Streaming service wars news and trends 4 4

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[media_junkie]

2 hours ago, Oddball said:

 

Wow, looks like Netflix is writing some big checks to bring out the goods this year.

[Bosco685]

Nic Cage on-demand February film.

 

[Bosco685]

 

Show Libraries For Recent CW Series Heading To HBO Max In New Deal

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The two parent companies of the CW Network appear to have come to an agreement on whose streaming service gets the broadcast channel’s recent series library for streaming, and the winner is AT&T’s HBO Max, at least for the time being.

 

The CW Network is a joint venture between CBS (Viacom) and WarnerMedia (AT&T) that came about from the merger of the WB and UPN networks in 2006. Though both companies run competing streaming services, Deadline reports that the two co-owners decided it was in the best interests of the CW for show libraries to be kept together on the same platform through the 2021 season. That decision affects some popular shows that aired last year on the network and may have implications for future series like a spinoff to the fan-favorite The 100.

 

The CW has the smallest audience share of the broadcast networks, trailing even some of the larger cable stations in 2020 viewership rankings. However the channel overperforms in the desirable 18-34 demographic by offering a wealth of genre potboiler programming including Supernatural (which concluded its 15 year run last month), Riverdale, and the Arrowverse shows (Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Black Lightning, etc.). Because those shows feature season-long story arcs and deep continuity, they are ideal for binge-watching, especially for viewers who want to get up to speed before the next season starts.

 

After a billion dollar deal with Netflix expired in 2019, some CW shows like Batwoman (based on a DC Comics property, owned by AT&T/WarnerMedia) went direct to the fledgling HBO Max service and others, like Nancy Drew, were slated to to CBS All Access. That decision ended up getting reversed, and Nancy Drew debuted on HBO MAX last May.

 

Executives have decided to end the confusion, at least for the moment, by giving HBO Max dibs on all 2020 streaming series for their library, since CBS All Access is in the midst of becoming Paramount+ . CBS has agreed to sell the streaming rights to its CW shows to HBO Max for 2021 at least, but may revisit that later.

The deal is indicative of new dynamics in the streaming space, as major content producers like WarnerMedia and CBS have launched SVOD service in competition with Netflix. Whereas Netflix circa 2015 looked like a convenient way to monetize recent back catalog, in 2021, the platform is now more of a problem than a solution in an environment where everyone is competing for the same pool of subscriber dollars.

 

[Bosco685]

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First announced back in September, the CBS All Access streaming service is set for rebranding into a new name — Paramount+ — to reflect the Viacom/CBS merger and move the streaming platform into the future.

 

Today, ViacomCBS has revealed that the official branding change will occur in the US and Canada on March 4, 2021, with the first round of international launch dates to follow later in that month.

 

ViacomCBS Announces March 4 Launch Date for Paramount+
Launch Dates Set for International Rollout of Paramount+ in Latin America and the Nordics

January 19, 2021 NEW YORK — ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) announced today that its highly anticipated streaming service, Paramount+, will launch in the U.S. on Thursday, March 4, 2021.

ViacomCBS will also bring Paramount+ to international markets with initial debuts in Latin America on March 4, 2021; the Nordics on March 25, 2021; and Australia in mid-2021. The CBS All Access service in Canada will be rebranded to Paramount+ on March 4, 2021, and an expanded offering will be available later in the year.

 

[Bosco685]

 Babylon 5 Remastered Now Available On HBO Max

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Babylon 5 is now streaming on HBO Max. Not only that, but the series has been upgraded for its move to Warner Bros.' streaming service. The series, which fans feel has been mistreated in the home media market, received some HD upgrades that can now be seen in all five seasons on HBO Max. The updated episodes are also available to purchase on iTunes and Amazon. Series creator J. Michael Straczynski shared a preview of the remastered work to Twitter in November 2020. "This appears to be a look at the 'remastered' B5 eps on Itunes/Prime (for purchase)," he Tweeted with a vidoe comparison attached. "For me the biggest difference is the color range. The DVDs/digital until now were so washed out, after a while even I forgot how much vibrant color there was."

 

Babylon 5 is a space opera series that began with the test pilot movie Babylon 5: The Gathering and then began airing in full on Warner Bros.' Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN) in January 1994. The series ran for five seasons, following the diplomatic drama of the diplomats and military personnel stationed on Babylon 5, meant to be a neutral meeting ground for rival factions who had just previously been embroiled in a long and costly war.

 

 

[Bosco685]

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Telecom giant AT&T disclosed latest figures for the WarnerMedia streaming service, which premiered 'Wonder Woman 1984' in the U.S. on Christmas Day along with cinemas where they were open.

The final few weeks of 2020 proved invaluable for WarnerMedia's HBO Max. The streaming service, buoyed by an eight-months-in-the-making distribution deal with Roku and the Christmas Day release of Wonder Woman 1984, ended the year with 17.17 million activated users, AT&T disclosed on Wednesday.

 

HBO Max now reaches 37.665 million total subscribers. That compares with 28.7 million subscribers, including 8.6 million activated users, as of the end of September and 34.6 million as of the end of 2019.

