The Business of Streaming Thread

[filmbuffTX]

Comcast, Charter Team to Develop Nationwide Streaming Platform

Comcast will license Flex, its aggregated streaming platform and hardware, and contribute streamer Xumo to the joint venture, which aims to "compete at scale with established national platforms."

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...6ab039a7423e93

I suppose this will be a competitor to Roku, Amazon Fire, and AppleTV devices?

[vertigop1ayer]

HBO Max and HBO Hit 76.8M Global Subs, and 48.6M in U.S, in Final AT&T Disclosure

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...235130203/amp/

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this is combining HBO cable as well, so not a direct comparison to Netflix subscription numbers, etc. But anyway, continued growth for the HBO brand however one slices it.

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by filmbuffTX

Comcast, Charter Team to Develop Nationwide Streaming Platform

Comcast will license Flex, its aggregated streaming platform and hardware, and contribute streamer Xumo to the joint venture, which aims to "compete at scale with established national platforms."

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...6ab039a7423e93

I suppose this will be a competitor to Roku, Amazon Fire, and AppleTV devices?

I have a Flex box (it's free for Internet subscribers). Unpacked it, activated the Flex service (mainly to get Peacock "Premium" for free, which is also a joke BTW), played a bit with it. Then disconnected it and put it right back in its box. Terrible device. It's slow, the UI is convoluted, and the remote barely responsive.

[bhampton]

Streaming services should all have ads.
People still want online stuff to be free and ads is the way that works.

Someone offered me HBO Max password for Batman - I'll just wait for the better presentation, I have the disc pre ordered.
I've heard the steaming version has crushed blacks to go with the over compressed soundtrack. Nice, I can wait. It could be good or bad but I'm going to at least see a well produced version of it.


"It's slow, the UI is convoluted, and the remote barely responsive." That's Comcastic!

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I've heard the steaming version has crushed blacks to go with the over compressed soundtrack. Nice, I can wait. It could be good or bad but I'm going to at least see a well produced version of it.

Well, you heard wrong. Blacks are definitely not crushed (on the contrary, in the UHD forum there were people disappointed about "elevated blacks" even though that is the intended look of the film), and HBO Max streams a superbly mixed Atmos track at 768 kbps.

[kannibaliztik]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Streaming services should all have ads.
People still want online stuff to be free and ads is the way that works.

Someone offered me HBO Max password for Batman - I'll just wait for the better presentation, I have the disc pre ordered.
I've heard the steaming version has crushed blacks to go with the over compressed soundtrack. Nice, I can wait. It could be good or bad but I'm going to at least see a well produced version of it.

[ctujackbauer]

Originally Posted by avs commenter

Disney and HBO have proven that most people want quality, not quantity.

Peacock has neither.

Is HBO Max the best example of success though? People aren't exactly signing up in droves.

Throw in the carriage rights problems in Europe, people having less money and time to throw around at entertainment in general, and the lack of a major hit like Game of Thrones on HBO/HBO Max; I think the subscriber estimates might be in for downward or slowing future outlook.

[vertigop1ayer]

Netflix's Battle for Asian Subscribers Pits It Against Rich Rivals, Hundreds of Local Upstarts

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/net...ts-11651148887

In short, Netflix gained subscribers at a time when growth lagged elsewhere. The theory here is that numerous markets in Asia have significant growth potential in the streaming space. Netflix is prominent, but in order to maintain its current position and/or grow, it needs to continue releasing fresh, expensive, prestige content. In turn, this limits the company's ability to lower their prices as another method of being competitive (in various markets, Netflix is a premium-priced option; in India Netflix lowered prices but it appears doing so across more of Asia would be tougher to do).

[An4h0ny]

Originally Posted by vertigop1ayer

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this is combining HBO cable as well, so not a direct comparison to Netflix subscription numbers, etc. But anyway, continued growth for the HBO brand however one slices it.

It really sounds like that's the case.

Global HBO Max and HBO subscribers comprise domestic and international customers, excluding free trials, basic and Cinemax subscribers, AT&T noted.

----------------

This article about Vice Media is interesting.

Vice Media has hired financial advisors to seek a buyer, may sell itself in pieces, sources say

Vice Media, the digital media company once valued at $5.7 billion, has hired bankers to seek a sale, according to people familiar with the matter.

Several buyers have expressed preliminary interest in acquiring Vice outright, people familiar with the matter said. While finding a single buyer would be a simpler solution for Vice, given potential issues around valuation and the company’s outstanding debt, it also is exploring options to sell the company in parts, the people said.

The Information reported Friday that Vice is shopping its content studio business and named PJT Partners and LionTree as banks helping the company with that transaction.

Vice’s most desirable assets are likely to be its content studio and its creative advertising agency, Virtue, said the people. The studio business includes Pulse Films, which Vice announced in March it had acquired after previously only owning a controlling stake. Pulse has made a number of popular music documentaries, including Beyonce’s “Lemonade” and the “Beastie Boys Story.” The documentary film market is particularly hot right now for sales and consolidation, one of the people said.

Vice attempted to go public via a special purpose acquisition company last year, reaching an agreement with 7GC & Co Holdings. But plans to go public stalled after the market cooled and investors weren’t sold on Vice’s prospects as a stand-alone public company, CNBC reported last year.

[JakeTaylor7]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Streaming services should all have ads.
People still want online stuff to be free and ads is the way that works.

