Inside The Stream: Recent Episodes
insidethestream
Streaming is revolutionizing the video and TV industries. In this podcast, two industry veterans, Will Richmond, Editor, and Publisher of VideoNuze, and Colin Dixon, Founder and Chief Analyst of nScreenMedia give listeners their insiders’ take on the most important streaming news and events. They also interview industry leaders who are shaping the business of streaming video.
WBD’s Q2 earnings further illustrate the company’s declining fundamentals, casting more doubt on the Paramount deal closing. Meanwhile, Disney+’s value proposition expands.
What are the risks and opportunities for NBCUniversal in the Peacock-YouTube Premium bundle launching in 2027? And why we believe the Paramount-WBD deal will likely collapse.
The World Cup’s success flowed through to Fox One and Peacock, both of which enjoyed subscriber gains. And YouTube ad revenue surged past $11 billion in Q2, with AI gains kicking in.
On its Q2 earnings call, Netflix management tamped down recent engagement concerns and also addressed revenue growth, programming strategy, distribution, AI’s role, and more.
Amid viewership challenges, Netflix continues to diversify into creator content, video podcasts, and more. Is Netflix trying to YouTube-ify itself, and if so, will it work?
Comcast’s decision to split off NBCU highlights the company’s many strategic missteps with streaming video.
In a surprise move, Fox is acquiring Roku for $22 billion. Is it a good deal, bad deal, or something in between? We discuss from all angles.
Vionlabs’ Founder Arash Pendari explains how AI-enhanced metadata boosts the value of video assets, fits into business workflows, and improves viewer engagement.
Two horror movies from YouTubers are beating out Disney at the box office. TV OS’s are gaining importance. And Congress is scrutinizing the NFL’s media rights deals.
Netflix has added another big podcast to its roster, YouTube enhances AI disclosures, Roku revamps its home screen, Xfinity offers YouTube TV, and the FCC faces challenges with vMVPDs and NextGenTV.
You can find a transcript of this podcast here.
New research from Omdia, Hub, and Antenna underscores the growing importance of advertising in streaming, across FASTs and premium SVOD.
New Disney CEO D’Amaro intends to turn Disney+ into a central hub for Disney fans to engage with all the company’s content and experiences, complete with interactivity. ParamountSkydance has a far less expansive view of Paramount+.
YouTube’s Q1 ad revenue approached $10 billion, up 11%, with subscriptions also growing strongly. And Howdy hit 1 million subscribers, as Roku flexes its distribution muscles.
Netflix reported more steady growth in Q1 as it transitions to maturity. But from advertising to gaming, and live sports to video podcasts, Netflix is staying opportunistic.
Roku now reaches 100 million households, but is far from owning the US market. New Hub data shows Roku and Amazon’s growing role in SVOD aggregation and the messy world of over-the-air TV.
Wurl’s GM of EMEA, Keith Bedford, joins us this week, explaining why FASTs have a big opportunity in streaming sports and some of the early success stories.
Netflix has the largest price gap between ad-free and ad-supported tiers as it also seeks more sports. Ampere forecasts global streaming revenue will exceed $200 billion in 2030.
New Deloitte data highlights the popularity of ad tiers, CTV commerce gets a boost from Walmart and Vizio, the Disney-OpenAI deal is over, and Netflix streams MLB’s opening game.
New Hub data show that ad-supported viewing is gaining acceptance, especially among younger viewers, with sports leading the charge. And creators match premium shows on TV. HP launches a FAST for PCs.
YouTube is now the world’s biggest media company, eclipsing Disney, according to MoffettNathanson. And how to solve the problem of navigating streaming sports.
Paramount Skydance plans to eventually combine its streaming platforms with WBD’s. Is this the right strategy? Combining CNN and CBS News, and reliance on linear TV, are also challenges.
New Antenna data highlights how SVOD is maturing and how bundling is critical. Nielsen’s data reveal potential TV audience shifts due to the just-announced WBD-Paramount Skydance deal.
Apple expands live US F1 race reach with IMAX. New UK data shows YouTube’s role in TV content discovery as Stephen Colbert taps YouTube, avoiding FCC oversight. And NextGen TV struggles.
Will YouTube TV’s skinnier programming bundles attract new subscribers? AMC Networks reaches a streaming revenue milestone. And was the Super Bowl a hit for Peacock?
The NFL is now part owner of ESPN. Fubo and Hulu+Live have combined. YouTube’s 2025 revenue hit $60 billion, with two-thirds coming from ads. And Peacock’s losses jumped up.
[UPDATE: Fubo asked me to correct the net loss numbers I quoted and clarified that ad revenue from Hulu+Live is transferred to Fubo. Here are their numbers:
- Reported Net Loss of $19.1 million, compared to $38.6 million
- Pro Forma Net Loss of $46.4 million, compared to $130.4 million]
Netflix’s solid 2025 is marred by engagement and WBD questions. The BBC is making YouTube shows, Sony hands its TV business to TCL, and Amazon sets another NFL record.
In the UK, one viewing metric has YouTube edging out the BBC. Meanwhile, global ad tier usage continues to grow, driven by Netflix, and Peacock is losing key Versant programming.
Welcome to 2026. Versant, the Comcast spinoff, has seen its value plummet. TV OEMs are pursuing AI. NFL games set a streaming record in 2025, and Hulu is being sunsetted.
YouTube will stream the Oscars starting in 2029, Google has stumbled with its Movies Anywhere approach, Netflix is partnering for video podcasts, and the WBD saga continues.
Disney has taken the bold and risky step of licensing the use of 200 characters to OpenAI’s Sora. Meanwhile, who’s going to win the raging battle for Warner Bros. Discovery?
Will MS Now’s plan to transform itself from a cable news network into a streaming and community hub work? Amazon has engagement issues. And microdramas are surging.
