Paramount and Netflix storm November’s streaming wars

NEW YORK: Paramount and Netflix have delivered knockout performances in November’s streaming battle, each posting double-digit growth that has reshuffled the media distributor rankings and left rivals scrambling.

Paramount charged up 14 per cent to claim 8.9 per cent of total television viewing, its largest share since April, according to Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge released today. The entertainment giant jumped to third place overall, powered equally by its broadcast and streaming arms. CBS affiliates and Paramount+ each surged more than 18 per cent, adding 0.5 and 0.2 share points respectively—making Paramount’s 0.7-point gain the largest among all distributors.

Netflix wasn’t far behind, notching a 10 per cent increase to capture 8.3 per cent of TV viewing. The streaming titan’s success rested on the return of Stranger Things, which alone racked up nearly 12 billion viewing minutes. New entries The Beast in Me and Guillermo del Toro’s reimagined Frankenstein added nearly 7 billion more minutes between them, proving Netflix’s content depth remains its secret weapon.

The month’s real overachiever was Hallmark, which posted a 28 per cent viewing bump—the highest percentage increase across all distributors. The network’s signature holiday film slate and original series Mistletoe Murders delivered an additional 0.2 share points for a total 1.2 per cent of TV time.

Despite the shake-up below them, YouTube and Disney held the top two spots with 12.9 per cent and 10.5 per cent respectively. YouTube’s share remained flat, whilst Disney dropped 0.9 share points, bruised by ABC and ESPN declines stemming from a carriage dispute with YouTube TV.

NBCUniversal climbed 7 per cent to 8.8 per cent of viewing, its strongest showing since October 2024. Peacock led the charge with a 22 per cent streaming surge, fuelled by NFL Sunday Night Football, Thanksgiving Day programming and new drama All Her Fault. The streamer hit a non-Olympic record of 1.9 per cent share.

Fox navigated choppier waters, with broadcast affiliates jumping 22 per cent on Thanksgiving NFL coverage and World Series games, whilst Fox News Channel slipped 9 per cent and FS1 suffered from the absence of MLB playoffs. Overall, Fox gained 2.4 per cent but lost 0.3 share points to finish with 8.1 per cent of TV.

The numbers, spanning five weeks from October 27th through November 30th, paint a picture of an industry where content is king, sports remain currency, and the fight for eyeballs grows fiercer by the month. In streaming’s gladiatorial arena, November belonged to those who came armed with the sharpest content and the smartest timing.