 

Combined, HBO and HBO Max havd 41.5 million U.S. subscribers as of the end of 2020, compared with 38.0 million as of the end of September.

 

[Bosco685]

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UPDATE: Around 11:30 am ET, Disney+ subscribers who were experiencing issues with the app started reporting that their problems had already been fixed. The app crash has persisted for some, but it appears as though Disney is aware and already working through a fix. You can read the original article in its entirety below.

 

It appears the Disney+ servers went down in some capacity on Thursday morning, as users across the United States began reporting problems with the streaming service. Just after 11 am ET on Thursday, Disney+ subscribers started taking to social media to mention problems watching anything on the service. Most people are getting the same message when trying to open Disney+, with the service telling users "Unable to connect to Disney+. There seems to be an issue connecting to the Disney+ service. Please try again later if the issue persists."

 

 

There isn't a specific area of the country that is being affected, but according to the map on DownDetector, it appears that the issues are more common on the east and west coasts of the United States.

With stay-at-home situations and people watching more shows via streaming services, we can probably expert more of these scenarios with them all.

[media_junkie]

1 hour ago, Bosco685 said:

With stay-at-home situations and people watching more shows via streaming services, we can probably expert more of these scenarios with them all.

I swear in the last three weeks my internet provider has started to throttle our download speeds.  For the last 2 years we have been between 250 and 300 Mbps depending on where you are in the house.  Starting 3 weeks ago I am getting 120 Mbps max.  No equipment changes on my end.

[Bosco685]

1 hour ago, media_junkie said:

I swear in the last three weeks my internet provider has started to throttle our download speeds.  For the last 2 years we have been between 250 and 300 Mbps depending on where you are in the house.  Starting 3 weeks ago I am getting 120 Mbps max.  No equipment changes on my end.

Guaranteed they are doing this. Hopefully that changes soon. 

[Bosco685]

 

[media_junkie]

I never saw it the first time around, is it any good?

[Bosco685]

15 minutes ago, media_junkie said:

I never saw it the first time around, is it any good?

Very good!

The actor playing the commander in Season One in real life became mentally ill so they had to bring in Bruce Boxleitner to take over. But the change seemed to boost the show's story.

[adampasz]

1 hour ago, Bosco685 said:

Very good!

The actor playing the commander in Season One in real life became mentally ill so they had to bring in Bruce Boxleitner to take over. But the change seemed to boost the show's story.

In addition to HBO Max, you can also buy the remastered episodes on Apple or Amazon. Apple TV is offering the full 105 episode series for $69.

B5 is an amazing show, and, if you can get past some of the dated aspects, it is well worth it your time to dive into its universe.

If you need convincing, I think this video does a great job:

 

[Bosco685]

How to potentially address streaming show spoilers leaking too soon.

 

[Bosco685]

NBCUniversal’s Streaming Strategy Raises Prospect of WarnerMedia Merger

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As Netflix and Disney cement their leads over an array of rivals in the video-streaming market, top executives at Comcast and its NBCUniversal arm are in a quandary. Only 11.3 million households regularly watch NBCU’s Peacock service, far fewer than use competing services, according to recent internal data viewed by The Information. NBCU wants to ramp up Peacock’s growth, particularly among paying users, but without spending a lot of money.

 

Its solution is to strike deals with other entertainment companies to broaden either Peacock’s programming or its distribution. Last month NBCU unveiled programming deals for Peacock with World Wrestling Entertainment and A&E. And over the past several months, NBCU has pitched ViacomCBS, among other companies, about offering their streaming services in a bundle with Peacock at a discounted rate, either in the U.S. or abroad, say people familiar with the situation.

 

[grebal]

On 1/28/2021 at 5:25 PM, media_junkie said:

I never saw it the first time around, is it any good?

If story drives you, yes, arguably the best space saga on tape or film to date.

If things like fx, production values, acting, not peaking too soon, adhering to formula, or immediate payoffs are what float your boat, there's a decent chance you won't be able to get past 1st season.

Edited February 11, 2021 by grebal
and if allergic to corn or hokum, best have an epi pen handy

[Bosco685]

 

[Bosco685]

Sorry Netflix, HBO Max is the best streaming service now — here's why

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This weekend, forget Netflix and chill — I'm HBO Max-ing out. HBO Max has taken the top slot as the best streaming service in my book. The WarnerMedia streamer is now the first app I fire up when I settle onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn. 

 

This development comes as a surprise. When HBO Max launched last spring, I found the service to be underwhelming. Our HBO Max review summed it up well by calling it "half-baked." 

 

But in the last six months, the service has quietly been filling many of its content holes and now, it's a fully-baked, multi-layered treat. And the icing on top is made up of all the Warner Bros. movies that are debuting on HBO Max at the same time as their theatrical releases. 

 

HBO Max still has technical issues — which I'll get into later — and can't compete with Amazon Prime Video or Netflix on quantity of content. But the quality of that content is extremely high. 

 

HBO Max's library is small but mighty
HBO Max may have a smaller library than other streamers, but its base collection can't be beat — the premium HBO catalog, including award-winning series Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City, Veep and Watchmen. 