Canela Media’s global president, Phillipe Guelton, describes how the company is tapping AI for content creation, user experience, and monetization.
Field & Stream and Outdoor America have joined forces to launch Field & Stream TV, a new FAST offering. Company executives join us to explain their strategy.
Fubo posted its Q3 results and integration plans with Disney, Netflix introduced a new ad metric called Monthly Active Viewers and Gracenote’s data reveals streaming’s value.
In earnings news this week, Tubi has turned profitable, YouTube notched another $10 billion quarter in US ad revenue, and Peacock’s subscriber count is stuck in neutral.
Netflix reported Q3 results this week, saying 2025 ad revenue will double and engagement is rising, but by how much? And is the NBA a ticket to Peacock’s success or a poison pill?
How effective is a specific title at acquiring, retaining, and engaging viewers? Antenna’s CEO, Jonathan Carson, explains how his firm’s new Subscriber Views delivers the answers.
Netflix looks poised to equalize average revenue per member between ad and ad-free viewers. The Trade Desk scored a win with DirecTV for its Ventura TV OS, as did Fubo with ESPN.
New data from Wurl reveals renewed growth in viewership for FAST channels. But monetization challenges remain, particularly for those outside the top tier.
Disney is raising the monthly price of its streaming services by up to 20%. Following prior increases, subscriber retention rates stayed strong. Will they this time, too?
Antennas says ESPN and Fox One gained 1 million paid subscribers in their first 10 days - is that a lot, or not? YouTube has paid creators $100 billion in 4 years, and Amazon keeps innovating.
YouTube scored a record 17 million global viewers for its Chiefs-Chargers livestream, Bending Spoons is buying Vimeo for $1.4 billion, and can MTV be resuscitated?
Can The Trade Desk’s Ventura upend the TV OS market? We discuss the key takeaways from our recent interview with Ventura SVP Matthew Henick and the TV OS's potential industry impact.
The Trade Desk’s SVP of the Ventura TV Operating System, Matthew Henick, joins us for a deep dive into Ventura’s competitive positioning and advantages, key challenges, and goals.
Streaming sports continues to boom with Paramount+’s $7.7B deal for UFC rights. A new bundle of ESPN and Fox One recalls Venu Sports. And are Micro Dramas Quibi 2.0?
Disney’s emerging NFL partnership and new global role for Hulu are big strategic shifts in its direct-to-consumer business. Will they bring the growth and engagement Disney needs?
YouTube’s ad revenue growth continues, with relaxed profanity rules poised to push it higher. Can FASTs capitalize on creators’ success for their gain? And HGTV and Peacock have their own challenges.
Comcast is launching a streaming app store ten years too late. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is considering buying CNBC, NBCU is launching a sports channel, and linear ads still dominate.
Google TV's intrusive home screen ads highlight how deeply ads are embedded in the connected TV experience. Have TV OS providers become too aggressive in monetizing viewers?
Disney and Hearst have put A+E Global Media up for sale in the latest cable TV divestment; Netflix is still the consumers’ top brand, HBO Max is back, and Apple may pick up F1.
Roku’s Senior Director, global ad platform partnerships and biz dev, Miles Fisher, joins us for a deep dive into how Roku’s new Amazon Ads partnership will drive CTV’s full funnel future.
Nielsen’s The Gauge shows TV streaming time beat broadcast plus cable TV for the first time in May 2025. We discuss why and how Fox’s Tubi is helping drive the trend.
Warner Bros. Discovery is splitting into two companies, reversing much of its corporate, product, and streaming strategies. We dissect what went wrong and how it got that way.
More data this week on YouTube’s move to the big screen. Ad attention metrics are spread throughout the day. Cable TV networks are downsizing and more.
SVOD library composition and effectiveness are revealed in new Nielsen and Gracenote data. YouTube’s dominance on TV grows, and Google’s startling genAI tools.
Antenna’s Co-Founder & CEO, Jonathan Carson, shares new data detailing the pivotal role SVOD ad plans play in the market. He also debunks myths about ad plan viewers.
ESPN announced its DTC app pricing. Is the price right, and is the bundle discount enough? Max puts HBO back in its name. And updates on Newfronts from YouTube, Amazon, and more.
The latest quarter's results put Disney on the path to full-year direct-to-consumer profitability. With an ESPN Flagship reveal next week, we discuss pricing and bundling strategy.
TiVo’s new Video Trends report shows that video bundles are simplifying, total video spending is dropping, sports fragmentation is growing, and smart TV loyalty is increasing.
Vevo’s EVP Global Sales, Rob Christensen, joins us to talk about Vevo Evolve, the new data-driven ad platform. Rob also dives into multiplatform success, AI, measurement, CTV, and more.
The TV OS space remains fragmented yet highly influential in viewers’ content choices. New data explains how the big six use that influence to their advantage.
We discuss NAB Show 2025 highlights, including breakthroughs in global distribution for live programming, AI-powered interfaces, and built-in dialog enhancements for TVs.
Antenna’s CEO shares insights on the firm’s latest SVOD research, including churn stabilization, re-subscribers, growth in ad-supported plans, the role of live, and more.
The role of social media in TV discovery, SVOD pricing optimization, and churn reduction are three key takeaways from Deloitte’s new digital media report.
You can download this week's sponsor's report, "The Sports Streaming Craze: Sustainable Growth or Overhyped Trend?" here.
Sports streaming continues to gain momentum, with Peacock, Disney, Fubo, and DirecTV all part of the action this past week. We review all the activities and what’s ahead.
Themes at the Connected TV World Summit included broadcasters and digital, streaming sports, and YouTube. Also, new FAST research from Gracenote and AI updates from Bango. You can download the free Bango report here.
VideoNuze’s conference last week, which focused on the intersection of CTV and AI, included valuable insights from 18 speakers in 5 sessions. We highlight the top takeaways.
