Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery Announce Disney+, Hulu and Max Bundle

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Customers expect 'no ads' or less ads... yet look at any website out there or how youtube, or facebook or whatever looks like... ads out the wazzoo.

Are people leaving youtube? no... because they don't have a good alternative.

And in the case of original content... the control on availability is even stronger.

You’re comparing to a free service?

Slight problem there

 

[flynnibus]

You’re comparing to a free service?

Slight problem there

No - the notion of 'paid' meaning ad-free or not is another misconception of people's actual tolerances or hypocrite expectations.

You paid for cable TV while broadcast was free... did cable channels stay ad-free?
You pay for many services, and they still require marketing and advertising.
Just because early streaming was ad-free for paid services doesn't mean it will stay that way or that's what will cause customers to jump ship.

You jump ship when there is a more likable option - that option still has to exist! And when it doesn't, the customer tolerates the ads/price/whatever.

When every website has ads... you don't stop browsing the web. Just like when the only place that has the content you want has ads... you don't change your entertainment desires just because you paid vs a free service.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Not really related to Disney and WBD thing but the new streaming bundle combo would rival Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle.

Comcast to Launch Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ Bundle at a ‘Vastly Reduced Price’

Comcast later this month will launch a streaming bundle with Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ at a deep discount, Comcast chief Brian Roberts said.

variety.com

It's only for customers of Comcast/Xfinity broadband.

More about it here...

Netflix, Peacock, & Apple TV+ will also "bundle" for Comcast Broadband/TV Customers by the end of May, 2024

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/peacock-netflix-apple-tv-plus-bundle-streaming-comcast-1236002375/ https://deadline.com/2024/05/comcast-peacock-netflix-apple-tv-streaming-bundle-1235915222/...

forums.wdwmagic.com

 

[Disney Irish]

No - the notion of 'paid' meaning ad-free or not is another misconception of people's actual tolerances or hypocrite expectations.

You paid for cable TV while broadcast was free... did cable channels stay ad-free?
You pay for many services, and they still require marketing and advertising.
Just because early streaming was ad-free for paid services doesn't mean it will stay that way or that's what will cause customers to jump ship.

You jump ship when there is a more likable option - that option still has to exist! And when it doesn't, the customer tolerates the ads/price/whatever.

When every website has ads... you don't stop browsing the web. Just like when the only place that has the content you want has ads... you don't change your entertainment desires just because you paid vs a free service.

Exactly, consumers will try to find alternatives, but if none exist or aren't better they fall back to what they know.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No - the notion of 'paid' meaning ad-free or not is another misconception of people's actual tolerances or hypocrite expectations.

You paid for cable TV while broadcast was free... did cable channels stay ad-free?
You pay for many services, and they still require marketing and advertising.
Just because early streaming was ad-free for paid services doesn't mean it will stay that way or that's what will cause customers to jump ship.

You jump ship when there is a more likable option - that option still has to exist! And when it doesn't, the customer tolerates the ads/price/whatever.

When every website has ads... you don't stop browsing the web. Just like when the only place that has the content you want has ads... you don't change your entertainment desires just because you paid vs a free service.

You’re twisting so much in this you can’t be untangled at this point.

Let’s wait for this: let’s see Disney charge $75 a month - which is what they really need to make any sort of profit to move the needle for investors - and see how it plays?

Oh…and by lowballing/limiting content

Minor details

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

You jump ship when there is a more likable option - that option still has to exist! And when it doesn't, the customer tolerates the ads/price/whatever.

Not necessarily. I “jumped ship” cause the price went up and I reconsidered. Then at the end of the year when Masterclass offered me 50% off I took it. Masterclass isn’t a more likable option - it’s very different content. But I can only consume so much content - I only need one service.

At the moment Apple TV would be as interesting as Disney+ cause of Fraggle Rock and the new John Lassiter stuff.

That’s my point - it’s still going to be a streaming war - just a more “cable like” bundle that will be competing now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not necessarily. I “jumped ship” cause the price went up and I reconsidered. Then at the end of the year when Masterclass offered me 50% off I took it. Masterclass isn’t a more likable option - it’s very different content. But I can only consume so much content - I only need one service.

