Organized Money Can Hollywood Survive?
Jun 20, 2025
Richard Rushfield, editorial director and columnist for The Ankler, shares his insights on the drastic Warner Bros. split, highlighting the shifting dynamics of Hollywood amidst the rise of streaming services. He discusses the industry’s leadership challenges and its struggle to adapt to technological advancements while wrestling with a decline in traditional television. Rushfield also critiques the disconnect between studio executives and storytelling, revealing the industry's pervasive cynicism toward change and innovation. A thought-provoking take on Hollywood's uncertain future!
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Streaming Surpasses Cable TV
- Streaming viewership surpassed broadcast and cable TV for the first time last month, signaling a major shift in media consumption.
- Traditional TV models, especially cable, are in decline, forcing companies to reconsider their business strategies.
Scale Was Merger Rationale
- Mergers aimed to achieve enormous scale to compete with Netflix and Disney while combining different content types under one brand.
- HBO's loyal but limited audience forced the need to broaden appeal or merge with other content providers.
Scale Dominates Content Bidding
- Scale enables streaming giants like Netflix to dominate bidding wars for talent and content, reinforcing their market power.
- Smaller studios struggle to compete financially, limiting diversity of content and competition.