It’s not all plain sailing for AI in connected TV. Four experts highlight some of the technology's challenges and how they think it will revolutionize the industry in 2025 and beyond.
Revy's fight with The Trade Desk has spilled into the trade press. In this interview, Revry’s co-founders explain why all specialty and fan-forward providers could be affected.
Tubi delivered with its live Super Bowl stream, outperforming YouTube TV and broadcast in the process. And way more streamed the game than the 13.6 million using Tubi.
Disney continues to defy gravity by raising prices and cutting content without losing subscribers. Meanwhile, YouTube ads soared above $10 billion with help from long-form content.
Peacock subscribers held steady at 36 million in Q4, while its quarterly loss significantly improved. Super Bowl ads are $8 million. And plenty of new streaming research.
Scan the QR code below or click this link for a free copy of the Looper Insights report Streaming Forward: Trends Shaping Digital Entertainment in 2025. Thanks to Looper Insights for sponsoring this episode.
https://nscreenmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Inside-the-Stream-QR-Code-Looper-Insights.png
Netflix delivered a stellar Q4, with subscriber and revenue gains across all regions. Ads and gaming will fuel future growth, but tracking its evolving success will be much tougher.
Tubi’s Super Bowl UHD livestream plan is bold, but can it deliver? Prime’s wildcard game gets its best NFL rating yet. Vizio jumps into SVOD bundles and consumer AI research.
The Disney-Fubo deal seems to clear the path for the launch of Venu Sports and provide Fubo with financial strength. But DirecTV thinks it doesn’t settle the issue.
PBS has a new distribution deal with Amazon to simulcast 150 local stations. We talk with PBS’s digital head, Ira Rubenstein, about the deal and its 2025 strategy.
In this exclusive interview, Antenna’s CEO shares insights on streaming’s ad-supported growth, live sports, and the NFL’s impact on subscriber acquisition and 2024’s top promotions.
Starz’s CEO outlined the company’s streaming strategy, which includes partnering with SVOD aggregators, retaining originals, and avoiding annual rate bumps.
Walmart closed its $2.3 billion acquisition of VIZIO, creating many opportunities to extend WatchFree+ and drive new ad revenue and one-click buying.
Comcast’s decision to spin out all of its cable networks except Bravo into an independent company is a signal of more cable network consolidation to come.
Disney CEO’s slip reveals AVOD’s dominance in subscriber gains, and a Netflix announcement confirms the trend. New data shows Prime Video’s content inefficiency.
eMarketer says that 20 million more viewers will consume live sports on streaming than on pay-TV this year, with the gap more than doubling by 2027. Listen on for the implications!
This week, two big indicators of significant change in the TV/video industries: Comcast may spin off its cable TV networks, and YouTube hit a $50 billion revenue run rate.
Disney+ and Hulu dropped Apple’s App Store, IAB Tech Lab is driving new CTV ad standards, Fubo is offering premium sports services, and streamers are partnering with grocers.
Bloomberg Screentime interviews highlighted Amazon's dominance in streaming distribution, while Comcast seemed indifferent to cable TV despite NBCU's reliance on it.
Google’s Rob Caruso joins us to discuss key new features in Google TV and the new Streamer device. Can smart home and photo integration boost the TV OS’s market share?
In this exclusive interview, Antenna’s CEO shares new research on specialty SVOD services, which show robust growth, dependence on Amazon Channels, and particular success stories.
Google and Roku released new streaming media players, Disney rolled out paid sharing, Netflix is dabbling in sports, and a new initiative to measure FAST viewing has been launched.
YouTube is revamping its CTV app to emulate best practices in SVOD apps and launching a series of AI features for creators that will drive better viewer experiences.
Four topics this week: IAB raised its 2024 CTV outlook, movies continue hitting headwinds, the impact of the Charter-AMC+ deal, and Amazon jumps into NextGen TV.
Disney blacked out all its networks on DirecTV as part of a carriage dispute. The standoff seems to be part of a pattern of inconsistent and reduced customer focus at the company.
Disney, Fox, and WBD’s roles in the multi-channel bundle are a “gilded cage” that contributed to a judge issuing a preliminary injunction barring Venu Sports’ launch. What’s next?
Multibillion-dollar write-downs on Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount linear TV networks underscore the seismic changes streaming has brought to the industry.
Disney reported its fiscal Q3 ‘24 results, including its first-ever profit in its DTC segment. But we’re skeptical of the true quality and sustainability of the profit.
Early returns show Olympics viewership is up 75% from 2021. NBCU’s streaming coverage is solid, especially its management of highlight clips on Peacock and YouTube.
Peacock reduced its Q2 ‘24 loss by half but lost a million subscribers. The Olympics looks like a pivotal moment for the service and its sports agenda. Meanwhile, Netflix’s ads lag.
Antenna’s research is a must-read for streaming industry executives. Jonathan Carson, Antenna’s Co-Founder and CEO, joins us for an exclusive deep-dive into its latest report.
In this exclusive, must-listen interview, Top Wall Street media analyst Michael Nathanson dives into the major issues driving the TV and streaming industries.
New Antenna data reveals the power of streaming bundles, that annual subscriptions fail to engage, the acceptance of price increases, and ad-tiers’ ascendency.
New Magna-Roku research shows the home screen is critical in the content discovery journey. Executives from both companies join us to discuss the research and its ad implications.
Inscape research reveals that virtually all VIZIO smart TV owners are streaming. Max raised rates—but only on ad-free tiers. Streaming satisfaction scores are off the charts.
The Memorial Day box office plummeted 36%. Latency, unnatural breaks, and slates are hurting ad experiences. Netflix’s bundling angle is unclear—all this and more in this week’s podcast.
Comcast’s $15 StreamSaver bundle is great value. Combine it with Disney’s $15 Trio Basic bundle and streaming’s value prop is stronger than ever. But who are the bundles for?