 

HBO shows are appointment-viewing for me (and many others). It's a ritual to sit down on Sunday evenings to watch the latest HBO offering. Just in the last year, HBO gifted us I May Destroy You, Perry Mason, Lovecraft Country and a new season of Insecure.

 

HBO Max's library also houses shows produced by other WarnerMedia brands, like TBS, TNT, Crunchyroll and the Cartoon Network. And HBO Max licenses third-party content, such as the Studio Ghibli library. There is truly nothing better than a snowy weekend spent watching Hayao Miyazaki's gorgeous films. 

 

And of course, who can forget — since HBO Max won't let us — that all 10 seasons of Friends is now on the streamer. Friends was an extremely popular title on Netflix, and HBO Max was eager to get their hands on it ASAP. The sitcom is now a selling point for new subscribers, just like The Office is for Peacock. But unlike the latter, you can still watch Friends without ads.

 

Don't miss out on HBO Max originals and exclusives
Aside from Ted Lasso on Apple TV Plus, my favorite new series of 2020 was the HBO Max original The Flight Attendant. The dark comedy/thriller starring Kaley Cuoco came as an out-of-the-blue but sensational surprise, which I binged in a day.

 

Even more of a surprise was that it was on HBO Max. The service launched in late May with only a handful of originals. In my review of Love Life with Anna Kendrick, I said the show was fine, but it also highlighted that HBO Max had a long way to go. 

 

But since then, HBO Max has ramped up its offering of originals and exclusives. There's variety to them, too — everything from the dog rooming reality series Haute Dog to reunions of The West Wing and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to continuations of excellent existing series like Search Party, Doom Patrol and Adventure Time. 

 

But the biggest exclusive coup is the rights to stream this year's new Warner Bros. movies at the same time as their theatrical release. The lineup is eye-popping. We've already gotten Oscar contenders Judas and the Black Messiah and The Little Things. Coming up are Godzilla vs. Kong, Dune, The Suicide Squad and Matrix. 

 

Oh, and there's also the hotly anticipated Justice League: Snyder Cut, which arrives with heavy expectations on its super-shoulders.

 

Content is king in the world of streaming
The quality of movies and shows on HBO Max can't be beat. But I should add a caveat that the nuts and bolts of the actual service still need a lot of work. The app and website can be buggy and crash. And HBO Max doesn't offer many titles in 4K, though that's not much different from other streaming services. Netflix does have 4K but you have to pay more.

 

[Ares]

Disney Plus makes a play for adult viewers with launch of Star

https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/disney-plus-makes-a-play-for-adult-viewers-with-launch-of-star-1.5320166

TORONTO -- Disney Plus is introducing viewers to its older sibling: a new streaming hub named Star.

After establishing itself as the family-friendly home to Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies, the Disney Plus platform is opening the gates to a dedicated space for more grown-up tastes.

Within its existing platform, more than 150 TV series and 500 movies will be available to Canadians on Star's Tuesday launch date -- but it comes with a catch.

Some buzzy titles from Disney-owned U.S. streaming platform Hulu are still missing, and you can't subscribe to Star without being signed up for Disney Plus.

It's part of a move by Disney to raise monthly subscription fees for all users while presenting them with more programming from Disney-owned ABC television, 20th Century Studios and the FX channel.

Monthly rates will jump from $8.99 to $11.99 for Canadian subscribers who sign up starting Tuesday, while the price increase will take effect for existing subscribers over the summer.

Star will appeal to viewers who once might've enjoyed roaming the aisles of the video store searching for older comedy, drama and action flicks.

Many of its titles stretch back decades -- major franchises "Alien," "Planet of the Apes" and "Die Hard" among them. The slate of TV shows include Jennifer Garner action series "Alias" and "Family Guy," as well as retro classics "Hill Street Blues" and "M.A.S.H."

On the newer side, Disney will grant access to a few Hulu productions that never saw the light of day in Canada. Most notably, teen drama series "Love, Victor," a spinoff of the film "Love, Simon," will be available on launch date.

However, as per usual, an array of complicated rights deals with Canadian broadcasters and streaming companies mean that many other Disney-owned shows and movies won't be on the platform. And what's missing may seem glaringly obvious to contemporary viewers hoping for the hottest new Hulu hits.

For instance, "Framing Britney Spears," the buzzworthy Hulu documentary that set social media afire earlier this month, isn't on Star at this time. Neither is "Run," the Sarah Paulson thriller or last year's horror-comedy "Bad Hair."

Other popular Hulu series are tied up in licensing deals elsewhere, including "The Handmaid's Tale" with Crave and "Pen15" with CBC Gem.

Add to that Disney's complicated relationship with FX programming, which is coming to Star in drips and drabs.

Some of the biggest FX titles, notably "American Horror Story" and "Pose," are part of an ongoing licensing deal with the FX Canada channel, owned by Rogers Communications Inc. That goes for acclaimed miniseries "Mrs. America" and "Fosse/Verdon," too.

"We will have some FX content," assured Greg Mason, vice president of marketing at Walt Disney Studios Canada, pointing to biker gang drama "Sons of Anarchy" as one example.

"It will be a little bit of a blend for a while and we're going to see how that unravels."