Inside The Stream

Tubi’s Super Bowl UHD livestream plan is bold, but can it deliver? Prime’s wildcard game gets its best NFL rating yet. Vizio jumps into SVOD bundles and consumer AI research.

The Disney-Fubo deal seems to clear the path for the launch of Venu Sports and provide Fubo with financial strength. But DirecTV thinks it doesn’t settle the issue.

PBS has a new distribution deal with Amazon to simulcast 150 local stations. We talk with PBS’s digital head, Ira Rubenstein, about the deal and its 2025 strategy.

Jonathan Carson, CEO and co-founder of Antenna, dives into the booming world of streaming in 2024. He discusses the exciting rise of ad-supported models, showcasing how they attract new subscribers despite fears of stagnation. The impact of live sports, especially the NFL, on subscriber growth is a key highlight. Carson also reveals how Black Friday promotions are transforming customer loyalty and subscription rates. Plus, insights on password policies reshape our understanding of user conversion. A must-listen for streaming enthusiasts!

Starz’s CEO outlined the company’s streaming strategy, which includes partnering with SVOD aggregators, retaining originals, and avoiding annual rate bumps.

Walmart closed its $2.3 billion acquisition of VIZIO, creating many opportunities to extend WatchFree+ and drive new ad revenue and one-click buying.

Comcast’s decision to spin out all of its cable networks except Bravo into an independent company is a signal of more cable network consolidation to come.

Disney's CEO accidentally highlights the booming rise of ad-supported streaming, revealing significant subscriber gains for platforms like Netflix. Meanwhile, a deep dive into Prime Video shows its impressive content share but low engagement. The conversation also touches on evolving viewer habits, contrasting strengths of various streaming services, and the increasing preference for ad-supported models. As the industry adjusts to economic shifts, strategies for growth, profitability, and leveraging popular franchises emerge as hot topics.

The podcast dives into the explosive rise of live sports viewership on streaming platforms, outpacing traditional pay-TV for the first time. It highlights eMarketer's prediction of 20 million more streaming sports viewers this year, growing even more by 2027. Tubi's revenue growth through political advertising is analyzed, alongside Peacock's transformation into a major sports broadcaster. There's also a focus on the need for flexibility in catering to diverse viewing habits as the sports media landscape evolves.

This week, two big indicators of significant change in the TV/video industries: Comcast may spin off its cable TV networks, and YouTube hit a $50 billion revenue run rate.