Netflix revealed it has 40 million ad-tier subscribers. Hub research says it is viewers’ top choice to drive streaming bundles. Add in the NFL, and Netflix is looking strong.
How did Amazon Prime Video vault to the top of the chart in ad-tier subscribers? Is Disney’s DTC progress sustainable? Get the answers and much more in this week’s podcast!
This week’s NewFronts highlighted three key and interlocking themes: TV OEMs’ emphasis on FASTs, AI’s role in driving video ads’ value, and CTV evolving to the full funnel.
Wurl released its new AI-powered BrandDiscovery product. CEO Ron Gutman says it makes CTV ads context-sensitive, and AI will make ads more targeted and valuable.
AI loomed large at NAB 2024, with solutions exposing new video revenue opportunities. The blockchain delivers big encoding savings and how to cut TV power use by half.
AI is revolutionizing the value chain of video creation, delivery, and discovery. The Cineverse-Gracenote partnership and other initiatives show how.
TiVo’s Q4 2023 Video Trends Report showed that paid services used flattened while free services grew. Churn, discovery, and operator STB streaming were some of our other highlights.
Hulu has been integrated into Disney+, but key UX features aren’t yet included. ESPN is moving toward being a hub with RSN feeds, and the NFL is skeptical of the sports JV.
New data from Inscape, Deloitte, and HarrisX show how traditional models like movie-going and pay-TV subscriptions are being supplanted by streaming.
This week, we explore why FASTs in Europe lag vs. the US, why there are now 18 TV OSs and counting, and how “super apps” help broadcasters fight global SVOD.
Fubo says it’s in a “duel to the death” with Spulu. Max and Disney are following Netflix with password-sharing curbs and anti-churn tech. Apple spent $700M on three movies.
The broad range of the sessions at this week’s VideoNuze CTV Advertising PREVIEW: 2024 virtual revealed the key themes driving the market. Listen on as we discuss them all.
FreeVee is reportedly closing, a rumor Amazon rejects. YouTube remains tops in connected TV. Peacock and Paramount+ may be combining, and Noggin is no more.
Paramount claimed the Super Bowl set streaming records but omitted details, so we try to quantify them. And we discuss the many reasons the Walmart-Vizio deal makes sense.
This week, we look through all the buzz around the new sports JV from Disney, Fox, and WBD to understand the service’s opportunity and likely impact on the TV market.
This week, we interviewed Zone TV CEO Jeff Weber about his company’s acquisition by Block Communications. Jeff explains the deal, the evolving FAST market, FAST2.0, and what’s next.
Netflix gained 13.1 million subscribers in Q4 2023, a company record. We discuss paid sharing, the lower-cost advertising tier, and how they impacted the results.
NBCU hailed Peacock’s streaming exclusive of the Chiefs-Dolphins wildcard game a success, but was it? Did it get a big bump in incremental subscribers, and will they stick around?
Big TV manufacturers made big news at CES, while NBCU and Disney stepped up their ad games. Meanwhile, Netflix has grown ad-tier users, and Amazon’s headcount is shrinking.
2024 is shaping up to be another exciting year for streaming TV. We share our top predictions, focusing on SVOD, CTV, TV OS, sports, FASTs, AI, cord-cutting, and more.
This year, SVODs switched strategy, YouTube pumped up premium, Disney consolidated its position, and the streaming king weathered a storm of competition. Listen on for the top 10 streaming video stories of 2023.
Netflix’s inaugural engagement report details what subscribers are watching in unprecedented detail. It also reveals surprising insights into the company’s business.
Competitor SVODs are bundling up to cut churn and boost lifetime value. Peacock reaches 30 million subscribers, while WB Discovery’s FAST strategy raises questions.
NASCAR has a new $7.7 billion rights deal, Insider Intelligence says cord-cutters dominate in the US, TikTok is challenging YouTube, and Smart TVs are growing in importance.
According to LRG estimates, YouTube TV had a strong Q3, adding 600K subscribers. We discuss the role of Sunday Ticket and the changing nature of sports distribution.
It’s earning season! We discuss Disney’s D2C progress, Roku’s subscriber growth and ad revenue, WB Discovery’s lost subs and increased revenue, and Dish’s satellite loss and Sling TV gain.
Disney’s $8.6 billion buyout of Comcast’s Hulu share has begun. Former Hulu chief Jason Kilar laid out his plan for streaming success, but can Disney achieve it once the Comcast deal is done?
Eluvio’s Media Wallet won IBC’s Best of Show 2023. The company’s CEO explains the solution and how Eluvio’s content fabric handles all TV business models with disruptive pricing and performance.
Netflix added nearly 9 million global subscribers in Q3 2023. The company credited the password sharing clampdown, which it calls paid sharing, with the gain. But did ad plans and the show Suits help, too?
Nexstar says the recent Disney-Charter deal will benefit local broadcasters, but how strong is its case? YouTube leads Netflix among teens and boosts its TV influence.
Xumo’s new Stream Box has begun its rollout by corporate parents Charter and Comcast. We discuss why the box is the right move for them but has limited use elsewhere.
This week, we discuss the decline in TV services used by viewers, the Disney+ password-sharing crackdown, Prime Video ads, and the cable ad revenue decline.
Innovation was abundant at IBC 2023, with new AI-powered solutions delivering instant speaker fact-checks, regionally optimized movie marketing, and personalized highlight reels.
Charter and Disney settled their dispute, and we discuss the outcome. Also, this week, Eluvio’s streaming platform, Gracenote for FAST discoverability, and Hulu’s ownership puzzle.
Charter and Disney are at a standoff over rates, bundling, and how DTC apps are treated. Neither side is blinking, and the future direction of linear TV distribution is up for grabs.
Broadcaster SVOD services are struggling to compete with CTVs elite, but their FASTs are doing great. SVOD services that added ad-tiers late suffer a long-term disadvantage.
