All Things Streaming (VOD, OTT)

[MisterPenguin]

Fuse Media Reports Record-Setting FAST Viewership Performance in Q1 of 2025 - Media Play News

Fuse Media, a minority-owned and operated media company, on May 22 announced record-setting FAST viewership performance for the first quarter of 2025, marking the strongest quarter in the company’s history. Minutes watched surpassed 1.2 billion across all owned and operated channels...

www.mediaplaynews.com

Ampere: Nearly 40% of YouTube Users Stream TV Shows, Movies - Media Play News

YouTube isn’t just for short-form DIY videos anymore. Nearly 40% of the platform’s users worldwide now stream TV shows and movies on the world’s biggest streaming video service, according to new data from Ampere Analysis. Google-owned YouTube has the largest active user base of all online video...

www.mediaplaynews.com

Lionsgate, Now Without Starz, Swings to Quarterly Profit on Higher Revenues

The 'John Wick' and 'Hunger Games' studio recently completed a full separation from its premium cable and streaming service to create two standalone publicly-traded companies.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power May Soon Be on Another Streaming Service

For the first time ever, Amazon MGM Studios is making some of its biggest original content available to other streamers and platforms. On Thursday, the studio announced that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power would be one of its first series to enter syndication, along with the...

comicbook.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Starz U.S. Subscriber Levels Rise In Q4; Former Lionsgate Unit Takes $177.4M Charge For Content “Reassessment”

Starz reversed recent U.S. subscriber losses but disclosed a restructuring charge of $177.4 million due to a "reassessment" of its content portfolio.

deadline.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

BBC Boss: “We Need to Protect Our National IP” and Need “Muscular Partnerships With Big U.S. Tech”

At the Media & Telecoms 2025 & Beyond conference in London, hosted by Deloitte and Enders Analysis, Tim Davie also called the independence of the BBC "sacrosanct."

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Warner Bros. Discovery Lays Off Staffers Across Cable Channels

The number of layoffs are described as being in the double digits, but well less than 100.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Sports Streamers Fubo, DAZN Partner to Distribute Virtual TV Channels - Media Play News

Fubo, the pending Disney co-owned live-TV streaming platform, and DAZN, the London-based live sports-themed digital platform, have inked a multiyear partnership in which both streaming companies will distribute their owned-and-operated virtual TV channels, which include exclusive sports rights...

www.mediaplaynews.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

It’s Not You, It’s WB: A Brief History of Warners’ 21st Century Mergers and Breakups

The pending split of Warner Bros. Discovery will be the third undone merger for the media giant since 2009.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

David Zaslav Finally Cuts the Cord

The newest movie mogul has his feet up on Jack Warner’s desk this morning.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

“Majority” of Warner Bros. Discovery’s $37 Billion in Debt Will Be Spun Off With TV Networks, Its CEO Says

But “a not-insignificant portion” will remain with Streaming & Studios — and with David Zaslav.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Paramount Makes More Layoffs: Several Hundred Employees Axed, Representing 3.5% of U.S. Workforce

Paramount Global is cutting 3.5% of its U.S. workforce, with the company citing linear TV declines and a "dynamic macro-environment" for the layoffs

variety.com

Netflix Chief Ted Sarandos Unveils Plan To Invest $1B In Spanish Originals

Netflix boss Ted Sarandos is continuing to tour the world pledging cash to creators. Today's stop is Spain, where Netflix will spend €1B.

deadline.com

HBO Max Expanding Streaming Service to 12 Eastern European Countries in July - Media Play News

Warner Bros. Discovery June 10 announced that HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer streaming access in 12 Eastern European countries in July. The countries include Albania, Armenia, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and Tajikistan. These...

www.mediaplaynews.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Lionsgate & DirecTV Launch Lionsgate Collection Premium Channel

Lionsgate and DirecTV are firing up Lionsgate Collection, a premium channel for the latter's subscribers which will draw upon the studio's 20,000-plus title film and TV library.

deadline.com

David Zaslav’s Pay To Be “Substantially” Lowered Ahead Of Split, WBD Says, But CEO Will Still Reap Rewards

David Zaslav will have his compensation reduced after shepherding WBD's split into two companies, but he will also reap a substantial reward.

deadline.com

Tubi UK Strikes Content Deals With NBCUniversal, AMC & Sony

Tubi UK has struck content deals with NBCUniversal, AMC & Sony on movies including 'Baby Driver', 'The Da Vinci Code', 'Born On The Fourth Of July'

deadline.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Tubi Reached Record 100 Million Monthly Active Users in May - Media Play News