Someone offered me HBO Max password for Batman - I'll just wait for the better presentation, I have the disc pre ordered.
I've heard the steaming version has crushed blacks to go with the over compressed soundtrack. Nice, I can wait. It could be good or bad but I'm going to at least see a well produced version of it.


"It's slow, the UI is convoluted, and the remote barely responsive." That's Comcastic!

No crushed blacks. “Better presentation” is subjective.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by JakeTaylor7

No crushed blacks. “Better presentation” is subjective.

I guess.

I have the disc preordered. That's the way I would rather watch it.

I did watch Godzilla Vs Kong on HBO when it was released because I had someone's password and I wanted to see it right away.

[meremortal]

I'm kind of hoping there will be more exciting free sites like Tubi. Don't get me wrong, I still have several paid subscription ones in rotation like Hulu, AMC+, Prime, and now even Full Moon. But even with those I often find myself gravitating to Tubi and the free sections from platforms like Vudu and YT. Ads are generally fine with me as it gives me time to decompress for a second and surf the web for a minute or two.

[bhampton]

Redbox and Roku have ad based streaming like Tubi.

(Probably all the same stuff too.)

[vertigop1ayer]

Paramount Adds 6.4MGlobal Streaming Subs in First Quarter to Top 62M, Including Nearly 40M at Paramount+

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...235138907/amp/

Formerly known as ViacomCBS, Paramount Global continues seeing some impressive growth numbers in the streaming space with their flagship P+ service. The company was disappointing in the earlier days of streaming, having beaten Disney, WB, and others in introducing a service. However, CBS All-Access wasn't well-rounded and seemed to languish while competition pushed forward. The P+ relaunch appeared to accomplish what was necessary.

Looking ahead though, they have strong competitors. I wonder if they'll further incorporate Showtime in the future though? I believe they've outlined their strategy previously (on why they keep Showtime separate), but I didn't necessarily buy into that logic.

[An4h0ny]

Originally Posted by meremortal

I'm kind of hoping there will be more exciting free sites like Tubi. Don't get me wrong, I still have several paid subscription ones in rotation like Hulu, AMC+, Prime, and now even Full Moon. But even with those I often find myself gravitating to Tubi and the free sections from platforms like Vudu and YT. Ads are generally fine with me as it gives me time to decompress for a second and surf the web for a minute or two.

IMDBTV on Prime just rebranded as FreeVee.

Seems really similar to Tubi, etc... not sure what the ad loads are like.

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/03/am...itor-to-watch/

[filmbuffTX]

Crackle Owner Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment to Acquire Redbox

The $375 million all-stock deal is premised on growth in the free ad-supported streaming market.

“Our acquisition of Redbox will accelerate the scaling of our business as it combines complementary teams and services to create the streaming industry’s premier independent AVOD,” said William J. Rouhana Jr., chairman and CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, in a statement. “Redbox has 40 million customers in its loyalty program and high-potential digital television assets including carriage of over 130 FAST digital channels on its Free Live TV platform, as well as a robust TVOD and PVOD platform. Together, we will build a fully developed AVOD and FAST streaming business: proven branded streaming services, formidable content and production capabilities, and a strong AVOD and FAST ad sales operation.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...6ab039a7423e93

[vertigop1ayer]

Originally Posted by filmbuffTX

[Show spoiler] Crackle Owner Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment to Acquire Redbox

The $375 million all-stock deal is premised on growth in the free ad-supported streaming market.

“Our acquisition of Redbox will accelerate the scaling of our business as it combines complementary teams and services to create the streaming industry’s premier independent AVOD,” said William J. Rouhana Jr., chairman and CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, in a statement. “Redbox has 40 million customers in its loyalty program and high-potential digital television assets including carriage of over 130 FAST digital channels on its Free Live TV platform, as well as a robust TVOD and PVOD platform. Together, we will build a fully developed AVOD and FAST streaming business: proven branded streaming services, formidable content and production capabilities, and a strong AVOD and FAST ad sales operation.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...6ab039a7423e93

The "hype" for these so called FAST services seems to have really jumped recently. Not a bad or good thing; merely observing. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention.

Crackle was a missed opportunity for Sony in my opinion. Back at that time, Sony could've leveraged it as their flagship service, bringing in the rich Columbia and Tri-Star catalogs under that roof and eventually produced original content. To better increase awareness, Sony could've had it auto-installed on Sony products like PlayStations, smart TVs, and more, with a free trial period (maybe even offer a small discount if you bought or used a Sony device?). All that coming prior to D+, Peacock, HBO Max, etc. But you know, hindsight bias and all that. These days I don't think there's room for additional services at that level, so Sony is wisely finding a partner (Netflix).

Streaming TV's Next Battlefront: Free Services Seize Their Moment

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...235143393/amp/

[filmbuffTX]

Donald Trump’s Media Company Seeks “Cancelled” Shows, News and Podcasts for Its Subscription Streaming Service

The streaming service will also feature "Trump-specific" programming, comedy specials, and "shows that embrace the Second Amendment," according to a regulatory filing.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...6ab039a7423e93

[avs commenter]

Originally Posted by filmbuffTX

Donald Trump’s Media Company Seeks “Cancelled” Shows, News and Podcasts for Its Subscription Streaming Service

The streaming service will also feature "Trump-specific" programming, comedy specials, and "shows that embrace the Second Amendment," according to a regulatory filing.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...6ab039a7423e93

LOL. Yeah, I'm sure that will be successful

[avs commenter]

I like the cheaper Netflix with ads plan since I really only have Netflix for my kids

In fact, Disney plus and HBO max are the only services I would pay extra for no ads.