Free ad-supported TV (FAST) continues to expand, and this week, we discuss new initiatives from TCL, Fire TV, Google TV, and Cox Media Group.
Nielsen says that linear TV fell below half of July viewing. Is it right? Q2 2023 pay TV losses continue. Watching with subtitles is the default for many. And The Roku Channel adds local Fox and CBS stations.
Disney made progress toward direct-to-consumer profitability in the last quarter. Another Disney+ price increase and password-sharing curbs could finish the job on schedule in 2024. But at what cost?
In Q2 2023, WB Discovery lost 1.8 million DTC subscribers globally, though it recorded a slight increase in ARPU. We discuss the loss, DTC profitability, and what to expect going forward.
Comcast’s cable TV subscriber losses continued to accelerate in Q2 2023. We discuss whether Peacock is picking up the slack and how it will fare if the writers’ and actors’ strike continues into the new year.
In this interview with Paramount executive Jeff Shultz, he explains Paramount+ and Pluto TV’s joint strategy, three innovative distribution deals, and why FASTs are not cable TV 2.0.
Paramount+ With Showtime launched this week. We put into context what the end of a decades-old, standalone premium TV brand means in today’s streaming market.
Google TV has made great strides since its introduction in 2020. In this interview with product management director Ben Serridge, he explains the keys to the product’s success.
Some connected TV insiders liken FASTs to the second coming of cable TV. But the services are very different, though some of cable’s legacy problems still hamper them.
We discuss the top 5 takeaways from VideoNuze’s just-completed CTV Advertising Summit virtual. Innovation, full-funnel, CTV households, business models, and AI all loomed large.
Some big SVOD services are cutting content from their libraries, including certain originals. How much will this weaken their value propositions, and how will subscribers react?
This week we dissect Netflix’s account-sharing cap, which is currently rolling out in the US. We also explain why Comcast’s new NOW TV streaming service has limited appeal.
MoffettNathansen says traditional pay TV is being crushed by overlapping “doom loops.” We look at how sports, news, and entertainment are locked in the loops too.
Most media and technology companies have now reported Q1 ‘23 results. We dig into who’s up, who’s down, and who’s a pick ‘em, and where they might be headed.
Will attended the 2023 IAB NewFronts; we discussed his five key takeaways (hints: CTV dominates, Full-funnel ahead, FAST concerns, Platform/glass ownership advantages, and Shoutouts.)
YouTube has four priorities, with CTV at number two. Pluto TV gets into live streaming, bolstering the Paramount D2C ecosystem. AI Drake has implications throughout the industry.
Netflix’s Q1 ‘23 results suggest strong future revenue growth from its ad-supported tier and upcoming account-sharing curbs. We share some rough math to illustrate.
Warner Bros. Discovery finally unveiled “Max” this week, which seems more “Min” (as in Minimum) to us. And can Google TV catch up to Roku domestically?
Average U.S. household spending on SVOD has grown strongly for the last decade. But with the industry maturing, will it continue to increase? We discuss eight factors that will influence the answer.
In October 2021, Sky introduced “Sky Glass,” including a Sky-branded smart TV, Sky Stream (a satellite TV via streaming service), and aggregated CTV apps. We discuss why the strategy looks right, but the execution seems wrong.
In this week’s round-the-horn edition, we discuss Diamond Sports’ bankruptcy, why Discovery is giving HBO Max subs more content for the same price, YouTube’s March Madness multiview, and the FAST content arms race.
Pay-TV providers continued losing millions of subscribers in Q4 2022. Is there a bottom? And what does pay-TV’s free fall mean for sports teams’ valuations and players’ salaries?
At this past Tuesday’s VideoNuze Connected TV Advertising PREVIEW: 2023 virtual, 22 speakers in 5 sessions provided critical insights about the industry and its future direction. We discuss our key takeaways.
This week we go on a “field trip” to India, where a battle between billionaires - at the intersection of streaming, sports, mobile, commerce, and FASTs - provides a glimpse of the future. Pack your bags and listen on!
How should a TV provider leverage the FAST market? BBC Studios, GM of FAST channels, talks content strategy, differences from traditional TV, optimizing experience, and much more.
In Disney’s fiscal 2023 first quarter report this week, DTC subscriber gains were weak, and ARPU was down. Moreover, Disney plans to slash content spending this year by $3 billion. After Disney+’s fast start, the company’s DTC future seems murky.
Today we boldly introduce a new acronym to the industry. Free ad-supported TV (“FAST) is currently all the rage. But an unintended consequence of FASTs’ growth may be accelerated SVOD Losses On the Way (“SLOW”).
Between cord-cutting’s acceleration and Big Tech bidding up rights to stream sports, ESPN is getting squeezed from all sides. What should Bob Iger do about ESPN’s future?
This week: a deep dive interview with FuboTV CEO David Gandler. We dig into escalating and fragmenting sports rights, the role of FAST channels and RSNs for vMVPDs, shuttering FuboTV’s nascent sportsbook, and much more.
In France, WB Discovery is launching a streaming bundle on Amazon Prime Channels dubbed “Warner Pass.” What are the opportunities and risks? How might it impact strategy in the US?
YouTube will pay $2 billion annually for NFL Sunday Ticket after DirecTV and Apple passed. We dig into the deal’s economics, identifying the key variables that will drive YouTube’s profitability.
In 2022, we saw the shortest-lived SVOD ever, Thursday Night Football moved to streaming, SVODs became HVODs, and a streaming linear service reached $1B. Here are the 2022 top ten streaming video stories.
World Cup streaming delivers, but where’s the 4K wow? Netflix offers advertisers refunds for viewership shortfalls. What’s the new home for HBO Max’s Westworld? And music and holiday channels abound in FASTs.
Amazon Channels, a new entertainment brand, and churn reduction are key parts of Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2023 strategy. Will it help dig out from under the massive debt the company carries?
