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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...

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

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...

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

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

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

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’...

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,...

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: "The Office" Is Succeeding On YouTube, Less So on Peacock

By Andrew A. Rosen · Aug. 1, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

I appeared into two must-read articles from Chris Stokel Walker last week:Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and the great Instagram backlash ($ - paywalled)Big Tech Can’t Stop Obsessing Over Apple and TikTokLast Friday I wrote about how it seems as if the “half-life” of older library titles like “The Office” and “Seinfeld” has been accelerated by... I appeared into two must-read articles from Chris Stokel Walker last week:Kylie Jenner, Kim...

entertainment media/telecom

Friday Mailing: A Quick Note On Comcast's Q2 2022, Peacock & The "Half Life" Old Library

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 29, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

A Quick Note On Comcast's Q2 2022In Wednesday’s Member Mailing “Why Apple's & Amazon's Advantages In Sports Streaming Are Over-Hyped”, I wrote that ”it may be worth keeping a closer eye on Comcast” because of recent rumors it wants to buy a Smart TV platform. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts addressed those rumors on its Q2 2022 earnings call... A Quick Note On Comcast's Q2 2022In Wednesday’s Member Mailing “Why Apple's & Amazon's...

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 27, 2022 11:09 AM PDT

Member Mailing: Why Apple's & Amazon's Advantages In Sports Streaming Are Over-Hyped

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 27, 2022 11:09 AM PDT

My newest monthly opinion piece is up for The Information. In “Can Netflix Win the Contest for Connected TV Ad Dollars?” I wrote about one little discussed risk for Netflix’s ambitious vision for its ad-supported business: its relationships with Smart TV manufacturers.As Netflix told investors in its Q1 shareholder letter, “Netflix’s growth... My newest monthly opinion piece is up for The Information. In “Can Netflix Win the Contest for...

microsoft entertainment

Monday AM Briefing: Why Connected TV Advertising May Be "In For A World Of Trouble"

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 25, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

There was recently a terrific podcast interview in Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting Show with Joe Marchese, executive chairman of Human Ventures and longtime media executive. Marchese told Morrissey: “In a world where we have dynamic targeting and we know what each household is watching, the advertising experience is actually worse. How did... There was recently a terrific podcast interview in Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting Show with Joe...

entertainment media/telecom

Friday Mailing: Netflix In Curse of the Mogul Territory, Disney's New Software Savvy

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 22, 2022 10:44 AM PDT

There have been two stories from the past week that tie into past PARQOR mailings and are worth teasing out.First, Netflix is now in Curse of the Mogul territory; andSecond, Disney’s recent announcement reinforces a point I made about Smart TV software in my past essays on sports streaming and User Interface (UI)/User Experience (UX). There have been two stories from the past week that tie into past PARQOR mailings and are worth...

Member Mailing: Can Netflix Still Grow After Q2 2022?

entertainment media/telecom

Member Mailing: Can Netflix Still Grow After Q2 2022?

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 20, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

I have made a few media appearances over the past 48 hours worth a short read, a short watch, and a short listen:Netflix investors brace for subscriber losses as company works on long-term fixes (Alex Sherman, CNBC.com)Netflix loses nearly 1 million subscribers, and its stock soars (Hamza Shaban, Washington Post)Netflix Streaming Slowdown... I have made a few media appearances over the past 48 hours worth a short read, a short watch, and...

Monday AM Briefing: If You're Still Wondering Why Netflix Went With Microsoft & Xandr

Monday AM Briefing: If You're Still Wondering Why Netflix Went With Microsoft & Xandr

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 18, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

Monday AM Briefing: If You're Still Wondering Why Netflix Went With Microsoft & Xandr

microsoft entertainment

Monday AM Briefing: If You're Still Wondering Why Netflix Went With Microsoft & Xandr

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 18, 2022 3:30 AM PDT

Five days later, it still seems like Microsoft was a bit of “a head-scratcher” for Netflix’s advertising partner.Xandr, the programmatic video ad platform acquired from AT&T in December 2021, is not a competitive platform in video advertising (tech-savvy WarnerMedia executives passed on it as a back-end for HBO Max with Ads).So why was... Five days later, it still seems like Microsoft was a bit of “a head-scratcher” for Netflix’s...

microsoft entertainment

Friday Mailing: Netflix, Microsoft & Xandr (?!!!)

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 15, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

Yesterday Netflix’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters announced that it had selected Microsoft as our global advertising technology and sales partner. The fact that it was Peters making the announcement reminded me of something I wrote last July [NOTE: on the PARQOR Substack archive] when former Oculus and... Yesterday Netflix’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters announced that...

entertainment media/telecom

Member Mailing: How Should Comcast Value Hulu in 2024?

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 13, 2022 11:00 AM PDT

There was a lot of speculation about Hulu’s future going into last week’s Sun Valley conference, which put Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and Disney CEO Bob Chapek into the same room for the first time in a long time. The speculation is centered around a fast-approaching January 2024 deadline where Disney may buy Comcast’s remaining 33% stake in Hulu... There was a lot of speculation about Hulu’s future going into last week’s Sun Valley conference,...

entertainment media/telecom

Monday AM Briefing: In India and the U.S., Disney Rethinks The Economics of Sports Streaming

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

Longtime readers of PARQOR will be familiar with my argument that Disney is likely running an A/B/C/D test of Disney+ bundles across different regions (NOTE: on the Substack archive). Those four tests are:Test A (U.S. only): Bundle of Disney+, Sports (ESPN+), and vMVPD (Hulu + Live) and/or adult audience content (Hulu)Test B (Latin... Longtime readers of PARQOR will be familiar with my argument that Disney is likely running an...

Friday Mailing: Are Legacy Media Streaming Efforts "Built to Fail" Like Blockbuster Video?

Friday Mailing: Are Legacy Media Streaming Efforts "Built to Fail" Like Blockbuster Video?

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 8, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

Friday Mailing: Are Legacy Media Streaming Efforts "Built to Fail" Like Blockbuster Video?

culture entertainment

Friday Mailing: Are Legacy Media Streaming Efforts "Built to Fail" Like Blockbuster Video?

By Andrew A. Rosen · July 8, 2022 10:30 AM PDT

I’m back from holiday, rested, and slowly but surely getting back into writing mode.First, some belated self-promotion. An opinion piece and a podcast interview came out while I was away:In my monthly piece in The Information, I wrote about The Question Plaguing Connected TV: Who’s Watching?“Decoding the Streaming Wars”, a fun discussion with... I’m back from holiday, rested, and slowly but surely getting back into writing mode.First, some...