Paramount+ Plans TikTok-Style Feed to Win Back Viewers

Paramount+ is planning a major push into short-form video, developing a TikTok-style feed inside its app to compete for younger audiences. The move is part of an industry-wide scramble by traditional streamers to adapt to viewing habits now dominated by social media.

• A million clips can't wait: According to leaked internal emails from mid-January, the initiative is a top priority for the first quarter of 2026. Paramount+'s head of product and design, Dan Reich, wrote that the team is trying to "jump-start efforts to get a million clips into our Short Form UX as quickly as possible," initially by repurposing content from Paramount's existing library.

• Playing catch-up: Paramount is joining a crowded field of streamers trying to counter the TikTok effect. Netflix is already testing vertical video features and adding video podcasts, while Disney+ also announced plans this year to launch short-form video to boost daily engagement.

• The guerrilla tactic: The leaked communications also suggest Paramount is exploring user-generated content (UGC) as a future "brainstorm" idea. While the initial feed will be polished, adding UGC could be a low-cost guerrilla tactic in the content wars, designed to generate engagement and keep viewers captive on the platform.

The pivot makes it clear that survival in the streaming wars now depends on driving constant user engagement, not just relying on appointment viewing for a weekend binge. The move comes with a layer of corporate intrigue, as Paramount CEO David Ellison's father, Larry Ellison, co-founded Oracle, which is now a key owner of TikTok's US business. Meanwhile, as streamers chase short-form engagement, Hollywood is already experimenting with new formats like so-called "micro-dramas."