The Medium by Andrew A. Rosen — The Information Subscriptions

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: ESPN Doesn't Need a DTC Sports Betting Business

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 19, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

Disney CEO Bob Chapek was asked about sports betting at last week's Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference. His answer had an interesting logic to it:putting a link out, for example, which would probably be the most likely application – a link out, not app as an app, but application, a link out to a sports betting site, ESPN-branded, would have... Disney CEO Bob Chapek was asked about sports betting at last week's Goldman Sachs Communacopia...

google entertainment

Friday Mailing: A Short Take on YouTube Shorts

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 16, 2022 1:43 PM PDT

[Author's note: this week's Friday mailing is late because I am traveling.]Yesterday The New York Times broke the news that YouTube plans to put its collective foot on the gas pedal for YouTube Shorts, its TikTok competitor, and will announce "more opportunities for content creators to earn money on its video service" in a new YouTube Shorts... [Author's note: this week's Friday mailing is late because I am traveling.]Yesterday The New York...

entertainment ar/vr

Member Mailing: The Best Future Media Business Model For Consumers & Investors Is... Snap?

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 14, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

One wouldn’t think there is much in common between three stories that emerged over the past week:The Chernin Group (TCG) invested $100MM in a new firm, Night Capital, co-founded by Reed Duchscher, the manager of the YouTube megastar Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), Disney CEO Bob Chapek talked up virtual worlds as “next-generation... One wouldn’t think there is much in common between three stories that emerged over the past week:...

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 12, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: Why The End of "Peak TV" May Bring "Jurassic Park"-type Chaos

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 12, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

In a recent Zoom interview, a reader pushed back on the “post-streaming wars” sales hook of PARQOR, arguing instead that we’re in the second chapter of “the streaming wars”. I told him that I didn’t think the perspective is wrong, I simply disagreed with it: I always believed it was difficult if not impossible for legacy media... In a recent Zoom interview, a reader pushed back on the “post-streaming wars” sales hook...

entertainment media/telecom

Friday Mailing: What if... Disney Should TikTok-ify or Amazon Prime-ify Itself?

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 9, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is exploring a membership program that could offer discounts or special perks to encourage customers to spend more on its streaming services, theme parks, resorts and merchandise. The objective of the program is something akin to Amazon Prime and seeks to better link Disney products and... Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is exploring a membership program that...

amazon entertainment

Member Mailing: Can Disney TikTok-ify or Amazon Prime-ify Itself?

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 7, 2022 11:48 AM PDT

Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is exploring a membership program that could offer discounts or special perks to encourage customers to spend more on its streaming services, theme parks, resorts and merchandise. The objective of the program is something akin to Amazon Prime and seeks to better link Disney products and... Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is exploring a membership program that...

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: Connected TV Advertising May Be Evolving Away from "Four-Dimensional Chess"

By Andrew A. Rosen · Sept. 6, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

Back in June, I had the opportunity to attend the annual IAB Video Leadership summit. My main takeaway from my many conversations there - and there were many other takeaways - is that Connected TV (CTV) advertising has become “four-dimensional chess”. You may have noticed I have since written less on the topic I’ve labeled “The 200 vs. The... Back in June, I had the opportunity to attend the annual IAB Video Leadership summit. My main...

Member Mailing: Predicting The Streaming Market 36 to 48 months From Today

Member Mailing: Predicting The Streaming Market 36 to 48 months From Today

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 31, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

Member Mailing: Predicting The Streaming Market 36 to 48 months From Today

entertainment media/telecom

Member Mailing: Predicting The Streaming Market 36 to 48 months From Today

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 31, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

Author's noteMy plan is not to send out a Friday mailing given the holiday weekend. That said, I learned while at Viacom that major media companies use Labor Day Weekend to announce big-name hires or big-name departures (and, as fate would have it, Netflix just hired two executives from Snap to run advertising, and Paramount just announced it is... Author's noteMy plan is not to send out a Friday mailing given the holiday weekend. That said, I...

amazon entertainment

Monday AM Briefing: What If… “The Rings of Power” Under-delivers?

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 29, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

I was quoted in two articles last week, both paywalled: * “Why Netflix’s New Ad-Supported Tier Could Lead to More Ratings Transparency” by The Wrap’s Brandon Katz* “With Rings of Power, Amazon Bets a Billion on One Show to Rule Them All” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Felix GilletteThere is a counterpoint to my essay from two weeks ago that “... I was quoted in two articles last week, both paywalled: * “Why Netflix’s New Ad-Supported...

entertainment media/telecom

Friday Mailing: Revisiting Post-"Streaming Wars" Media Convergence

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 26, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

The value proposition of PARQOR for potential subscribers is built upon a trend I labeled “the post-‘streaming wars’ media convergence".What did I mean when I first used it when moving over to The Information’s platform last November? How has it evolved since ? Does the term still apply? The basic premise was that direct-to-consumer (DTC)... The value proposition of PARQOR for potential subscribers is built upon a trend I labeled “the...

