflect the value their content delivers to you, the customer. Paramount has been shifting the majority of its new shows to the Paramount + app. At the same time, Paramount is increasing prices for cable customers. We believe this is unfair."

Paramount Global channels impacted by this dispute include: BET, MTV, Nick Jr., BET Soul, MTV Classic, Nicktoons, CMT, MTV Live, Paramount Network, CMT Music, MTV 2, TV Land, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TeenNick, LOGO, Nick Music, and VH1.

So what can customers do?

If you rely on some of these channels, the simplest thing is to subscribe to Paramount Plus. or a service that still includes Paramount channels

Services like Pluto, YouTube TV, Hulu, and Sling offer Paramount and most other cable channels for costs ranging from $30 a moth (Philo) to as much as $80 a month.

If you decide to go with this option, you can then drop Atafiber's cable package, and just use their home internet.

A cheaper option is to simply subscribe to Paramount Plus as an add-on to your Altafiber package , which costs $8 a month for the basic plan.

Some customers claim that after they called, the company offered them a one-time $15 credit on their bill.

When reached out to for comment, a spokesman told WCPO 9 Cincinnati that at this time "there are no plans to bring these channels back."

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

Originally published: October 16, 2024.

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Paramount and Comcast Xfinity Ink Major Carriage Deal, Averting Blackout of CBS, Nickelodeon

Paramount Global and Comcast Xfinity have cut a new carriage deal, averting a potential New Year’s Day blackout that would have included the CBS network and other channels owned by the company.

The deal includes continued carriage of Paramount’s portfolio of channels and apps across the Xfinity platforms. Paramount owns Nickelodeon, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, BET and Paramount Network, among other offerings.

A Paramount spokesperson confirmed the new carriage agreement to news outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

The deal comes before the expiration of the current pact at the end of the year. In January 2022, Paramount (then known as ViacomCBS) and Comcast announced a “multi-year” carriage renewal.

Talks proceeded quietly in recent days, without any of the consumer-facing warnings about looming deadlines that often accompany carriage negotiations. A blackout would have been ill-timed for both parties, given that Paramount carries the NFL and other marquee programming.

The agreement is significant as some New Year’s Eve NFL games and New Year’s Day college football games could have been impacted had the companies not reached a deal. The NFL playoffs also start early next month, with CBS holding some big games.

The company’s flagship broadcast network, CBS, is also slated to broadcast the Super Bowl in February, with cable sibling Nickelodeon providing an alternate telecast.

Comcast is one of the two largest cable companies in the U.S. through its Xfinity service (Charter Spectrum is the other) making the deal a pivotal one for Paramount. Comcast has more than 14 million video subscribers.

The new agreement provides for continued carriage of Paramount’s entertainment, news and sports channels and apps on Comcast’s Xfinity TV and internet platforms. It is understood that the deal skirts the kind of outcome some industry observers had predicted, with the loss of linear carriage for some of Paramount’s two-dozen-plus channels. When Disney reached terms with Charter Communications last September, the pact included gains for streaming services like Disney+ but also the loss of carriage for established networks like Freeform and FXX. As they contend with subscriber erosion due to cord-cutting, programmers are looking to avoid near-term shocks like having channels outright dropped as the entire industry continues to shift toward streaming.

As streaming takes over from traditional linear TV, some cable companies are beginning to reimagine their deals. Charter and its Spectrum service were in an extended carriage dispute with Disney earlier this year, forcing ESPN off the lineup during the U.S. Open. The two sides eventually cut a deal before the NFL season, though it included big changes like the elimination of some major channels and adding Disney+ to the bundle offering.

Paramount CEO Bob Bakish has focused on mending fences with distributors since taking the top job at Viacom in 2015, a process that has grown more complex since the boom in direct-to-consumer streaming. The distribution effort is playing out against a larger dealmaking backdrop for Paramount. The company and its controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone’s National Amusements, have recently entertained offers for some or all of its assets as it continues to face a host of challenges like the soft advertising climate, streaming costs, cord-cutting and pressure on theatrical moviegoing. Any potential buyer of the company will want to have carriage deals in place so they can develop a strategy for its assets.

Paramount is nearing another distribution crossroads in 2024 as its current deal with Charter winds to a close. The parties signed a multi-year deal in mid-2021, with streaming a key component. Charter’s management team has said it will use the latest Disney deal as a template for its future distribution agreements.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon and CBS Sports to Bring Super Bowl LVIII to Bikini Bottom!

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YouTube TV & Paramount Strike Deal to Avoid a Blackout of Nickelodeon, CBS, CBS Sports, & More

Earlier this week, for a short time, a warning message showed up on YouTube TV’s website warning that Paramount-owned channels could be dropped. Now that message is gone, with Cord Cutters News confirming that a deal has been reached to avoid a blackout.

The message on YouTube TV’s website said that because of ongoing negotiations, Paramount-owned content was going to be unavailable. Google went on to say that the Base Plan for YouTube TV would temporarily drop to $66.99 a month from the normal $72.99 fee. It is common for YouTube to drop the cost of YouTube TV if a blackout happens.

Cord Cutters News has confirmed that a deal is in place to keep Paramount-owned channels, including local CBS, Nickelodeon, CBS Sports, Paramount, and more on YouTube TV. Both Google and Paramount declined to comment on the exact details of the deal and for how long the deal would last. It's currently unknown whether this is a permanent deal or a short-term extension.