At the moment Apple TV would be as interesting as Disney+ cause of Fraggle Rock and the new John Lassiter stuff.

That’s my point - it’s still going to be a streaming war - just a more “cable like” bundle that will be competing now.

More interactive content is the future of media

…not the rescuers down under off laserdisc dub

 

[Disney Irish]

Not necessarily. I “jumped ship” cause the price went up and I reconsidered. Then at the end of the year when Masterclass offered me 50% off I took it. Masterclass isn’t a more likable option - it’s very different content. But I can only consume so much content - I only need one service.

At the moment Apple TV would be as interesting as Disney+ cause of Fraggle Rock and the new John Lassiter stuff.

That’s my point - it’s still going to be a streaming war - just a more “cable like” bundle that will be competing now.

Your experience is not the only one though. Just because you were willing to move to another service with different content doesn't mean others will do the same. Again there is a reason why Netflix, D+, and Hulu all have the lowest churn rates, its because subs stick with the services.

We have to realize that our own experiences aren't what the vast majority of the consumer base is doing. Consumers are lazy, they stick with what they know if there is nothing better out there.

 

[Disney Irish]

You’re twisting so much in this you can’t be untangled at this point.

Let’s wait for this: let’s see Disney charge $75 a month - which is what they really need to make any sort of profit to move the needle for investors - and see how it plays?

Oh…and by lowballing/limiting content

Minor details

I honestly don't think it needs to get up to $75/mo. We're already starting to get above the traditional per sub carriage fee that Disney traditionally charged cable providers. So I don't see why it would be assumed that it has to get to cable provider prices to cover the same. Investor worries now is linear drag on the company, not streaming profits.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Your experience is not the only one though.

I never said it was - but I’m pretty loyal to Disney and actually want the legacy content more than new content.

We have to realize that our own experiences aren't what the vast majority of the consumer base is doing.

Are the majority of consumers sticking with one platform and never leaving?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I never said it was - but I’m pretty loyal to Disney and actually want the legacy content more than new content.

Are the majority of consumers sticking with one platform and never leaving?

No…

And that was before they started trying to jack fees and pummel people with ads.

Hollywood is outdated

 

[flynnibus]

You’re twisting so much in this you can’t be untangled at this point.

Let’s wait for this: let’s see Disney charge $75 a month - which is what they really need to make any sort of profit to move the needle for investors - and see how it plays?

Oh…and by lowballing/limiting content

Minor details

This is why you are on ignore... insufferable.

The point isn't what Disney charges... It's what's available in the market. If every major content streaming platform is charging $30... there isn't going to be a cheaper, better offer to jump to. Just like when they all are using ads... you won't be able to quit just to avoid ads.

Those that control the goodies will be able to set the standards. The disparity between offerings that happened at the transistion between linear broadcast and streaming startups is not perpetual. That environment is behind us, and the new world order isn't going to include $5/month super-bundle content channels when the most desired content is already locked up into other providers.

Don't worry, I won't respond anymore.

 

[Disney Irish]

I never said it was - but I’m pretty loyal to Disney and actually want the legacy content more than new content.

No, but its a common thing to bring up, "I'm doing xyz so that must mean that is what everyone else is doing too".

Are the majority of consumers sticking with one platform and never leaving?

Honestly, based on churn rates of around 2% or so for Netflix, D+ of 4%, and Hulu of 5%, yeah that is a majority of consumers are sticking with those platform.

Churn Rates for Streaming Services: How Sticky Are Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, and Apple TV+? (Updated Q1 2024)

Streaming services were pioneered by Netflix in 2007, with Hulu launching publicly in 2008. It took until November 2019 for both Disney+ and Apple TV+ to launch. Streaming Service Customers Today, each streaming service has millions of customers: * Hulu has 48.5 million paying subscribers...

churnkey.co

So many may subscribe to more than one, but when they subscribe they stick with the service more often than not. Now that is not to say that churn rate may not go up or fluctuate as prices go up. But the churn phenomenon of sub for a month and drop and sub some of other service for the next month over and over is a bit overblown in my opinion. As I mentioned consumers are lazy and are not diligent enough to do that month in and month out, they will end up just sticking with it.

