HBO Max/Discovery+ Merger

[Yespage]

TCM and Cartoon Network (of all channels) are the only niche channels to have survived and kept to the mission. TCM is unique, it needs to stay around.

 

[meStevo]

If they could do away with the Reality channels (nothing Real there) ... they would probably have more people interested in actually MAKING WORTHWHILE SHOWS AGAIN ...

Until they start making worthwhile shows, we'll continue to get Reruns.

Reality is big bang for the buck invested (also typically don't require writers - an important note for right now). If/when those start going it's a real big deal.

 

[Bruce]

If they could do away with the Reality channels (nothing Real there) ... they would probably have more people interested in actually MAKING WORTHWHILE SHOWS AGAIN ...

Until they start making worthwhile shows, we'll continue to get Reruns.

They make tons of shows, just not for broadcast/cable channels anymore.

 

[KAB]

TCM and Cartoon Network (of all channels) are the only niche channels to have survived and kept to the mission. TCM is unique, it needs to stay around.

TCM probably will.

https://deadline.com/2023/06/steven...tcm-layoffs-update-with-statement-1235422098/

 

[navychop]

Has Prigozhin marched on Hollywood?

 

[Bruce]

TCM and Cartoon Network (of all channels) are the only niche channels to have survived and kept to the mission. TCM is unique, it needs to stay around.

UK version is to shut down in July, rumors are the United States channel soon to follow.

Rumors are the main reason is the channel is losing money, mostly because of cord cutting ( loss of 30 million per sub fees) and advertising woes, the ads they have now are heavily discounted.

https://cordcuttersnews.com/turner-...n-the-uk-as-warner-bros-discovery-cuts-costs/

Also just read, Comcast removed TCM in 2019 from their Cable Packages and is only a add on-

The company, which is the nation’s largest cable TV provider, recently moved the ad-free TCM channel to its “Sports Entertainment Package”, a bundle of channels that come with an additional fee.-$9.99 a month extra in 2019

Charter also moved it to a more expensive tier in 2020.

Since Charter and Comcast have about 28 Million subs, that is roughly another 20-25 million per sub monthly fees gone.

https://www.indiewire.com/features/...ssic-movies-basic-package-removed-1202181986/

 

[MikeD-C05]

More channels will follow I am sure. I can remember in the 90s and early 2000s all the excitement on DISH about adding more satellite channels and of course, locals, locals, locals. Now we are reversing all of that, by the channels themselves going out of business. I just wonder if the bundle will drop in price for satellite and cable packs or they will just pocket the difference?

 

[Bruce]

I just wonder if the bundle will drop in price for satellite and cable packs or they will just pocket the difference?

They will not go down in price, remember when Dish dropped the RSN. there was many posts here expecting prices will go down, or at least no increase.

As usual, price went up as it had every year.

Same of YouTube TV, dropped the RSNs, price did not go down, but it did not go up either, just had the first increase in 3 years.

 

[MikeD-C05]

They will not go down in price, remember when Dish dropped the RSN. there was many posts here expecting prices will go down, or at least no increase.

As usual, price went up as it had every year.

Same of YouTube TV, dropped the RSNs, price did not go down, but it did not go up either, just had the first increase in 3 years.

So basically they just pocketed the extra money everyone had to pay for all the RSNs that are now gone.

 

[Bruce]

So basically they just pocketed the extra money everyone had to pay for all the RSNs that are now gone.

Yes to both providers.

 

[Bruce]

Rumors are Live Feeds of all Warner/Discovery Channels on MAX by the end of the year at the latest.

Reason is, attract more Cord Cutters to subscribe and increase Advertising Revenue ( more eyes watching) and no real costs to add them since owed by Warner/Discovery.

That's interesting. Where'd you hear that? I haven't seen anything about that. Although it is something that I've been predicting that we'd eventually see across all the DTC services owned by traditional TV network companies. This is how I see the cable bundle break apart into a few mini-bundles, with each DTC app having its own set of live cable channels and their related on-demand content (plus additional streaming-exclusive on-demand-only content, e.g. Max Originals).

