All Things Streaming (VOD, OTT)

[Disney Irish]

More discussion about the end of linear for the industry.....

Experts Have Been Predicting The Death Of Cable TV For Years. Is The End Now In Sight?

As more U.S. households turn to streaming and distributors have less incentive to remain in the business, the industry is in for a shake-up.

www.huffpost.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Single-IP Channels in FAST: A U.S. Status Check

FAST channels based on a single series or franchise continue to rise, with almost 300 English U.S. FAST single-IP channels available in September 2023

variety.com

The Latest Trends in SVOD Streaming Channels

AMC+, Paramount+ and Peacock all include streaming channels which are exclusive only to subscribers.

variety.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Netflix, Pushing Into AVOD Fray, Plans New Ad Formats, ‘Crown’ Sponsorship Deals

Netflix plans to add new ad formats to its offerings for marketers, adopting some of the techniques already available on rivals such as Hulu

variety.com

Netflix Ad Tier Hits 15M Monthly Active Users

In the year since advertising began running on Netflix, the company said it has reached 15 million monthly active users on its ad-supported subscription tier. That’s up from the 5 million MAU…

deadline.com

Wall Street Cheers Roku Outlook For Full-Year Profit; Q3 Results Miss Estimates But Active Accounts Rise To 75.8M And Cost-Cutting Benefits Start To Materialize

Shares in Roku surged almost 10% in after-hours trading after the company affirmed its outlook for “positive full-year EBITDA,” meaning a return to profitability. The streaming giant po…

deadline.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

How Paramount+ and Peacock Could Succeed in Streaming After All

VIP+ Analysis: A new potential path forward for the streaming wars’ smaller players is becoming clearer as the peak TV era draws to a close.

variety.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

A New Warning Sign for Pay TV Erosion

Next year will record the first-ever annual decline in global pay TV penetration, Ampere Analysis forecasts.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Why Telecom Will Be Key to Bundling’s Next Phase

VIP+ Analysis: A new executive survey and market patterns show why telecom partnerships are poised to dominate the streaming bundle space.

variety.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

“You Pay to Play”: A Major Showdown Over Funding Streaming TV and Movies Is Underway in Canada

U.S. streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video are resisting efforts to nail down how much cash they will have to give local indie producers until a new “Canadian content” definition is agreed next year.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Speaking of Canadian content...

‘Letterkenny’ to End With Season 12 at Hulu, Sets Premiere Date

"Letterkenny" will end with its upcoming 12th season at Hulu.

variety.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Paramount Deal Chatter Puts Hollywood M&A Back in Wall Street Spotlight

The Shari Redstone speculation and resulting renewed interest in deal talk could well have a domino effect and contribute to getting the media merger merry-go-round moving again in the new year.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Netflix, Adam McKay Sued for Copyright Infringement Over ‘Don’t Look Up’

Louisiana-based author William Collier claims that the Oscar-winning director-writer ripped off his novel, which McKay allegedly got a copy of more than a decade ago.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Charter CFO Says New Disney Carriage Deal Means Consumers No Longer “Pay Twice” for Content

Jessica Fischer said the industry should expect more streaming content to be included in the traditional cable bundle and less popular linear TV channels to be dropped.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Peacock Hits 30M Subscribers; Comcast Exec Touts NBCUniversal as More Creator-Friendly Than Rivals

"We collected an eight and a half billion dollar check on Friday," Mike Cavanagh said, adding that Disney's payment for Hulu has cleared.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Netflix and Apple Open Door to Bundling With Streaming Rivals

A Verizon-backed Netflix and Max deal, and talks between Apple and Paramount, suggest that streaming bundles may be about to get bigger and better.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Inside the Netflix Data Trove: ‘Wednesday,’ ‘Suits’ and 10,000 Titles (Almost) No One Watched

The streamer's massive list of viewing time stats reveals a very diverse top of the chart and shows that users outside the U.S. still love 'The Office.'

www.hollywoodreporter.com

How Overnight Sensation Toys and Colors Claimed YouTube’s Top Channel Spot

According to recent data from Tubefilter, Toys and Colors was the most viewed YouTube channel during November.

variety.com

Apple-Paramount Bundle Would Be Another Hail Mary Streaming Play

VIP+ Analysis: A new SVOD package could combine the two services — a good move but also not much more than a survival strategy.

variety.com

How Streamers and Dealmakers Alike Are Shifting Strategies Post-Strike

As streamers like Netflix and Max shift strategies post-strike, Hollywood dealmakers are also rethinking next steps.

variety.com

Paramount Has Some Big Checks To Write In 2024, With Its Credit Rating Still Under Scrutiny, S&P Global Analyst Says: “They Have To Show A Path”

Paramount Global will start 2024 with some big bills to pay and questions swirling about its creditworthiness, in the view of a veteran S&P Global analyst. Naveen Sarma, S&P’s Managin…

deadline.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Showtime Linear Network Sets Date Of Rebrand To Paramount+ With Showtime

Showtime’s linear network, which launched more than four decades ago during the early days of cable, will officially get a new name on January 8, 2024. The network will be rebranded Paramount…

deadline.com

‘Letterkenny’ Creator Jared Keeso Strikes First-Of-Its-Kind Content Pact With Crave & New Metric