 

[Disney Irish]

This is why you are on ignore... insufferable.

The point isn't what Disney charges... It's what's available in the market. If every major content streaming platform is charging $30... there isn't going to be a cheaper, better offer to jump to. Just like when they all are using ads... you won't be able to quit just to avoid ads.

Those that control the goodies will be able to set the standards. The disparity between offerings that happened at the transistion between linear broadcast and streaming startups is not perpetual. That environment is behind us, and the new world order isn't going to include $5/month super-bundle content channels when the most desired content is already locked up into other providers.

Don't worry, I won't respond anymore.

Its the common refrains from similar posters.....

Streaming is not sustainable.... yet Netflix and Hulu have been doing it for almost 20 years.
It'll never replace linear.... yet that is what the media companies are doing.
It has to be priced like cable to be profitable... yet its priced moderately and starting to turn a profit.
Cord cutters will never accept ads... yet all streamers have ads or will be adding ads soon.
Subs will drop once password sharing is stopped... yet Netflix subs went up not down when they stopped password sharing.
Consumers will churn and sub only for one month at a time... yet that doesn't seem to affect the major services like Netflix, D+, or Hulu who have the lowest churn rates in the industry.
They have to spend Billions to keep consumers... not realizing that media companies will just move the content spend from linear to streaming, ie the same Billions they were already spending on content.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Honestly, based on churn rates of around 2% or so for Netflix, D+ of 4%, and Hulu of 5%, yeah that is a majority of consumers are sticking with those platform.

From the same article - “Churn rates for streaming services have been on the rise since the beginning of 2022 and have continued to fluctuate in Q4 of 2023.”

So they are rising - but rising slower for Netflix than all others - which makes sense since Netflix is the original.

4.8% X 12 months = 57.6% churn rate in a year. I think that math makes sense.

So for Netflix, the majority does stick, for Disney no.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

No, but its a common thing to bring up, "I'm doing xyz so that must mean that is what everyone else is doing too".

Not at all, I’m giving my personal experience as an example as a former Disney+ subscriber for 4 years.

What services do you currently subscribe to and have you ever subscribed to Disney+?

 

[Disney Irish]

From the same article - “Churn rates for streaming services have been on the rise since the beginning of 2022 and have continued to fluctuate in Q4 of 2023.”

So they are rising - but rising slower for Netflix than all others - which makes sense since Netflix is the original.

4.8% X 12 months = 57.6% churn rate in a year. I think that math makes sense.

So for Netflix, the majority does stick, for Disney no.

You're making the assumption that its new churn rather than the same churn month in and month out. We cannot make that assumption, so you cannot say its additive and the total for the year is x because the monthly is y. So you take it month by month and see that more than 90% stick with the services they are subscribed to.

And yes churn is rising, never claimed it wasn't. But this narrative that many churn monthly or even yearly is false. The numbers just don't reflect that. So the reality is that the consumer that only subs for one month and then drop the service is the outlier not the normal.

 

[Disney Irish]

Not at all, I’m giving my personal experience as an example as a former Disney+ subscriber for 4 years.

What services do you currently subscribe to and have you ever subscribed to Disney+?

I have D+ (since day one) Bundle which includes Hulu and ESPN+
I have Netflx
I have Max
I have Prime
I have Youtube Premium

I don't sub to Paramount+, Peacock, or any of the lesser services as they don't have content I watch.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I have D+ (since day one) Bundle which includes Hulu and ESPN+
I have Netflx
I have Max
I have Prime
I have Youtube Premium

I don't sub to Paramount+, Peacock, or any of the lesser services as they don't have content I watch.

See, that’s why individual examples are helpful, I wouldn’t have guessed many subscribe to that many services at a time. Now I see an example of someone who does!

 

[Disney Irish]

See, that’s why individual examples are helpful, I wouldn’t have guessed many subscribe to that many services at a time. Now I see an example of someone who does!

Honestly I would guess that a majority of consumers sub to at least two services, usually Netflix and something else or D+ and something else. Its why Netflix and D+ have the huge subscriber base that they do.

Also I'll add that I have DirecTv as well.