By Martin Peers February 13, 2019 | As several of the big entertainment companies move toward the launch of Netflix-like video streaming services, the big questions for investors are how big a business will they build—and how much money will they lose along the way. To get a sense of that, we dug into some numbers. Consider this: To cover what we estimate...
By Elaine Low February 13, 2019 | Amazon has a firm grip on online shoppers. Now it is broadcasting its goals to expand its reach globally through television and movies. “International productions are such an important part of our business,” said Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke at the Television Critics Assn. winter press tour on Wednesday. The studio arm of the e-commerce and web services giant has greenlit...
By Alex Sherman February 13, 2019 | Apple is in the final stages of preparing its new streaming video service, which will feature free original content for device owners and a subscription platform for existing digital services. But don't expect Netflix to be a part of it, and HBO's participation is also in doubt, according to people familiar with the matter. Read more on CNBC. Related Articles: Amazon...
By Wendy Lee February 12, 2019 | WarnerMedia will first launch a beta of its new streaming service with content from its library in the fourth quarter, followed by the introduction of original content on the platform in 2020, an executive said on Monday. “It is our belief over time it will become one of the sought-after entertainment platforms in the world,” said Kevin...
By Jared Newman February 11, 2019 | MGM’s Epix is finally targeting cord-cutters with Epix Now, a new $6-per-month standalone streaming service. It’s available on iOS, Android, and Apple TV, with Amazon Fire TV and Roku support coming soon. The real draw for Epix Now is its promise of 4K Ultra HD streaming, both for movies and TV series. Read more on Fast Company. Related Articles: It’s Looking...
By Jessica Toonkel February 8, 2019 | Under pressure from Netflix and Amazon, the entertainment industry is slowly consolidating. But one of the smallest of the publicly traded entertainment firms, AMC Networks, is resisting the trend. And in an interview, AMC CEO Josh Sapan warns that some of the big media deals underway may prove to be more challenging than anticipated...
By Erich Schwartzel and Maria Armental February 5, 2019 | Walt Disney Co. has less than a year to go before it finds itself operating three separate video-streaming services, and Chief Executive Robert Iger offered fresh details Tuesday on how that new strategy will affect the world’s largest entertainment company. For the first time, Disney reported quarterly earnings under a new company organization that introduces a direct-to-consumer segment—which...
By Paul Bond January 31, 2109 | Discovery says it isn’t interested in selling to CBS, or linking up with CBS and Viacom should those two eventually merge. But some analysts are saying that it’s something all three media companies should consider. Meanwhile, insiders speculate that Netflix may be in the mix because it might want a piece of Paramount, owned by Viacom. Netflix...
By Peter Kafka January 29, 2019| One terrible way to find out what Apple is planning on doing is to ask an Apple executive about Apple’s plans in public, before Apple is ready to make an Official Apple Announcement. People keep trying anyway. Today it was analyst Shannon Cross of Cross Research, asking Apple CEO Tim Cook about Apple’s TV plans. Spoiler: He didn’t...
By Cynthia Littleton January 29, 2019 | It’s become clear to Disney watchers that Chairman/CEO Bob Iger — who says he plans to step down when his contract expires in 2021 — has staked part of his legacy on proving that the empire can strike back with Disney streaming against Netflix and the upstarts that have so dramatically disrupted Hollywood’s old order....