The Varsity Amazon’s Crap Shoot & MLB’s Fall Classic Magic
Oct 30, 2024
Dylan Byers, a prominent writer and host of The Grill Room, dives into the evolving world of media and sports in this engaging discussion. He explores why major streamers like Amazon hesitate to enter live news, sharing insights on talent salaries and the current state of sports commentary. The conversation heats up with reflections on the exhilarating World Series, particularly how the Yankees-Dodgers matchup enhances MLB's health. Byers also discusses Amazon's strategic moves in sports broadcasting and their unique blend of shopping and sports experience.
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Shrinking Budgets for TV Talent
- The economic model pushes news and sports to pay top talent less or keep flat salaries due to streaming shift.
- Linear TV can't sustain very high salaries for anchors as budgets tighten and viewership changes.
News Content Innovation Strategies
- News networks might start integrating podcast-style content live on TV to reduce costs and increase engagement.
- Leaning on existing newsrooms and partnerships could be future model for streaming news without full infrastructure.
Sports vs News Business Model
- Sports rights are exclusive, making live events a valuable, predictable product for networks.
- News is a commodity and unpredictable, creating challenges to fill non-breaking hours profitably.