Pluto TV protected in Paramount/WBD consent decree
September 22, 2026



News has emerged that the settlement of state attorneys generals’ anti-trust lawsuit over the proposed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) includes a provision ensuring that Paramount will keep Pluto TV (or an equivalent free, ad-supported streaming service) active for the next five years.

Pluto TV, founded in 2013, is the only free streaming service either of the two current companies currently operates, hence the consent decree.


While Pluto TV is protected, the settlement specifies which cable brands Paramount will have to divest if it fails to keep carriage negotiations for the Paramount and Warner Bros basic cable networks away from the table, reported Deadline. The list includes BET (and its various sub-channels) and VH1, as well as Comedy Central, with the company’s flagships MTV and Nickelodeon remaining safe.