AMC’s CEO has departed, and employees face large-scale layoffs. The company’s chairman says the disarray in the streaming market is to blame. Other programmers are feeling the pinch too.
Participants at the CTV Ad Brand Suitability Summit this week were bullish on the future of connected TV. But they also see challenges with ad transparency, frequency management, and measurement.
Disney’s direct-to-consumer business lost $4 billion in the last year, with Disney+ likely shouldering much of the responsibility. The company says it will make the business profitable in 2024. Can it get there?
Roku added 2 million active users in Q3 2022, with ARPU up by 10% versus last year. So, why did the stock price plunge? The outlook for Q4 is gloomy, and competition in key markets is heating up.
The third quarter brings record Comcast video sub losses, and a 40% price rise could do the same for Apple TV+. YouTube revenue disappoints, while Disney dreams of Theme Park and Disney+ convergence.
A return to subscriber growth made Netflix executives happy this week. But curbs on password-sharing and ad sales will cheer Wall Street in 2023 and beyond.
Samsung and LG are licensing their smart TV operating systems to competitor TV manufacturers. Why are they doing it, and how will it impact the increasingly crowded TV OS market?
The newly independent Xperi is now solely focused on products. We talk with its EVP and Chief Products and Services Officer about the smart TV, automobile, and DTS audio businesses and why independence is the key to future success.
Click on the following title if you want to watch the recording of the webinar Supercharge D2C growth with hybrid monetization webinar.
We discuss new research with Hub’s Jon Giegengack that shows traditional pay TV continues to lose steam, Netflix still occupies an enviable position, and inflation worries aren’t troubling streaming services.
Cinedigm’s just-launched Cineverse aspires to be the alternative to top services like Netflix and Disney+. The company’s EVP and GM explain the technology and business approach to get it there.
You can sign up for the free webinar mentioned in the podcast - Supercharge D2C growth with hybrid monetization - here.
FAST linear, metadata, and search and discovery were three of the major IBC 2022 highlights last weekend. Technology pitting pirates against pirates was a standout innovation.
Amazon’s Rings of Power reached 25 million members in its first day, but does it justify $58 million per episode? Viewers are loving the FASTs, and YouTube, LG, and Samsung are leaning in.
This week we discuss four stories, including Disney’s rumored membership program, Netflix’s $65 ad CPMs, the Paramount+/Showtime bundle, and Diginet-FAST linear convergence.
HBO and Roku teamed up for the first-in-streaming House of the Dragon campaign. Roku’s Director of Partner Growth joins us to discuss the features, goals, and how the experience came together.
Nielsen says that TV streaming time exceeded cable for the first time ever in July. Summer reruns, declining cable TV, and streaming sports played their part. Can Big Ten slow the slump?
Disney enjoyed continued D2C success in the last quarter, though North American growth slowed. Big price increases and more service tiers could change all that. How will they impact Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+?
Can FAST services grow to become the new cable TV? We discuss the issue with Alan Wolk of TVREV, the author of a new report on the subject. He also reveals what else he thinks will happen to the market.
NFL+ is the league’s first direct-to-consumer service. But is it a big enough response to tumbling traditional pay TV subscriber numbers?
Netflix says ads will drive subscriber and revenue growth. But multiple ad-tiers and account sharing options make a subscriber’s life a lot more complex and potentially more expensive.
Xperi bolstered its entry into the TVOS market with the purchase of Vewd. We talk to Xperi EVP Geir Skaaden about why the deal makes sense and how it will help differentiate its TVOS against giants Google, Amazon, and Roku.
Launching The Elvis Presley Channel on 100M devices was a major coup for Cinedigm. But it shows the FAST linear industry has challenges to overcome if it is to replace broadcast TV.
In one SVOD satisfaction survey, Netflix ranks dead last, while another places it in the middle of the pack. We discuss the survey results and examine other contradictory data about the SVOD giant.
The Apple-MLS deal makes every live game available worldwide without local blackouts. We interview the publisher of World Soccer Talk to understand its impact on the league, Apple, and sports in general.
Enthusiasm for the flexibility and innovation of CTV was on display at the VideoNuze Connected TV Ad Summit this week. But challenges – including measurement, attribution, and experience – remain.
FAST channels, TV aggregator consolidation, and connected TV complexity drove the conversations at the StreamTV Show this week in Denver. We discuss why the issues are so important to the industry.
This week we look at new YouTube second-screen interactivity, CBS’s “60 minutes” FAST channel, an RSN beats Sinclair to streaming, The Weather Channel simulcasting online, and The BBC goes digital-first.
Despite Netflix’s troubles, the SVOD market remains healthy with strong forecast growth and new entrants like the NFL. And a London conference this week showed how SVOD, AVOD, and FAST are combining to redefine entertainment.
SVOD providers have begun to realize subscriptions alone are not enough. Services like CuriosityStream, Netflix, and Disney+ are looking to AVOD and FAST linear to boost revenue.
9-in-10 people subscribe to a streaming service in the US, and half of those have three or more of the top five SVODs. Free ad-supported streaming looks like it will be just as popular.
Strong connected TV ad growth set the stage for this week’s NewFronts. Companies talked innovation and originals to woo advertisers. Roku’s presentation sparkled, but the company faces big challenges.
As Comcast’s cable TV business fades, it focuses on Peacock and the Roku model. YouTube continues its assault on the television screen. And NAB is back with new streaming media themes.
A tough quarter for Netflix has forced it to take even tougher decisions on the service’s direction. We discuss what impact ads, charging for password sharing, and content spending discipline will have.
The launch of Backlight brings together five cloud-based media software companies spanning the entire video lifecycle. In this interview, the company CEO explains how he plans to help them all grow.
We discuss Philo CEO’s pro-subscriber stance on price increases, unbundling, SVOD aggregation, and personalization. And look at Nielsen data packing big surprises for streamers.
