Hot List: TV Industry Drama; Hope, Pain & Complexity

“This is a generational disruption we’re going through… with a streaming service that’s losing billions of dollars, it’s really difficult to go on offense.” - David Zaslav

The drama about TV and media is more intense than what’s been on TV. 

There is hope:

• Disney is taking the One App Route with Hulu, says Alan Wolk.

• VIZIO explores licensing OS to other smart TV OEMs while posting 22% YoY growth for Platform+ revenue. Alan explains why they doubled FAST. 

• Amazon thinks Vega is ready for TV, ditching android.

• Roku shares skyrocketed around 30% in part because it’s reaching into local, where all politics are.

There is pain:

• Trade Desk value dropped 30% at one point.

• WBD is spot on describing the generational disruption on its way to losing 19%.

• Dish is nosediving with -133% revenue losses, 225k subscriber churns and stock at a 25 year low.

• Magnite reported a loss of $17.5 million in Q3 - a signal for supply vs. demand providers?

• Republican slugger-ups drove 8% of watch-time on Wednesday. 

There is complexity:

• The actors and studios have a fresh 3-year contract to bind them to the terms. But, if you listen to Fran Drescher on NPR, both sides agree AI is going to keep sides at the table. 

• Verizon is pairing Netflix and Max for a $10 bundle.

• Madhive’s Kristin Wnuk is navigating complexity of local streaming.

• News isn’t the pillar of TV you think it is, at least as measured by the reach of TV ads. 

• Comcast is proving resilient with its fiber to the home, BUT, NBCUniversal lost 8% of ad revenues. …..Perhaps more significant in the long term, it is now without two powerful female leads in Linda and Kelly. Props to both for pushing for change in an industry often held back by mustached men. No offense, (unless you deserve it).

There is always more……

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Register for the Local TV Webinar, PART 2:

Alan Wolk and Tim Hanlon will host the second of two Read Out webinars to discuss the Local TV Report – November 16, 4pm EST. Follow this link to register.

Part 2 features Tim Hanlon in discussion with the report’s sponsors: Amagi, Cadent, CCR Media, Madhive and Premion. We will discuss findings from the report with key insights on how local broadcasters can best make the move to streaming

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

Advertising

• GOOGLE’S POST-COOKIE AD TECH—WHAT MARKETERS AND PUBLISHERS NEED TO KNOW - Garett Sloane [Ad Age]

• Is TV in a Permanent Ad Recession? - Mike Shields [Next In Media]

• Amazon Says ‘Black Friday’ Football Ads Are Sold Out - Brian Steinberg [Variety]

• CTV Advertising Needs To Speed Up – FreeWheel Says Identity Vendors Can Help - Alyssa Boyle [AdExchanger]

• Warner Bros. Discovery Laments 'Disappointing' Linear TV Ad Market - Bill Bradley [Adweek]

• PubMatic Is Building For The Day Advertising Demand Takes Off Again - Anthony Vargas [AdExchanger]

• Adblockpocalypse: Users uninstall ad blockers in droves after YouTube crackdown - Sam Gutelle [Tubefilter]

• What media company results signal about the health of TV advertising - Parker Herren [Ad Age]

Streaming Wars

• The case for and against Netflix's premature venture into programmatic advertising - Seb Joseph [Digiday]

• Disney Won’t “Chase Bucks” By Licensing Star Wars, Marvel & Pixar Content To Netflix, But Is In Talks Over Other Titles - Peter White [Deadline]

• Disney Reduces Costs By $7.5 Billion And Adds 7 Million Subscribers For Disney+ - Toni Fitzgerald [Forbes]

• Warner Bros. Discovery Posts $111M Streaming Profit, While ‘Barbie’ Powers Studio - Etan Vlessing [THR]

• Netflix, Warner’s Max Team Up With Verizon to Offer Discounted Streaming Bundle - Jessica Toonkel & Patience Haggin [WSJ]

Data & Measurement

• Basis Adds ACR Data From LG TVs For CTV Political Targeting - Karlene Lukovitz [MediaPost]

• HOW PERFORMANCE CTV SUCCEEDS AS A FULL-FUNNEL STRATEGY - [Ad Age]

• Dish Network loses 181K satellite TV subs, adds 117K Sling TV subs in Q3 - Bevin Fletcher [StreamTV Insider]

• Survey: 40% US plan to cancel Netflix subscription - [Advanced Television]

• 62% of Google’s NFL Sunday Ticket signups come through YouTube TV – Antenna - Bevin Fletcher [StreamTV Insider]

• ‘Friends’ Shoots to Top of TV Streaming Charts Following Matthew Perry’s Death - Todd Spangler [Variety]

• TV Viewers Favor Shows with Diverse Casts and Authentic Storylines - Dr. Darnell Hunt & Dr. Ana-Christina Ramón [Forbes]

Landscape

• NBCU names Roku exec president of advertising and partnerships - Parker Herren & Jack Neff [Ad Age]

• SAG-AFTRA Approves Deal to End Historic Strike - Gene Maddaus [Variety]

• X’s Elon Musk Hired a CEO With TV Roots. She’s Showing Them. - Suzanne Vranica & Alexa Corse [WSJ]

• The CW Loses $60M in Latest Quarter As Nexstar Ad Sales Fall - Alex Weprin [THR]

• TikTok Is Bringing Logistics to the E-Commerce Dance - Liz Young [WSJ]

• Dr. Phil McGraw To Launch Cable Network - [TV Newscheck]

• Trade Desk shares plunge about 30% on weak guidance tied to auto, Hollywood strikes - Jonathan Vanian [CNBC]

Sports

• Disney Explores Equity Deal With NFL and NBA for ESPN Amid Financial Challenges - Michael McCarthy [Front Office Sports]

• US National Women’s Soccer League signs $240mn media rights deal - Sara Germano [Financial Times]

• Netflix Explores Streaming Live Boxing Match - Jessika Toonkel [WSJ]

• NFL, ESPN Face ‘MNF’ Late Season Matchup Dilemma - Michael McCarthy [Front Office Sports]

• DIAMOND SPORTS EYES ONE LAST DANCE WITH NBA, NHL, MLB IN 2024 - Anthony Crupi & Michael McCann [Sportico]

• The Middle East’s play to rule global sports - Rick Maese [Wash Post]

• How the Big Ten plans to capitalize on record TV ratings in women’s volleyball, basketball - Scott Dochterman [The Athletic]