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.