Since its debut in 2006 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS, The CW primarily served as an outlet for its parents’ studios. That’s all changing now that Nexstar has purchased a majority stake in the broadcaster, putting its streaming strategies up in the air.
Since a lucrative output deal with Netflix ended in 2019, CW shows have tended to go on its parents’ streaming services Max and Paramount+. The CW has its own streaming app and website which Nexstar has increasingly emphasized in investor presentations as its way into the ad-supported streaming market. And with Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global now owning smaller stakes which Nexstar could buy out altogether next year, The CW is set to chart its own streaming path.