EXCLUSIVE: The creator of Canadian smash Letterkenny has struck a multi-year content deal with streamer Crave and New Metric Media that Crave’s programing boss says is a first of its kind. Wi…

deadline.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

In Search of Cash, Studios Send Old Shows Back to Netflix​

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/business/media/netflix-licensed-shows.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GU0.b6c_.h7a4c7GPMmQK&hpgrp=ar-abar&smid=url-share

 

[MisterPenguin]

“For Sale” Sign on Paramount Will Shape Shari Redstone’s Legacy

As the mogul entertains offers for relinquishing control of the historic studio, some suitors seem more interested in flipping assets.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Sports Rights Arms Race Reshapes the Streaming Wars

After years of cord-cutting, ESPN finally starts its direct-to-consumer pivot, Max plans a new tier and Peacock (yes, that’s right) is quietly the biggest player in the space.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Exclusive: Streaming Study Reveals What Netflix Data Dump Doesn’t

VIP+ Analysis: PlumResearch data paints a fuller picture of Netflix shows’ success than the streamer’s much-discussed engagement report.

variety.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

STARZ Series Cancelled, Will Be Removed From Streaming

STARZ Series Cancelled, Will Be Removed From Streaming

Shining Vale's second season was its last.

tinyurl.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Lionsgate Studios To Become A New Public Company, Splitting With Starz In SPAC Deal

Lionsgate Studios will split with Starz by merging with Screaming Eagle Acquisition Corp. SPAC, creating a major pure play content company.

deadline.com

Lionsgate Announces Deal to Spin Off Studios From Starz - ComicBook.com

Lionsgate has finally pulled the trigger on a long-rumored plan to spin off from Lionsgate. Today, the company announced a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) deal that would spin Lionsgate out into its own, publicly-traded entity separate from Starz, according to The Hollywood Reporter...

comicbook.com

 

[Disney Irish]

Lionsgate Studios To Become A New Public Company, Splitting With Starz In SPAC Deal

Lionsgate Studios will split with Starz by merging with Screaming Eagle Acquisition Corp. SPAC, creating a major pure play content company.

deadline.com

Lionsgate Announces Deal to Spin Off Studios From Starz - ComicBook.com

Lionsgate has finally pulled the trigger on a long-rumored plan to spin off from Lionsgate. Today, the company announced a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) deal that would spin Lionsgate out into its own, publicly-traded entity separate from Starz, according to The Hollywood Reporter...

comicbook.com

And look for Lionsgate Studios to be acquired in the next 5 years.

 

[_caleb]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but in 2019 AMC Theaters launched its own streaming platform, AMC Theatres On Demand. In June of this year, they shut down the service and transferred their library of content over to Fandango’s Vudu, which is owned by NBCUniversal/Warner Bros. Discovery and has around 8% market share.

Now, AMC has launched its own line of gourmet candy, called AMC Cinema Sweets to go with their AMC branded popcorn.

Direct-to-Consumer is going to kill movie theaters unless they can make some big changes.

 

[MisterPenguin]

New Paramount Merger Scenario Has Skydance Reportedly Mulling All-Cash Bid For National Amusements

A new scenario has surfaced in the ever-swirling speculation about Paramount Global’s fate. The Wall Street Journal reported this afternoon that Skydance, with backing from other investors, i…

deadline.com

Amazon Is About to Eat the TV Universe

On Jan. 29, Prime Video will make its ad tier the default for its tens of millions of subscribers, a move that could unravel how advertisers deal with TV broadcasters and scare off rivals with its massive scale.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

CES 2024 Signals Tightening Smart TV OS Race

Smart TV operating systems are proving key for consumers, and this year shows the big players are jockeying for position

variety.com

Nielsen: December Household TV Streaming Inched Up 1.9% - Media Play News

Household television streaming video usage increased 1.2% in December 2023, but the uptick was not enough to maintain streaming’s November market share, and the category fell to 35.9% of overall … Continue reading "Nielsen: December Household TV Streaming Inched Up 1.9%"

www.mediaplaynews.com

CTV Advertising Can’t Replace Linear TV Fast Enough

Connected TV advertising is expected to truly come into its own in 2024, but it can’t offset the declines in linear TV ads

variety.com

Connected TV ad revenue...

 

[MisterPenguin]

Peak TV Is Over as 2023 Scripted Series Releases “Crash”

New reports show a sharp drop in U.S. commissions last year, with little hope for a rebound in 2024 and Ampere Analysis noting an "internationalization" and "displacement of Hollywood."

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

Verizon Lost 283,000 Fios Video Subs in 2023 - Media Play News

Verizon Communications’ pay-TV market position continued to decline in 2023, with the wireless provider losing 283,000 linear TV subscribers in 2023, including 62,000 subs in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2023. Verizon ended the year with 2.95 million Fios Video subscribers, down from 3.23...

www.mediaplaynews.com

Netflix Blows Past Q4 Subscriber Targets, Topping 260M

Netflix added a far-better-than-expected 13 million subscribers in the fourth quarter to reach 260.3 million globally as of the end of 2023.

deadline.com

Netflix Packs on More Than 13 Million Subscribers in Q4, Well Above Expectations

Netflix extended its lead as the world's biggest premium video-streaming platform, gaining 13.1 million subscribers in Q4 2023.

variety.com