Week In Review: Disney Plus Rolls Out In Europe, Showtime and Sling Offering Up Free Trials
1. Disney Plus Rolls Out In Europe Disney began its international expansion at what may be an opportune time for them, judging by the 5 million downloads the app got Read More
TV Streaming on the Rise Along with Connected TV Ad Requests During Quarantine
With more U.S. audiences stuck in front of televisions, streaming has increased — as have ad requests, according to Beachfront. Read More
FuboTV Banks On Facebank Merger Amid Skinny Bundle Challenges
Skinny bundle video service FuboTV merges with tech developer Facebank Group, and plans to go public as soon as possible, even as its live sports programming is hobbled by COVID-19 impacts. Read More
ViacomCBS’ VidCon Cancels
The biggest annual event in social media, the giant VidCon gathering in Anaheim, Calif., has been cancelled because of COVID-19. Organizers hope to create a replacement in the fall. Read More
Could Drooping Disney, Other Media Companies Be Takeover Targets Amid Pandemic?
Collapsing share prices for Disney and other media companies could be an acquisition opportunity for Apple or other deep-pocketed tech firms, an analyst suggested. Read More
Q&A: Vizio’s Katherine Pond On Connected TVs And The Fight For Audience Attention
Katherine Pond is VP of business development for Vizio. As such, she presides over some of the most valuable real estate in streaming video: prime spots on a major Connected TV platform. Read More
Quibi Nabs $750 Million More, Names News Programs Ahead of Launch
Mobile video startup Quibi is having a good week, one month before its launch: it said it has raised another $750 million, and detailed news shows made for it by BBC, NBC and Telemundo. Read More
AT&T TV Service Feels Like Cable’s Bad Old, Good Old Days
AT&T TV launched nationwide today, a successor to the collapsing DirecTV. But for all its modern features, it feels like a throwback to cable TV’s bad old days. Read More
Apple Mostly Mum On TV+ Amid Record Q1 But Good News Comes From Others
Apple executives said little about TV+ amid record overall results, but outside analysts suggest its streaming service is getting some traction from viewers. Read More
The Hits Keep Comin’: New Scripted Series Have Doubled In A Decade
Peak TV keeps hitting new peaks, up 7 percent in 2019 to a record 532 scripted shows. And don’t expect it to stop anytime soon, executives say. Read More
Analysts Love Disney+ Fast Start, But Warn Churn Can Still Burn
Disney stock jumped after two analysts estimated Disney+ subscriber numbers were outperforming projections. But churn remains a concern as Disney rolls out new shows. Read More
Netflix’s The Witcher Casts Spell With Audiences In First Week
Netflix’s fantasy drama The Witcher is beating even Baby Yoda as a breakout hit in its first week of release, surpassing Disney+ pacesetter The Mandalorian in terms of audience interest Read More
SEC Football Rights Deal Shows Limits Of Disney-Fox, ViacomCBS Mergers
Disney bet big to grab rights to SEC football games from CBS. It’s a sign of value of live sports rights, but also of the results of two giant Hollywood mergers. Read More
Fox’s Quick Super Bowl Sell-Out Shows LIV Is Live For Advertisers
That didn’t take long. Fox, which is broadcasting Super Bowl LIV, said all ad slots for the game have been sold, at a far faster rate than last year’s last-minute Read More
Beachfront, XITE Address An IP Headache To Free Up Comcast Ad Inventory
XITE wanted to take advantage of Comcast X1’s addressable ad capabilities. But the ad industry wasn’t ready. Beachfront came up with a fix. Read More
Publishers, Creators Missing Out On $13.4B In Ad Revenues Because Crummy Metrics
Digital publishers and online creators could be making nearly 2.5 times more from video advertising than they are, a new study says. Poor metrics that advertisers don’t trust are a big part of the problem. Read More
How Long Before Every Broadcaster Dumps Ratings For Impressions?
Nexstar said it no longer will sell ads based on ratings, shifting to a “cost-per-impression” model that captures viewing on other platforms. So what’s everyone else in broadcasting waiting for? Read More
Netflix Beefs Up Warchest With $2 Billion In New Debt
Netflix took out another big loan, $2 billion in unsecured debt, just days before competing Apple and Disney services launch. Great programming “can be expensive” CEO Reed Hastings said. Read More
Can RSNs Dodge A DTC Knockout In Shifting Cable Landscape?
Regional sports networks in California are less likely to be seen as must-haves by many potential subscribers, a study suggests. To survive in the direct-to-consumer future, such channels will need to prove their value as a bundle partner for significant audiences. Read More
Nine Ways Niche VOD Services Can Attract Subscribers Amid The Streaming Wars
Getting subscribers in the door is an existential issue for niche services amid brutal competition. At the Future of TV conference, marketing and business-development executives offered nine tactics crucial to survival amid that competition. Read More
Q&A: Viacom SVP Christian Kurz And The Changing Face Of Power
From Greta Thunberg at the UN to major corporations taking a stand on political issues, traditional lines of power are changing. Viacom executive Christian Kurz talks about his companies new study on power’s changing face, and what it means for brands. Read More