iWorld
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.
iWorld
Rusk Media announces Battleground Season 2 on Amazon MX Player
Fitness reality show returns in April 2026 with bigger challenges and mentors.
MUMBAI: The arena is reopening and this time the competition promises even more sweat, strategy and spectacle. Rusk Media has confirmed the return of its fitness reality format Battleground for a second season, set to stream on Amazon MX Player from April 2026. The announcement follows the breakout success of the show’s debut season, which positioned itself as a high energy blend of sport, strategy and reality television. Season 1 brought together 16 contestants for a 28 day test of endurance and discipline, as aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts competed in physically demanding challenges and team based battles.
Divided into four teams, the participants trained under a panel of mentors drawn from the fitness and lifestyle space, with former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan serving as the show’s Super Mentor.
The format quickly found an audience among digital viewers and was listed among the most binged titles on Amazon MX Player. The show also picked up industry recognition, winning the “Most Popular Non Fiction Show” honour at the IWMBuzz Digital Awards 2025.
The first season also drew a slate of brand partnerships, including Honda Bigwing, Charged, American Pistachio Growers, Bigmuscles Nutrition, Ritebite Max Protein, Plix and Sparsh CCTV, highlighting the show’s appeal to brands targeting India’s rapidly growing youth and fitness audience.
For Season 2, the producers say the format will evolve with tougher physical challenges, a sharper competitive structure and deeper mentor involvement while continuing to focus on discovering the next generation of Indian fitness personalities.
Rusk Media, chief executive officer and co founder Mayank Yadav said the first season proved the appetite for competitive fitness storytelling. “Battleground was always envisioned as more than a show. Season 1 demonstrated that there is a massive audience for aspirational fitness competition at scale. With Season 2 we are going even bigger in ambition, intensity and opportunities for contestants and partners,” he said.
Rusk Ads lead Rahul Arora added that the series has also evolved into a strong platform for brand integration and advertiser engagement. “Season 1 showed that Battleground is not just compelling content but a powerful brand ecosystem. As we move into Season 2, we are looking to deepen brand collaborations and build more integrated partnerships,” he said.
With a larger format, an expanding fan base and a new season set to arrive in April 2026, Battleground is positioning itself as one of India’s emerging fitness reality franchises in the digital entertainment space.