There are so many things I wish I could post that I have learned from my employment, here is another thing about to come true-

https://cordcuttersnews.com/cnn-is-...x-could-be-the-first-live-channel-max-offers/

 

[NashGuy]

There are so many things I wish I could post that I have learned from my employment, here is another thing about to come true-

https://cordcuttersnews.com/cnn-is-...x-could-be-the-first-live-channel-max-offers/

Looks like the actual 24/7 live feed of CNN will only appear in Max outside the USA. Don't think they'll be able to include it here due to contractual obligations with MVPDs. Same would probably hold true for live feeds of their other channels like TBS, TNT, etc. That said, I do expect that will eventually happen here, but probably not this year.

As for CNN content in Max for US viewers, near-term we're probably just looking at more stuff becoming available on-demand next day, plus maybe live feeds of one or two select shows (as MSNBC already does with Peacock).

 

[Bruce]

I heard rumors about this from work, did not believe it, Warner/Discovery must really need the cash.

The streaming wars are heating up in what may surprise many HBO shows are coming to Netflix. The first show added is Insecure, which is already streaming. With this deal, Netflix has confirmed that Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Six Feet Under, and Ballers will be added at a later date.

https://cordcuttersnews.com/hbo-sho...iscovery-agrees-to-sell-some-hbo-programming/

 

[Yespage]

This isn't unprecedented. Amazon Prime had a number of HBO shows available too, typically older, but quite available.

 

[Bruce]

This isn't unprecedented. Amazon Prime had a number of HBO shows available too, typically older, but quite available.

I know, also remember, right before HBOMAX started, they made a big deal of pulling those shows and saying you will only find HBO shows on HBOMAX.

$50 Billion in debt will change your mind.

 

[Bruce]

l wrote about this for months here in this thread and it is about to happen-

Today Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it will start live streaming news and sports on Max soon. This comes during Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2nd quarter 2023 earnings call when they announced that Max was now capable of streaming live events. While Warner Bros. Discovery didn’t announce what would be streaming live on Max, they said they would announce more details soon about live sports and news on Max.

https://cordcuttersnews.com/warner-bros-discovery-will-start-streaming-live-news-sports-on-max-soon/

 

[Don in CT]

l wrote about this for months here in this thread and it is about to happen-

Today Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it will start live streaming news and sports on Max soon. This comes during Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2nd quarter 2023 earnings call when they announced that Max was now capable of streaming live events. While Warner Bros. Discovery didn’t announce what would be streaming live on Max, they said they would announce more details soon about live sports and news on Max.

https://cordcuttersnews.com/warner-bros-discovery-will-start-streaming-live-news-sports-on-max-soon/

I guarantee this is in preparation for the new NBA contract.

 

[ncted]

l wrote about this for months here in this thread and it is about to happen-

Today Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it will start live streaming news and sports on Max soon. This comes during Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2nd quarter 2023 earnings call when they announced that Max was now capable of streaming live events. While Warner Bros. Discovery didn’t announce what would be streaming live on Max, they said they would announce more details soon about live sports and news on Max.

https://cordcuttersnews.com/warner-bros-discovery-will-start-streaming-live-news-sports-on-max-soon/

Some interesting items from the middle of the article:

This news comes as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service had a tough 2nd quarter in 2023. The service lost 1.8 million subscribers in just three months. Max now has a total of 95.8 million subscribers, according to the official earnings numbers released today. This is down from the 1.1 million HBO Max, now called just Max, added in the 2nd quarter of 2023.


The good news here for Warner Bros. Discovery is its streaming services are almost profitable. Streaming losses are now just $3 million, an improvement from the $558 million lost during the same period last year. This comes after aggressive cost-cutting efforts. Warner Bros. Discovery also paid off over a billion in debt during the second quarter of 2023.

 

[Don in CT]

Some interesting items from the middle of the article:

So we’re they better off keeping the apps separate and not merging with Discovery +.

 

[Bruce]

Some interesting items from the middle of the article:

And again, as I have written before, I do not believe Warner/Discovery has a plan, they just keep trying different things to see what sticks, including dropping the name HBO and now adding the Live Channels to create a mini bundle with MAX.

Everyone keeps expecting Comcast/Universal to buy/merge with them in 2024, but Comcast is already dealing with $100 Billion in debt, some short term.

Warner’s debt is now at $47 Billion, that is a lot to take on in today’s world when you already have $100 billion,, doubtful things will be much different next year with rates/banks/bonds/etc, etc.