ViacomCBS believes it is sitting in a solid position amid the streaming wars, even with the recent WarnerMedia-Discovery merger.

Bank of America boosted its evaluation of Viacom stock on the basis of increased perceived value in that “press reports suggest ViacomCBS as a potential target.”  

Tom Ryan, ViacomCBS Streaming president and CEO declined comment on the merger in a conversation with Yahoo Finance but defined his company as “extremely well-positioned in the streaming category.” 

He referenced Viacom’s combination of “content, strong brands and ubiquitous distribution.”

ViacomCBS, Yahoo Finance writes, is “the only streaming platform to offer a hybrid business model with both low-tier and high-tier offerings for Paramount+ ($6 a month and $10 a month, respectively), in addition to a free, ad-supported option with Pluto TV.”

According to Ryan, “We see the streaming space evolving very quickly into a space that mirrors in some ways the evolution of traditional TV.”

Ryan leads the franchise’s worldwide streaming business. He was brought aboard last October and has guided the rebranding of CBS All Access into Paramount Plus.

“Together we’re building this linked ecosystem where … the services allow us to migrate from one to the other,” he said. 

Eager to take on the likes of Netflix and Disney+ along with the WarnerMedia-Discovery company, Ryan cites sports, original content, children’s programs and exclusive films as targets.

“We’ve got the leading brand in kids with Nickelodeon, and that’s already been a real strength point for Paramount+,” Ryan said in the Yahoo Finance story.

“We see [Viacom’s service] as a whole household product where the kids are coming for the Nickelodeon content, but we also got the dad who may be a sports fan, or the mom who’s into scripted or reality TV.

“It’s really a service that can serve the whole family,” Ryan added.

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