Plain English with Derek Thompson The Biggest Losers of the Streaming Wars: ESPN, Movie Theaters, Peacock, and More
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Jan 18, 2022 
Rich Greenfield, partner and media technology analyst at LightShed, joins to discuss the uncertain future of movie theaters and ESPN's challenges amidst the streaming boom. He highlights the fierce competition in streaming, particularly how platforms like Apple TV Plus are rising with quality content, while Disney rethinks its strategy. They also explore the impact of media fragmentation on shared cultural experiences and what these shifts mean for audience engagement in the evolving entertainment landscape.
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Movie Industry Adaptation
- Movie ticket sales have declined over 90% in the last 80 years, yet the industry adapted.
- Theaters evolved with premium experiences like bigger screens, better sound, and comfy seats.
Media Bundling Cycle
- Media often follows a pattern of bundling, unbundling, and rebundling content.
- Music, for example, went from albums (CDs) to single songs (iTunes) and back to bundled subscriptions (Spotify).
Future of Movie Theaters
- Movie theaters will likely shrink but not disappear, focusing on large-screen experiences.
- Only a small fraction of movies truly benefit from the collective viewing experience.