HBO Max and Paramount+ Join Forces: What This Means for Unscripted Content

As Paramount prepares for a potential takeover of Warner Bros., new research indicates that the merger of HBO Max and Paramount+ could significantly reshape the unscripted television landscape.

Paramount CEO David Ellison disclosed in March plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+, which would bring together more than 200 million subscribers on a single platform.

Discussions surrounding this merger often revolve around the potential blend of popular shows from both services. For instance, fans are curious about how HBO’s critically acclaimed series *The White Lotus* and the *Harry Potter* franchise would integrate with Paramount’s offerings, including Taylor Sheridan’s *Landman* and CBS’s *Tracker*.

In addition to scripted content, both platforms boast a substantial array of unscripted programming, positioning the merged entity as a formidable force in that sector.

Research Insights

Parrot Analytics recently revealed that had HBO Max and Paramount+ been merged in the first quarter of 2026, they would command a 25.1% share of demand for unscripted content across subscription video on demand (SVOD) services. This figure surpasses the combined demand of Hulu and Disney+, which stands at 22.3%, and is notably higher than Netflix’s 14.9%, Prime Video’s 13.3%, and Peacock’s 11%.

Individually, HBO Max accounted for 18.7% of this demand, while Paramount+ contributed 6.5%. Parrot’s analysis relies on various data points, including video consumption patterns, social media interactions, and research actions.

Despite these promising insights, the most in-demand show on streaming platforms during this period was NBC’s *The Voice*, available on Peacock, with demand nearly 45 times that of the average title. CBS’s *Survivor*, now celebrating its 50th season, ranked second, generating 38 times more interest than average, while Bravo’s *Summer House* drew 36 times more demand than the average show.

Parrot’s findings also include late-night and current affairs shows, with *The Daily Show*, *Last Week Tonight with John Oliver*, *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert*, and *60 Minutes* contributing to the combined numbers, while *The Tonight Show* bolstered Peacock’s statistics, and *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* enriched Disney’s data.

Interestingly, neither HBO Max nor Paramount+ is known for robust investments in unscripted content. HBO Max has only a select few unscripted originals, such as *Conan O’Brien Must Go* and *The Great Pottery Throwdown*, and has largely ceased ordering new originals since 2022. The platform predominantly features acquired titles from various cable networks, including TLC’s *90 Day Fiancé* series and TBS’s *Impractical Jokers*.

Sarlanis emphasized that Investigation Discovery has evolved from a cable network into a significant content provider for streaming platforms. “We really have transformed that network into being a content engine for streaming, and so getting those massive documentary ‘docbuster’ events to break through on the streaming platform, while leveraging the network to attract our audience has been our strategy,” he stated.

He also commented on the evolving definition of unscripted television, noting that what was once a mainstay of low-cost cable has been overtaken by innovative content creators.

Paramount+, on the other hand, recently resumed its investment in unscripted originals under Ellison’s leadership, acquiring titles such as the dating reality series *Making Love* and Kim Kardashian’s *Team Moms*. The network continues to rely on popular programs like *RuPaul’s Drag Race* and CBS’s *Big Brother* and *The Amazing Race*.

The forthcoming series *America’s Culinary Cup*, produced by Padma Lakshmi, is among the new unscripted shows aimed at enhancing the Paramount+ portfolio alongside Sheridan’s *The Road*.

Graham expressed the challenge of finding a distinctive cooking show. “We hear 1,000 cooking shows and we couldn’t really figure out what that would be for us. How’s it going to connect with our audience? How’s it going to work on broadcast and streaming?” he said, adding that schedule optimization remains a key consideration.

He described his approach as genre-agnostic, emphasizing the importance of universality and strong storytelling. “If you look at *Survivor*, *Big Brother*, and *The Amazing Race*, it’s really about finding shows with universal themes that resonate with the audience,” he added.