Bloomberg journalist Lucas Shaw joins the host to discuss the new bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and Max. They debate potential winners and losers, predict the next to join the Great Re-Bundling, and speculate on Netflix's NFL involvement.
Disney, Hulu, and Max bundle aims to combat subscriber churn and offer a consolidated streaming experience.
Strategic partnership signifies a shift towards combined services, signaling a restructure in the streaming business for consumer benefits.
Deep dives
The Launch of the Disney, Hulu, and Max Bundle
Warner Brothers Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced a bundle that includes Max, Disney Plus, and Hulu starting this summer. The move aims to address the challenge of subscriber churn by offering a combined subscription at a potentially attractive price. This strategic partnership signifies a shift in the streaming landscape towards combined services, indicating a restructure in the streaming business for a more consumer-friendly experience.
Implications of the Bundle for Warner Brothers Discovery and Disney
For Warner Brothers Discovery, the bundle represents a significant effort to combat high churn rates and boost engagement in their streaming service, particularly as revenue from their traditional television business declines. On the Disney side, the collaboration highlights the strategic importance of bundling to enhance their streaming ecosystem, potentially offsetting challenges posed by previous acquisitions like Fox. The partnership positions Disney as a strong player in the evolving streaming market, leveraging the popularity of Disney Plus and Hulu.
Predicted Pricing and Impact on the Streaming Landscape
Speculation surrounds the pricing strategy for the Disney, Hulu, and Max bundle, with predictions ranging from $20 to $30 to incentivize customer adoption. The bundle's impact on the streaming landscape is poised to address consumer preferences for multiple services under a consolidated offering. While Netflix's exclusion from the bundle raises questions, the collaboration signals a new phase of bundling with significant potential beneficiaries and implications, reshaping the competitive dynamics of the streaming industry.
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the new bundle starting this summer that will combine Disney+, Hulu, and Max. They pick winners and losers of the deal, and wonder who might be the next to join in on the Great Re-Bundling (02:50). Matt finishes with a prediction about Netflix’s potential involvement with the NFL (25:01).
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