Word is bond
Starz now has more streaming subscribers than linear
The company reported that domestic OTT subscribers increased to 10 million, up 500K from last quarter. Globally (including STARZPLAY Arabia), they added 2.1 million subscribers, reaching 16.7 million subscribers (up 69% year-over-year). Link
Roku inks streaming rights deal with Saban Films
The company has signed an exclusive pay-one window deal with Saban Films, covering much of the studio’s 2021 slate. The deal is the first exclusive feature window deal that Roku has signed, with the Saban films set to be available for free on The Roku Channel three months after they debut in theaters. Link
A standalone CNN+ is in the works
This is according to head honcho Jeff Zucker, who addressed his employees in a town hall meeting Tuesday. Zuck said that (CNN+...not surprising) would be available within the next year and that it’s currently in its developmental stages. Link
Amazon roars with its $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM Studios
The announcement was pretty vague, and there’s no press briefing planned. What happens to EPIX in all of this? Regardless, Amazon needs more content for Prime Video to stay relevant against Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and the many other streaming services competing for eyeballs. Buying MGM not only gives it library favorites, but also improves its odds of making better originals with a fully-fledged studio that has made recent hits such as "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Fargo." The deal hasn’t closed yet and is subject to regulatory approvals. But until then...word is Bond. This is Amazon’s second-largest acquisition ever, with the first being Whole Foods ($13.4b) Link
HBO Max announces Latin America launch date
Beginning June 29, HBO Max will be available in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, starting with catalog and Max Originals plus live sports in Brazil and Mexico later this year. The service will offer Warner Bros. movies at no additional cost 35 days after being released in theaters in Latin America and feature local original titles produced in the region. Link
Related: Lessons from HBO Max’s first year. Link
SlingTV completely redesigns its app
The newly redesigned app will roll out first on Fire TV devices and hit Roku devices this summer. The many changes include a left-side navigation column and a new home screen that focuses on content recommendations. The channel guide has been “reimagined” to make favoriting channels and filtering easier, though it will still feel familiar to customers who want that traditional cable-like grid. Link
Disney is closing 100 international TV Channels, moving its content direct-to-consumer
It’s continuing a restructuring that’s funneling the bulk of its content into its Disney+. The company also closed 30 overseas stations last year and has been consolidating major TV and movie production studios to focus on its key, including ESPN+, Hotstar, and Disney+, which is on pace for 230-260 million subscribers by the end of 2024. Link
ZEMOGA ANNUAL OTT SURVEY
Building rich cross-platform media solutions for leading global brands
Zemoga is a leading digital services firm specializing in design, tech, and engineering for global Media & Entertainment brands. We’re OTT app experts in UX and development and provide anything from strategic consultation to an entire team that can integrate seamlessly to work with yours.
We’re running an annual Research on OTT App Development Trends and would love your input on this survey. With the information collected, we will finalize our next Whitepaper, which will be sent to you over the next few weeks.
INSIGHTS
Here’s how much Hollywood’s major players expect to spend on content this year:
Disney: $24.5 Billion
WarnerMedia + Discovery: $20 Billion
NBCUniversal: $17.8 Billion
Netflix: $17 Billion
ViacomCBS: $15 Billion (and the company plans to spend $5 billion exclusively on streaming content by 2024)
Amazon Prime Video: $9 Billion
Nobody said the content wars would be cheap. Link
WarnerMedia’s EVP of DTC Global Product Management, Sarah Lyons, speaks about the future of HBO Max as well as her own experience with mergers and how they shaped her career. Link
Tech is transforming Hollywood and here are the biggest deals that have altered The Streaming Wars. Link
How Apple's 2015 negotiations for Time Warner bundling deal briefly led to acquisition talks. Link
Streaming app revenues climbed 48 percent in the last year. Link
AVOD revenue to top $66 billion through 2026. Link
Digital content revenue to exceed $432bn globally by 2026. Link
OVERHEARD
About Google’reputation for investing in and then abandoning various software and platform ventures
“A lot of times, they’re sort of focused on something…Then, they’re not.” - Steve Louden, Roku CFO
About the combined power of AT&T and WarnerMedia
“Realistically, HBO Max would be where it is today if not for the strength of the two combined companies (AT&T and WarnerMedia)” - John Stankey, AT&T CEO
About David Zaslav
"He's a masterful at presenting himself as an aw-shucks guy from Rockland County, but underneath in the middle of a deal he's more aggressive than one of the great whites on 'Shark Week.” - Friend of David Zaslav
About Discovery+
"I think we are not only going to be the third such platform, but I think we'll be very competitive with the other two (Netflix and Disney+) in terms of being able to satisfy the entertainment and curiosity and information needs of the world, basically, a worldwide platform." - John Malone, Liberty GlobalChairman and member of the Discovery Communications board
VENDORS
3Play Media unveils a new brand identity and rebrand. Link
ThinkAnalytics integrates with Amazon Personalize. Link
Innovid Bolsters Investment in Identity and Measurement. Link
Sensor Tower buys Pathmatics to provide ad insights across apps and digital. Link
Have a story or announcement that you’d like us to share? Email us at TheStreamingWars@43twenty.tv.
JOIN THE RANKS
Here's a list of some available opportunities within the media and entertainment space. If you have any job listings that you'd like us to share, contact TheStreamingWars@43twenty.tv.
Zype
Remote
Director/Head of Programmatic Sales and Partnerships (CTV)
Origin Media
Remote
Wurl
Remote
BET
New York City
Head of Marketing - International
Sling TV
Englewood, CO
CBS Interactive
New York City
Sr. Product Manager, Experimentation (HBO Max)
WarnerMedia
Seatle, WA
Manager, Product Strategy & Analysis – Studio Product (Animation)
Netflix
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Program Manager, Peacock
Peacock TV
New York City
NBCUniversal Media
New York City
Sr. Product Manager, Advanced Development
Roku
San Jose, CA
Senior Business Intelligence Analyst - Distribution
ViacomCBS
Remote
Xandr
New York City
WarnerMedia
London, England
Director of Business Development
fuboTV
New York City
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Ebook: Optimizing the OTT Customer Journey: Keys to maintaining Direct-to-Consumer Video Growth
We dropped an ebook called "Optimizing the OTT Customer Journey." It explains how streaming video services can increase awareness, inbound traffic, conversions, CLV, and more.
What you can expect to learn includes:
1. Why media companies need to start thinking like software companies
2. Why engagement and retention should be your biggest priorities
3. Nine engagement & #retention KPIs you should be tracking regardless if you're an ad-supported or subscription-based service.
4. How the OTT marketing funnel works
Deck: How to keep your subscribers from hurling their remote at the TV
We recently presented a workshop titled "How to keep your subscribers from hurling their remote at the TV". To attract, grow, and retain subscribers on platforms you own, scaling empathy across each touchpoint, including marketing campaigns, not only keeps consumers from launching the remote, but it is also the key to surviving the streaming wars.
Come grab a copy of the deck we presented, which delves into:
Why OTT brands must focus on product experiences vs. relying on distribution or become faced-with both revenue leakage and data loss
Why MAU is a vanity metric & how to grow subscribers/viewers with customer-centric KPIs
Specific examples citing who is doing it right, and which brands have ample room for improvement
To explore partnership opportunities with The Streaming Wars newsletter, contact TheStreamingWars@43twenty.tv
