HBO Max/Discovery+ Merger

[NashGuy]

Again, as long as they do not increase the price or at least offer them separately I am ok with that, but if they just add Discovery+ and charge a extra $5 for example I will be pissed off, but I doubt I will get rid of it because I am quite happy with HBO MAX’s programming.

Yep, I think they will also since the NBC shows are leaving, they will own most of the programming shown on Hulu from Fox and ABC, but I cannot see a show like Handmaid’s Tale on Disney+.

Eh, they tipped their hand in that regard when they recently put those former-Netflix-Original Marvel series like Daredevil and Jessica Jones, all rated TV-MA, on Disney+ rather than Hulu. At that same time, they introduced parental locks on D+.

And, of course, look at what they're doing in international markets such as the UK, where Disney+ includes the adult-focused Star content hub. It includes the series Big Sky and Helstrom as new "Star Originals," plus other Disney-owned (mostly ABC- and FX-originating) shows like Sons of Anarchy, Desperate Housewives, and Snowfall.

What's on Star on Disney+? Full list of content you can stream

Here's all the films and TV shows you can stream with new add-on service Star.

www.radiotimes.com

Disney does not own The Handmaid's Tale. It's their most successful Hulu Original but they license it from MGM (now part of Amazon), which in turn licenses it to various different outlets in foreign markets (e.g. Channel 4 in the UK, OCS in France, etc.). One would expect that when any and all of those licensing deals lapse, that series will find a permanent new home in those markets on Prime Video.

Given its importance to Hulu, though, they probably have a very long license on the series. Similar situation to Homeland, a signature Showtime Original which Showtime licenses from Disney's 20th Century TV. Note, however, that the entirety of Homeland has been available on Hulu, as well as Showtime, for quite awhile now. We might see the same arrangement for The Handmaid's Tale on both Hulu/Disney+ and Prime Video.

 

[ncted]

Hard to give up Live TV

I have an antenna with a Tablo DVR with lifetime service for everything but live CBS, which I get via Paramount+.

 

[Bruce]

I have an antenna with a Tablo DVR with lifetime service for everything but live CBS, which I get via Paramount+.

I do also, I was referring to CNN and CNBC.

 

[NashGuy]

I do also, I was referring to CNN and CNBC.

Not saying they're perfect substitutes, but cord-cutters have free streaming channels like CBS News and NBC News Now to watch instead of CNN, as well as Bloomberg and Cheddar instead of CNBC.

I have no quibble with how anyone chooses to spend their own money. I totally get that many folks still find enough value in the specific content that's exclusive to cable TV (typically locals, sports and news) to keep paying for it. For me, it was much easier to give up since I could get pretty good free OTA reception of locals and I wasn't a big fan of sports or cable news.

 

[ncted]

I do also, I was referring to CNN and CNBC.

For breaking news that isn't big enough to make the OTA stations, I use the Live news streams on YouTube.

 

[KAB]

The WB Discovery merger will end up taking an axe to analogue, as well:

TNT and TBS Are Bailing on Scripted Programming — Which Series Are Safe?

TNT and TBS cancelling original scripted series development — which TV shows are safe, already renewed?

tvline.com

 

[MikeD-C05]

The WB Discovery merger will end up taking an axe to analogue, as well:

TNT and TBS Are Bailing on Scripted Programming — Which Series Are Safe?

TNT and TBS cancelling original scripted series development — which TV shows are safe, already renewed?

tvline.com

Two more channels I won't be watching much on anymore.

 

[Bruce]

Two more channels I won't be watching much on anymore.

I do not watch them now.

 

[Juan]

Two more channels I won't be watching much on anymore.

I prefer wtbs in 1977

 

[NashGuy]

The WB Discovery merger will end up taking an axe to analogue, as well:

TNT and TBS Are Bailing on Scripted Programming — Which Series Are Safe?

TNT and TBS cancelling original scripted series development — which TV shows are safe, already renewed?

tvline.com

Instead of spending money on expensive scripted series for TBS and TNT, WBD will plow that cash into new Max Original series exclusive to their HBO Max app. Cable channels are for sports, news, talk, reality/competition, kids, and animated shows, combined with reruns of older movies and scripted series.

 

[KAB]

They are doing hit and miss on Max. Last year, the Flight Attendant was a good show. It turned into crap this year. Unwatchable.

 

[ncted]

They are doing hit and miss on Max. Last year, the Flight Attendant was a good show. It turned into crap this year. Unwatchable.

That is often the case with shows that were only supposed to be 1 season. Then they decide, "hey we can make more money if we do another," without really considering whether can make it a quality product. Not sure if it applies in this case, but that is what it feels like.

 

[NashGuy]

They are doing hit and miss on Max. Last year, the Flight Attendant was a good show. It turned into crap this year. Unwatchable.

I enjoyed S1 of The Flight Attendant, haven't started S2 yet. Currently watching another Max Original, The Staircase, which is very good so far. Also got S2 of Hacks and Made for Love waiting and plan to watch both.