Fox’s ad-supported streaming service, Tubi, June 17 announced it exceeded 100 million monthly active users and surpassed 1 billion hours of total viewing time in the month of May. Citing Nielsen data, which tracks monthly TV and streaming usage in the U.S., Tubi reached an all-time high of 2.2%...

www.mediaplaynews.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

BBC Website Bows $8.99 Monthly Paywall in the U.S. - Media Play News

BBC Studios and BBC News have launched a paywall for U.S. visitors to the U.K. website, with a $8.99 monthly fee, or $49.99 annually. Select free ad-supported services, including ad-supported BBC Radio 4, the World Service, as well as language services, some newsletters and podcasts will still...

www.mediaplaynews.com

Starz, Hallmark+ Bow Bundled Streaming Service on Prime Video - Media Play News

Starz and Hallmark+ are partnering for a new discounted streaming bundle distributed in the U.S. on Prime Video. Priced at $13.99 monthly for the two services (a 25% discount from standalone pricing), the bundle will offer subscribers access to myriad original content from both streamers...

www.mediaplaynews.com

DirecTV Seals Carriage Deal With Paramount, Adds Nickelodeon Programming To New $20 Kids Bundle

DirecTV has struck a distribution agreement with Paramount Global, adding its Nickelodeon programming to a newly launched $20-a-month kids bundle.

deadline.com

 

[Disney Irish]

In the ever rotating names game, Max is being renamed back to HBO Max tomorrow -

HBO Max Name To Return This Week, Ending Ill-Fated Max Era

Warner Bros. Discovery's flagship streaming service will return to its original HBO Max name on Wednesday, ending an ill-starred rebranding as Max.

deadline.com

Oh Max how we only barely knew you....

 

[MisterPenguin]

In the ever rotating names game, Max is being renamed back to HBO Max tomorrow -

HBO Max Name To Return This Week, Ending Ill-Fated Max Era

Warner Bros. Discovery's flagship streaming service will return to its original HBO Max name on Wednesday, ending an ill-starred rebranding as Max.

deadline.com

Oh Max how we only barely knew you....

I'll still call it "cable TV."

 

[Disney Irish]

I'll still call it "cable TV."

I mean the internet connection is still fed over a cable at some point, even on wireless, so makes sense....

 

[Disney Irish]

Copied over from a post I made in the D+ thread -

In a move that should surprise almost no one, a rule that was to go into effect that required Streamers to make it easier to cancel their services was struck down by a Federal Court -

Streaming Subscriptions May Get Tougher to Cancel

Under the FTC's "Click to Cancel" rule, businesses would've had make it as easy to cancel subscriptions as it is to sign up. An appeals court has now struck that measure down.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

So that old gem of "but streamers will never really replace cable because its so easy to cancel at any time with a click of a button" is also now rendered moot with this decision. As Streamer will undoubtedly continue to add roadblocks to prevent churn in the future.

 

[Disney Irish]

Its an older story from last year, but -

Amazon Is Shutting Down Freevee, Its Ad-Supported Video Streamer

Amazon is officially shutting down Freevee, its free, ad-supported video streaming service originally launched under the IMDb brand.

variety.com

Update, it shuts down in August -

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/02/amazon-freevee-streaming.html

So the era of FAST maybe starting to come to an end with this move. As I expect more of these services will start being shutdown by their respective companies in favor of full subscription based services.

 

[MisterPenguin]

John Wick vs. Godzilla? Legendary Pictures Considering Buying Lionsgate

A potentially major new Hollywood deal between two key players could bring new movie crossover potential to reality.

comicbook.com

 

[Disney Irish]

John Wick vs. Godzilla? Legendary Pictures Considering Buying Lionsgate

A potentially major new Hollywood deal between two key players could bring new movie crossover potential to reality.

comicbook.com

So is Wick Team Edward or Jacob?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Netflix Posts $11 Billion in Q2 Revenue, $3.1 Billion Profit; Ups Fiscal 2025 Revenue Forecast - Media Play News

Netflix July 17 reported second-quarter (ended June 30) profit of more than $3.1 billion on revenue of more than $11 billion. Netflix had projected quarterly income of $3 billion on revenue of $11 billion. The Q2 revenue was up 16% over $9.6 billion from the prior-year period, driven by an...

www.mediaplaynews.com

Class-Action Suit Against Amazon For Putting Ads On Prime Video Dismissed By Federal Judge

A federal judge in Washington state has dismissed a class-action lawsuit against Amazon for putting ads on Prime Video.

deadline.com

NBCUniversal’s Peacock Is Hiking Prices by $3 per Month

Peacock is raising its prices later this month by $3 per month, the third price hike in three years for the NBCUniversal streamer.

variety.com