Member Mailing: The Smart Guys Are Getting It All Wrong

entertainment media/telecom

Member Mailing: The Smart Guys Are Getting It All Wrong

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 24, 2022 11:04 AM PDT

Recently, Third Point’s Dan Loeb wrote a letter to Disney management after taking a position in the company, and Liberty Media’s John Malone gave an abbreviated interview to Ben Mullin of The New York Times.From the PARQOR perspective, I think both Malone and Loeb are getting a core element of the emerging streaming marketplace wrong. But what... Recently, Third Point’s Dan Loeb wrote a letter to Disney management after taking a position in...

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 22, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: A Data-Driven Misperception of Connected TVs

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 22, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

Nielsen's story that streaming had finally surpassed both cable and broadcast viewing according to its proprietary The Gauge got a lot of press last week. One problem with it is the research has told a different story for the past six years: Parks Associates reported back in 2016 that Internet video over-took broadcast video and accounts for the... Nielsen's story that streaming had finally surpassed both cable and broadcast viewing according...

entertainment media/telecom

Friday Mailing: Billions of Dollars More In Sports Streaming Deals

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 19, 2022 11:00 AM PDT

My newest monthly opinion piece for The Information is up, “It’s Not TV, It’s the Customer Experience”. I wrote about the upcoming releases of the Game of Thrones prequel “The House of Dragon” on HBO Max, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Amazon Prime Video, and Star Wars prequel series“Andor” on Disney+. The next few weeks will be... My newest monthly opinion piece for The Information is up, “It’s Not TV, It’s the Customer...

entertainment media/telecom

Member Mailing: Walmart+, Paramount+ & Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 17, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

Since Monday’s mailing, Walmart+ and Paramount+ announced an exclusive streaming deal. “Exclusive” means Paramount+ “wanted to launch exclusively to get full marketing attention” according to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, and there will likely be more partnership announcements to follow. The Paramount+ Essential subscription (the ad-supported tier)... Since Monday’s mailing, Walmart+ and Paramount+ announced an exclusive streaming deal. “Exclusive...

google entertainment

Monday AM Briefing: YouTube, Walmart Smell Blood in Legacy Media Streaming

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 15, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

I am convinced one of the biggest challenges in streaming is the problem of “walled gardens”. As I wrote last month. the “walled garden problem” is legacy libraries with limited libraries and audiences locked into particular services, so publishers are unable to understand consumer preferences holistically across other services and... I am convinced one of the biggest challenges in streaming is the problem of “walled gardens”. As...

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 12, 2022 11:00 AM PDT

amazon entertainment

Friday Mailing: "Batgirl", "Multiversus" & Consumer Data

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 12, 2022 11:00 AM PDT

After writing Wednesday’s essay on the “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”, I realized Warner Bros. Discovery’s cancellation of the direct-to-streaming movie “Batgirl” reveals an additional, important perspective.The WarnerMedia executives who approved the "Batgirl" production sought to monetize a popular DC character with younger... After writing Wednesday’s essay on the “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”, I realized Warner...

Member Mailing: Amazon’s Seismic “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”

amazon entertainment

Member Mailing: Amazon’s Seismic “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 10, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

I recently was interviewed for an upcoming article on Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” series. While discussing with the writer through how it might be marketed, I realized it could end up being *the* global streaming event of our lifetimes. Amazon’s scale is extraordinary and lies well beyond its more... I recently was interviewed for an upcoming article on Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming “Lord of the...

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: Consumer Choice, “Premium Content” & Growth

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 8, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

No research analyst on Thursday’s Q2 2022 earnings call asked Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)management about whether YouTube and TikTok compete with them on premium content. Nor did anyone from WBD management mention YouTube and TikTok as competitive threats. In a world where YouTube (135MM connected TV (CTV) viewers per month in the U.S.)... No research analyst on Thursday’s Q2 2022 earnings call asked Warner Bros. Discovery...

Friday Mailing: Warner Bros. Discovery, “For the Fans” & The Attribution Gap

entertainment media/telecom

Friday Mailing: Warner Bros. Discovery, “For the Fans” & The Attribution Gap

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 5, 2022 10:53 AM PDT

Listening to Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) management talk *down* previous WarnerMedia management’s approach of “for the fans” to streaming distribution, and talk *up* an “overall reach” strategy akin to growing broadcasting inventory in the 1990s under then-GE CEO Jack Welch at NBC, one had to wonder whether they see any value in a... Listening to Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) management talk *down* previous WarnerMedia management’...

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 3, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

google entertainment

Member Mailing: Five Clear & Imperfect Signals From Roku

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 3, 2022 11:30 AM PDT

Roku told investors last week, “given the uncertainties and volatility in the macro environment, we are withdrawing our full-year revenue growth rate estimate.” The Roku led to a price drop of almost a third of its closing price last week. Roku management predicted this economic environment would negatively impact advertising spend,... Roku told investors last week, “given the uncertainties and volatility in the macro environment,...