CNN+ launched this week, but with weak connected TV coverage. Private investors bought Nielsen on the promise of staying number 1 in admeasurement. And the Oscar goes to Apple TV+, but will it help?
Are NBCU Checkout and Shoppable TV a better approach to TV commerce than ‘90s era interactive TV? And will it work on Peacock? New data shows Disney+ is better than Netflix at generating social buzz.
Discovery revealed its three-step program to integrate Discovery+ and HBO Max. Should it stop at step 2? Netflix is trialing an upcharge for out-of-home sharing. Will the approach fly in North America?
Apple continues to tinker with its approach to Apple TV+. It is making the service available to Comcast customers in a novel way, streaming live Friday night baseball games, and dealing with the highest churn of its peers.
New data shows global SVOD subscribers will more than double by 2027, that vMVPD customers are super-streamers, and new measurement deals show progress toward multiple ad data currencies.
The streaming Super Bowl scored again this year, delivering a positive experience to a growing connected TV and mobile audience. And Paramount+ continued its strong growth adding 7.3M subscribers in Q4.
Disney+ added nearly 12 million subscribers in the recent holiday quarter, an encouraging sign that the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundle is well accepted. But bundling also brings with it challenges in counting subscribers.
YouTube continues to rule the AVOD world, posting revenue of $29 billion in 2021. And Roku continues to dominate US connected TV, driving more streaming minutes than its top-four rivals combined.
At the Connected TV Advertising Preview: 2022 conference three key themes emerged: growth, new engagement strategies, and consensus on market challenges.
Netflix came up a little short on subscriber gains in Q4 2021 and is low-balling expectations for Q1 2022. But it will remain the SVOD category leader throughout 2022.
Sinclair, Apple, and DAZN are working to bring NBA, MLB, and premier league games to streaming audiences. And NBCU is looking to improve cross-platform ad measurement with a new partner, iSpot.tv.
In 2022, streamers will be able to buy NFTs on their TV, watch all the winter Olympics events on Peacock premium, and have video chat watch parties on their smart TV. All this, and HBO proves it doesn’t need Amazon to succeed.
Hollywood’s changing release windows, YouTube’s advertising dominance, Amazon’s ascendance, CTV advertising’s growth, and more…we discuss the top 10 stories of 2021 in streaming video.
This year, we used more streaming services, and more were ad-supported. Many of us did without pay-TV. And discovery+ gained millions of new subscribers. Here are four data points that illustrate the year in streaming.
Vevo and Google/YouTube are each finding new ways to leverage FAST services to build their businesses. We discuss newly announced partnerships that will boost engagement and revenue. Sign up for free for the Inside the Stream Live! 2021 Wrap on December 15th at 2:30 PM Eastern. Help us pick the #1 news story of the year.
IMDb TV’s ad experience leaves much to be desired. We discuss what is going on, why IMDb TV’s issues aren’t uncommon in the industry, and yet why it is still well positioned for success. Listen on to find out more.
Join us for Inside the Stream Live! 2021 Wrap on Dec 15 at 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT. We’ll discuss the top stories of the year, answer your questions, and then you will vote on the top story to follow going into 2022. It’s free, so register now!
This week was VideoNuze’s Connected TV Advertising Brand Suitability Summit virtual, On today’s podcast we share key takeaways from the event, which featured 32 senior executives on 10 sessions across 2 afternoons.” Listen on for more about why CTV advertising is so exciting for so many industry professionals…and what challenges still need to be addressed.
After a blistering launch phase, Disney+ subscriber growth slowed considerably last quarter. Can it reignite growth in 2022? Meanwhile, Hulu is on its way to becoming a profit engine for Disney.
Comcast loves its investment in Hulu and says it will stay in its Disney deal. It also says Peacock is on target to meet its goals. But is Hulu hurting Peacock? Should Comcast try to exit its investment sooner rather than later?
The World Series is on, and in that spirit, YouTube’s advertising business keeps looking like a grand slam. It extended its winning streak of 30%+ quarterly growth in Q3, delivering $7.2 billion. Learn what's happening.
HBO and HBO Max lost 1.8 million subscribers in the U.S. in Q3 2021. That’s actually a good thing, and helps position the service for future success. Here’s why taking the loss was the right strategy.
The new James Bond movie “No Time to Die” is considered a success based on its box office results so far. But the movie is still likely to end up being unprofitable. We discuss why, if James Bond can’t be profitable, there’s little chance he, or lesser mortals, can save Hollywood and theaters.
Google's Fiber TV retired, Fall TV linear audience declines, SVOD churn, and the streaming TV executive shuffle are the subjects for our podcast in a busy week for our industry. We dig into the issues and find plenty to disagree on.
YouTube TV and NBCUniversal have become embroiled in a highly public dispute about the details of their distribution agreement. On today’s episode Colin and Will discuss what’s really behind the dispute and the larger industry shifts that are impacting the negotiation.
The acquisition of Jukin Media by Trusted Media Brands brings new media favorite FailArmy and established media perennial Reader’s Digest, among other properties, together under one roof. We interview Bonnie Kintzer, President and CEO of Trusted Media Brands about the deal, the combined companies' strategy and larger industry trends.
Apple is copying Amazon’s flywheel strategy, with heavy product placements in original Apple TV+ shows, meant to boost its ecosystem and core revenue streams. However, in the connected TV device market, it has lost heavily to Amazon despite having first-mover advantage.
Smart TVs are having a moment, with strong growth in penetration and usage. Does this mean streaming sticks and boxes are on the way out? TV[R]EV’s Alan Wolk joins us to discuss the issues.
Amazon Channels helps SVOD providers like AMC+ reach new viewers, but would AMC be better off focusing all its energy on promoting its owned and operated service?
With streamers, CE manufacturers, and content providers fully engaged in delivering virtual linear channels, the US FAST market is set to double in size within two years.