Originally, Paramount’s contract with YouTube TV came to an end on October 25, 2023. The deal was so uncertain that YouTube TV prepared a warning message for its customers about a possible blackout that, for a short time, was live on YouTube TV’s website.

The good news for YouTube TV fans is that they can continue to enjoy Paramount-owned channels, including Nickelodeon and CBS. This is great news for NFL fans looking for games on CBS.

Additionally, Paramount and Sinclair, Inc. announced earlier this week comprehensive, multi-year distribution agreements across all 21 CBS network affiliations for Sinclair stations, including six top-50 market affiliates, KUTV in Salt Lake City, UT, KEYE in Austin, TX, WKRC in Cincinnati, OH, WPEC in West Palm Beach, FL, WWMT in Grand Rapids, MI and WHP in Harrisburg, PA. In addition, Paramount also reached an agreement to renew the affiliation of WTVH in Syracuse, NY and WGFL in Gainesville, FL, stations to which Sinclair provides services.

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

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ViacomCBS, Verizon Strike Multiyear Carriage Deal

The multiyear deal covers the full range of ViacomCBS' networks and retransmission consent for CBS-owned TV stations.

ViacomCBS and telecom giant Verizon's FiOS have struck a new carriage agreement, the second major pact for the entertainment giant since the recombination of Viacom and CBS closed in December.

The companies didn't make a formal announcement, but sources confirmed the agreement to The Hollywood Reporter.

In January, ViacomCBS struck a new carriage deal with Comcast that covered Viacom networks and made sure Comcast's agreements with the CBS and Viacom portfolios now end at the same time. The Verizon pact is the first one that covers the complete ViacomCBS portfolio.

Financial terms weren't disclosed, but the multiyear deal covers the full range of ViacomCBS' networks, which include CBS, CBS Sports Network, Nickelodeon, Showtime, MTV, BET, Comedy Central and the Paramount Network. The deal also covers retransmission consent for CBS-owned TV stations.

ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish has focused on a positive, collaborative approach to carriage deals compared to his Viacom predecessors' approach, but Wall Street has continued to wonder whether the merged firm would be able to strike new carriage agreements.

Bakish in a November analyst call pointed to the recombined group controlling around 22 percent of primetime TV viewing in the U.S. via CBS and Viacom's cable assets, while only getting around 11 percent of affiliate fees.

"Part of the bear thesis has been that the networks would be dropped upon renewals with distribution partners," Wolfe Research analyst John Janedis wrote in a first reaction. "With FiOS done, we expect the market to focus on a long-awaited virtual [pay TV] deal and Dish, which should take some of the pressure off the stock."

He added: "We believe the term is in the four-year range, likely co-terminus given the importance management has spoken to related to synchronizing deals post the merger." That means ViacomCBS has been targeting to reach new carriage deals that cover Viacom and CBS networks for the same periods.

Janedis also took a stab at other deal terms, writing in a report: "While pricing of the deal wasn't disclosed, we doubt ViacomCBS would have accepted terms (without going dark) that included a rate rollback. We assume [the] combined Viacom/CBS nets rate will increase at a compound annual growth rate in the mid-single digit range over the life of the deal. Although unclear, we do not believe any of the ViacomCBS nets will be re-tiered as a result of the renewal."

More Nick: Nickelodeon Upfront 2020 Roundup!

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Sling TV May Drop ViacomCBS Channels in Fresh Dispute with DISH

It appears that ViacomCBS-owned channels like Nickelodeon, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Paramount Network, and VH1 are at risk of being dropped from Sling TV, the over-the-top (OTT) internet television (IPTV) service from Dish.

Nick Jr., BET, and Comedy Central are currently part of Sling’s Blue Plan ($30 a month), while the rest are a part of various add-ons to the Sling service. Viacom (now ViacomCBS) and Dish signed a multi-year deal in April 2016, which would appear to expire in the next week.

In preparation for a potential blackout, Sling has prepared an announcement page (that has since been removed) that says they are “fighting on your behalf to get these channels back.”

On Dish Network’s online channel guide, they had added a channel to their line-up that says “Viacom is threatening to remove your access to their channels. Visit DISHPromise.com for more information,” which has yet to be updated.

ViacomCBS' KeepViacom.com, which is utilized by the media company to warn viewers that their TV provider may be about to drop their favorite channels, has yet to be updated.

Before ViacomCBS' agreement with Dish was finalized in April 2016, ViacomCBS used KeepViacom.com on-screen lower-third graphics to warn viewers of the then-potential blackout.

The Streamable has reached out to Dish Network and ViacomCBS for official confirmation, but neither have responded for comment.

The two sides may very well come to a deal ahead of the end of the contract’s expiration, but it’s clear that it will come down to the wire. Last year, ViacomCBS had a carriage dispute with AT&T, over their carriage on DirecTV and DIRECTV NOW (now called AT&T TV NOW).

ViacomCBS channels are currently available to stream most widely on Philo ($20), as well as fuboTV ($55) and AT&T TV NOW ($55).

More Nick: Netflix and Nickelodeon Form Multi-Year Output Deal to Produce Original Animated Films and Series!

Additional source: Wikipedia.

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