Plain English with Derek Thompson

True or False: 10 Controversial Predictions About the Future of Streaming, Tech, and Media

Jan 13, 2023

Rich Greenfield, a media analyst at Lightshed, lends his sharp insights on the turbulent state of the media landscape. He discusses the struggle of traditional studios in an age of streaming, questioning if cinemas can recover from their slump. The conversation dives into the future of virtual reality, the complex ownership dynamics of TikTok, and the potential merging of streaming and linear television. Rich also predicts evolving strategies for platforms like Netflix and the implications of traditional media adapting to a changing consumer base.

42:10

Episode guests

Rich Greenfield

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

4min

Evolving Trends in Film and Streaming

17min

The Future of Virtual Reality: Mainstream Aspirations or Gaming Niche?

4min

The Uncertain Future of TikTok's Ownership in the U.S.

4min

The Shift: Streaming's Influence on Linear Television

3min

Streaming Strategies and Market Dynamics

6min

Last year was a bloodbath for media of all stripes. Netflix crashed, the advertising market cratered, Disney fired a CEOBob and replaced him with a CEOBob, and meanwhile, the domestic box office for films remained dormant. Outside of a handful of huge hits like 'Top Gun: Maverick,' the movie business is struggling to get people to see original movies that aren’t just the latest installation of familiar franchises.

But one mistake that media people, like me, can often make is that we mistake current trends for permanent trends. So I thought what we’d do today is run through several predictions and provocations that I’m hearing from my friends and sources in the media and entertainment space, throw all of them at a smart media analyst, and see what they have to say about the prevailing wisdom. Today’s smart media analyst is return guest Rich Greenfield from Lightshed.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Rich Greenfield

Producer: Devon Manze

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