Comcast and ViacomCBS are partnering on a new European SVOD service dubbed SkyShowtime. Why did they decide to work together rather than go it alone with Peacock and Paramount+? Listen on to find out why.
The economics of smaller to mid-size budget movies have broken down. We discuss how it is a problem of the studios’ own making and why taking theater releases directly to SVOD exacerbates the situation.
A minor deal involving online movie stores FandangoNow and Vudu speaks volumes. It shows how fundamentally the market for video has changed in the last ten years.
Peacock is supposed to be Olympics central for online viewers, but finding a timely replay or clip or live stream of a favorite sport is an exercise in frustration. Is this a missed opportunity for NBCU?
Netflix survived Q2 2021 with only a small loss of subscribers in the US and Canada. But if investors were hoping for a new revenue stream for the company, they were out of luck. There will be no ads for Netflix, not even in the company’s new games services.
Black Widow had a huge opening weekend, with premium VOD playing a significant role in its success. Will Hollywood allow PVOD to dominate, or will theater-going return to its former central role?
Independent buy-side ad platform Innovid is about to go public. We talk with the company’s co-founder and CEO, Zvika Netter, to understand why now and why fragmentation is the industry’s greatest challenge.
JW Player closed a $100 million financing round this week. We talk with the company’s co-founder and CEO, Dave Otten, for the inside scoop on the deal and how he plans to use the money.
There was plenty of swagger in the step of AVOD and Fast providers at the Connected TV Ad Summit last week. And why not, when the CTV flywheel effect looks to be spinning the industry to new heights.
Last November, Bloomberg launched Quicktake, a 24/7 streaming news network. The head of Quicktake tells us why the company morphed a social news project into a full-blown TV news channel.
Original shows have been the engine driving SVOD growth. Now AVOD players are getting into the crowded and costly originals game. Can they make money, and what else do they hope to gain?
Amazon is buying MGM for $8.5B, making the deal second only to its $14.5B purchase of Whole Foods. Is Jeff Bezos just looking to bolstering Prime Video, or does MGM bring other value to the etail giant?
AT&T is spinning off WarnerMedia just three years after buying it. We look at why the deal never made sense from the start and if the combination with Discovery is a better idea.
Kevin Westcott of Deloitte joins us this week to discuss SVOD churn post-lockdown, AVOD’s impact on SVOD usage, and what to expect from Internet TV in 2022.
At the NewFronts this week, Samsung, Roku, NBCU, Crackle, Vevo, Tik-Tok, and many others pitched advertisers on their audience reach. It illustrates the gold rush is on streaming TV advertising.
This episode is sponsored by Verizon Media. When you have quality connections at scale, you’re truly connected.
TrueView for Action ads helped boost YouTube’s revenue by 50% in Q1. Are the 120 million YouTube connected TV viewers ready for the format? Scripps thinks antenna TV use is booming, but the data suggest otherwise.
Before the pandemic, just 4% of Vevo’s music video business was on the connected TV. Today, it is half. Vevo’s head of West Coast sales explains how the company got it done and what it means to its ad business. Listen on to find out more.
Smart TV manufacturers are getting serious about making recurring revenue from their devices. And who can blame them when most digital ad professionals view connected TV as more effective than traditional TV.
This episode is sponsored by Verizon Media.
YouTube grew users in the US during the pandemic while most other social sites stood still. We break down the numbers. And we give you a perspective on Disney+’s revenue contribution to the company’s bottom line.
This episode is sponsored by Verizon Media. Find out more at: vz.media/verizonstream21
Connected TV devoured more than 60% of device ad views in the second half of 2020 and is now widely used by all age groups in the US. Listen on to hear how it will help drive AVOD ad revenue to $53 billion in 2025.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
The NFL claims its new TV license deals through 2033 bring the game unprecedented stability. But there is nothing stable about the TV market, and even the game may be forced to adapt in the next ten years.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
In Q4 2020, Amazon’s Fire TV was king of all connected TV device sales. How does archrival Roku fare? And we review three ways a CTV platform influences what we watch and why we may not even notice.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
Vizio wants to follow Roku's model and become an advertising-driven business. What must it do to get there? Discovery+ dominated new subscriber gains in January. Can it keep up the growth?
This podcast was produced in our old format.
ViacomCBS is throwing everything into Paramount+, but will it be enough to make it a must-have service for most viewers? Should you enable Netflix’s new Downloads for You feature?
This podcast was produced in our old format.
The Roku Channel played a huge role in driving the company's 2020 revenue to $1.7 billion. But could be in danger of upsetting other AVOD services, like Peacock. And the grid guide makes a comeback in streaming.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
Disney turned in a great quarter of streaming service growth, though Hulu Live was suffering from a price increase hangover. The streaming Super Bowl did well, showing strong growth even as TV viewers declined.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
Since 2018, ad revenue at YouTube has grown 77%. What's more, the pandemic is responsible for only a part of it. Crunchyroll grew subs 25% in six months, spurred on by lockdown viewers. But it has recruited Idris Elba to keep growth going.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
Comcast cable TV 2020 losses increased to 1.3M, twice the 2019 figure. Peacock, on the other hand, gained 7M in the last seven weeks. Both trends look set to continue.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
Almost a third of TV viewers can only be reached by streaming, yet 90% of TV ad revenue still goes to traditional linear TV. Netflix had a banner 2020, but signs are it has a value problem in Latin America.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
In 2020, Disney+ was tops for original streamed movies. This year, Netflix and HBO Max are coming for Disney’s movie crown. AT&T throws in the towel on vMVPDs, but it could have been so different.
This podcast was produced in our old format.
Roku users are streaming almost three hours per day. Can Quibi content help drive usage even higher? Discovery+ is here. Will it help boost Roku streaming time too?
This podcast was produced in our old format.