 

[ncted]

I enjoyed S1 of The Flight Attendant, haven't started S2 yet. Currently watching another Max Original, The Staircase, which is very good so far. Also got S2 of Hacks and Made for Love waiting and plan to watch both.

Good to hear The Staircase is good. The staircase in question is only couple miles from my house, and it was big news around here.

 

[NashGuy]

Good to hear The Staircase is good. The staircase in question is only couple miles from my house, and it was big news around here.

Meanwhile, I live a couple miles from the cult church featured in another Max Original, The Way Down (a docuseries I just finished watching this week)!

 

[NashGuy]

Looks like the bundling offer for HBO Max and Discovery+ has arrived and it's, well, a bit underwhelming. I was predicting Discovery+ would be thrown in for free but what we're seeing right now is that HBO Max subs are getting emailed an offer to add D+ with ads for 99c per month or ad-free for $3.99 per month for the next 4 months. Looks like WBD want to squeeze some more juice out of the D+ lemon before they get rid of it by merging it into HBO Max completely come late this year or early next.

Select HBO Max Subscribers Offered discovery+ Discount; Hint at Future Merger Plans?

The Great Rebundling has apparently begun over at Warner Bros. Discovery. After promising that the newly formed conglomerate’s disparate streaming services would be bundled and eventually merged back in March, it …

thestreamable.com

I do still think, though, that after the D+ content gets folded into HBO Max, the entry-level price with ads remains $9.99/mo and the ad-free price (with 4K HDR) either stays at $14.99/mo or bumps up to $15.99/mo. And given inflationary pressure right now, it'll probably be the latter. But I'd be OK paying an extra buck per month to get the D+ content ad-free added to my service.

Likewise, I also still predict that this fall we'll see Disney begin selling Disney+ and Hulu only as a two-fer, with the pair selling with ads in both apps for $9.99/mo and ad-free for $15.99/mo.

Netflix will re-jigger their plans and pricing by the end of the year as they introduce an ad-supported version, as well as an add-on fee for password sharing outside the home. Hard to know how that whole mess will shake out. My best guess is they'll sell a plan with one screen HD ad-free for $9.99/mo or three screens 4K HDR ad-free for $15.99/mo. Or you can get either plan with ads for half price, at $4.99 and $7.99. And then you can share your plan with up to two users outside (or inside) your household for an extra $2/mo per sharer.

 

[Don in CT]

What is the subscriber breakdown for HBO Max and D+.

 

[Bruce]

What is the subscriber breakdown for HBO Max and D+.

Found this-

Discovery earlier in April, Discovery, led by CEO David Zaslav, reached 24 millionstreaming subscribers worldwide to its direct-to-consumer services, including Discovery+, as of the end March. That was up from 22 million at end of 2021 and 20 million as of Sept. 30 last year.


HBO is a little tougher to figure out because of the linear channel, those who gets that can get MAX, but not all do, then you have those who subscribe to just MAX, that is what I do, pay the yearly, have no need of the live channel.

But found this-

HBO and its HBO Max streaming service ended March with 76.8 million global subscribers, an increase of 3 million after hitting 73.8 million subscribers as of the end of 2021.

Looks like the bundling offer for HBO Max and Discovery+ has arrived and it's, well, a bit underwhelming. I was predicting Discovery+ would be thrown in for free but what we're seeing right now is that HBO Max subs are getting emailed an offer to add D+ with ads for 99c per month or ad-free for $3.99 per month for the next 4 months. Looks like WBD want to squeeze some more juice out of the D+ lemon before they get rid of it by merging it into HBO Max completely come late this year or early next.

Why do you think it is a lemon, 24 million subs is pretty good for a service that has only been here for 2 years.

Also, this, they are getting, roughly, $100 million a month, over a billion a year for a service that just shows reruns, all of their programming has already been on linear channels, so already paid for, the money they get from plus is a bonus.

Now I have no desire to get it, no interest at all.

 

[Radioguy41]

I do still think, though, that after the D+ content gets folded into HBO Max, the entry-level price with ads remains $9.99/mo and the ad-free price (with 4K HDR) either stays at $14.99/mo or bumps up to $15.99/mo. And given inflationary pressure right now, it'll probably be the latter. But I'd be OK paying an extra buck per month to get the D+ content ad-free added to my service.

That's fine for you HBO folks but as a sub to Discovery+ at $6.99 I'm waiting to see what happens to us. There is nothing HBO offers that appeals to me, if it did I'd already be a sub, so if they bundle and force the HBO level pricing I'll drop it. Frankly I'm not convinced that merging the two streams into one service is a smart move but time will tell.

 

[Don in CT]

That's fine for you HBO folks but as a sub to Discovery+ at $6.99 I'm waiting to see what happens to us. There is nothing HBO offers that appeals to me, if it did I'd already be a sub, so if they bundle and force the HBO level pricing I'll drop it. Frankly I'm not convinced that merging the two streams into one service is a smart move but time will tell.

Most likely they do a bundle like Hulu/ESPN/Disney Plus,