Paramount has started cutting at least 15-percent of its global staff ... in the aftermath of the studio's sale to Skydance Media.

The layoffs were expected ... but what caught people in the entertainment industry by surprise was the complete elimination of Paramount TV Studios.

We talked with Tom Nunan .. he's owner and founder of the independent TV and movie production house Bullseye Entertainment.  

He tells us Paramount had simply been spending way too much.

Nunan says the Paramount cuts are just added misery for an industry that's struggling badly right now.

The streaming wars are over ... he says ... and there is a very clear winner.

The original Paramount Television launched nearly 60 years ago ... and was responsible for turning out iconic shows like "I Love Lucy" ... "Cheers" ... "The Brady Bunch" ... and "Star Trek."