The movement toward widespread “shoppable ads” continues with this week’s expansion of Roku’s partnership with Instacart as Roku chases what it describes as “high-intent customers.” As QR code ads have gradually gained acceptance, the industry has been waiting for more sophisticated interactivity that could ease the customer conversion process and ultimately enable platforms to get …
No one on the distribution or content side of the industry wants piracy. It’s a bad look, and it hurts the entire value chain that depends on consumers paying for what they watch (or at least watching ads). That’s why this week’s announcement by the Motion Picture Association’s enforcement group, the Alliance for Creativity and …
The cable and satellite cash machine that once dominated the media landscape thrived on one principle: Bundling. Fast forward to today, and the bundle is back. But it’s a new, different model that remains in flux as competitors figure out how to organize what used to be a simple “expanded basic” package centered around one …
The deal terms (but far from closure) of the $8 billion Paramount Global-Skydance Media merger finally got signatures this week, ending a long and somewhat arduous negotiation that had more ups and downs than a theme-park rollercoaster. Ironically, Paramount doesn’t have a theme park yet, but we digress. Skydance will pay $2.4 billion for Shari …
As the proliferation of smart TVs continues, it may be that dominating the last yard to the customer through the screen itself carries more value than all the dongles, set-top boxes, and streaming devices combined. That’s part of the reason that many companies not traditionally in the smart TV business such as Comcast, Roku, Amazon …
When Charter and Disney struck a carriage deal in September after a 10-day blackout, many focused on Disney’s eight dropped channels (including Freeform and Disney Jr.) and the novelty of higher-tier Charter video subscribers getting free access to Disney+ and/or ESPN+. But eagle-eyed observers who read the press release recall a buried bullet that stated: …
A lot of buzz this week about Apple’s plans around artificial intelligence, with many supposed insiders predicting a big generative AI announcement at Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10. To be sure, grand rumors swirl around the WWDC about this time every year, fueled largely by Apple fans’ wishful thinking, along with some …
Warner Bros. Discovery this week put out the word that it will start cracking down on password sharing late this year, with a full rollout of new rules in 2025. The news – delivered by WBD streaming chief J.B. Perrette at the Morgan Stanley investor conference – came as no surprise considering that Netflix’s much-maligned …
It’s difficult to fully predict how the planned sports joint venture of Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery will shift the already tumultuous sands that surround sports rights. Not only might the Department of Justice ultimately block or erect draconian guardrails around the deal, but rival virtual MVPD Fubo – whose sports-centric strategy seems eerily …
“The stage is now set for significant growth and success.” – Disney CEO Bob Iger When it comes to Disney’s fiscal Q1 2024 earnings report, it’s hard to know where to begin. CEO Bob Iger, who has been under immense pressure to shore up streaming losses, solidify a succession plan, and fully articulate Disney’s overall …
