Walmart may be looking to get into streaming with Comcast, Disney and Paramount.
According to The New York Times, the retail giant has had discussions with several media companies to include streaming in its membership service. Executives from Paramount, Disney and Comcast have spoken with Walmart, the outlet reports.
The streaming bundle would reportedly be included in Walmart+, a membership program designed for frequent Walmart shoppers. The subscription service offers benefits such as unlimited free delivery and fuel discounts from participating gas stations. The Walmart+ membership is $12.95 per month and provides a free six-month subscription to Spotify Premium.
Wireless providers have made similar deals offering customers streaming bundle services. For example, Verizon offers customers the Disney Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu) with select Verizon Unlimited Plans. T-Mobile gives users access to Netflix and a year of Apple TV+ and Paramount+, and AT&T has a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, giving customers the ability to stream HBO Max.
Walmart is also looking to explore different strategies to maintain a foothold in the streaming market, as evidenced by its purchase of Vudu, an on-demand video service, in 2010. Unfortunately, it couldn’t compete with its rivals and sold Vudu to Fandango in 2020. Walmart has also invested in Eko, an interactive video company.