Downstream

Netflix and Amazon prepare to celebrate NFL Christmas, the PVOD vs. Theatrical debate rages on, Gunsmoke is having a moment, Max rebrands again, Jason watched some Netflix ads, and did we mention that Julia is back? Guest Starring: Julia Alexander Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback NFL to air 3 games on Christmas Day 2025, Netflix partnership continues: Source - The Athletic Sources: NFL ‘Virtual Lock’ to Opt Out of Media-Rights Deals New York Yankees Boss Thanks Donald Trump For Helping YES Resolve Carriage Fight With Comcast 'Wicked’ Made $100 Million On PVOD - CinemaCon Michael O’Leary, CEO Of Cinema United, Slams Shorter Theatrical Windows Matt Belloni's funny post ‘Reacher,’ ‘Gunsmoke’: Streaming Ratings March 3-9, 2025 Max’s rebranded logo and colors look very HBO | The Verge My unsuccessful journey into Netflix’s ad tier – Six Colors

MLB is trying to open up local streaming, but it doesn't solve the problem of reaching casual fans. Also: a weird café in Korea and our TV picks. (Downstream+ listeners also get: British TV vs. streamers, deep programming thoughts, and Looney Tunes.) This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Memberful: Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: TV Picks: Joe: The Pitt (Max), Severance (TV+), White Lotus (Max) Jason: The Outlaws (Prime Video) Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback MLB, NBC Sports Regional Networks to stream Athletics, Giants, Phillies games Press release: New ROOT SPORTS stream app offers all Mariners games airing on ROOT SPORTS

The MLB/ESPN separation and the future of ESPN, the Nationals escape from MASN, Fox's sports streaming service quandary, interesting tidbits from the Sloan Sports Conference, and our TV picks! This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor: Healthy, full-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code FACTORPODCAST for 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. Guest Starring: Will Carroll Links and Show Notes: TV Picks: Will: "Fear" on Prime Video Jason: "Shoresy" on Hulu Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Inside the MLB-ESPN Split - Puck Stephen A. Smith, ESPN agree to $100M contract that lets him talk more about politics: Sources - The Athletic Disney+ to Debut SC+: ESPN SportsCenter Spinoff for More Casual Fans MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference - Sports Analytics, Business, & Technology. sonar NTANGIBLE

Josef Adalian, Vulture's media reporter, dives into the shifting landscape of television, particularly how events like the Super Bowl influence viewership metrics. He discusses Tubi's unique marketing strategies during the Super Bowl, detailing how they engage younger audiences. The conversation also touches on pressing issues in football safety while exploring popular British TV shows and standout streaming picks. With picks like 'Paradise' on Hulu and ‘Flow’ on Max, listeners get a taste of the best in contemporary television.

Will Carroll returns on Super Bowl week, and we discuss Super Bowl 4K, Tubi, and the enduring power of communal live events. Also: ESPN Flagship and Fox's streaming play, a new RSN is heard from, Apple and MLS make tweaks, your letters, and TV picks! This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Memberful: Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Guest Starring: Will Carroll Links and Show Notes: TV Picks: Will: Ludwig (coming to Britbox, Elsbeth (Paramount+) Jason: Detectorists (Acorn, Pluto TV, Roku, Hoopla) Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Fox does streaming (Apple News/WSJ) 2025 Super Bowl Will Stream for Free on Tubi, Fox Streaming Service Fox’s 1080p to 4K Upscaling Workflow for Super Bowl 2025: An Engaging Debate - Streaming Learning Center Comcast Sales, Profit Beat as ‘Wicked’ Lifts Film Studio - Bloomberg Altitude Sports, Comcast end long-running dispute to televise Nuggets and Avalanche games | AP News Apple adds Xfinity, DirecTV as MLS Season Pass distributors – Six Colors Rangers Sports Network Boss Explains Why Team Managing Own TV Business Texas Rangers: ‘We’re in better hands managing our own risk’ Comcast Sales, Profit Beat as ‘Wicked’ Lifts Film Studio - Bloomberg (3) Under The Knife | Will Carroll | Substack

Joe Adalian joins Jason to discuss Netflix's big moves, price hikes, and what drove Jason to cancel it. Also we answer your letters and make some TV picks! (Downstream+ members also get: the return of CNN+, death of Venu, and Tubi spikes the football.) This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: TV Picks: Joe: New Hollywood Squares (CBS/P+); The Pitt (Max) Jason: Severance (Apple TV+), SNL50 (Peacock), St. Denis Medical (Peacock) Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Netflix Q4 2024 Earnings: Subscriber Tally Passes 301M, Smashing Estimates Netflix Q4 2024 Earnings: NFL and Jake Paul Help Drive Subscribers Netflix Raises Prices in First Major Hike Since 2023

Will Carroll joins for a mega Sports Corner: Fubo meets Hulu to enable Venu, Netflix goes full force into live sports, how football dominates American TV, NFL announcers, and our TV picks! This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Memberful: Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Guest Starring: Will Carroll Links and Show Notes: TV Picks: Will: Traitors (US and UK, Peacock), Landman (JERRY JONES!, Paramount+) Jason: Ludwig (UK, coming to Britbox), All Creatures Great and Small (UK, PBS) Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Jeopardy: Behind the Scenes With Ken Jennings Disney Deal Will Combine Hulu + Live TV With Fubo, Ending Venu Lawsuit NFL Owns 72 of Top 100 Broadcasts as Pols Undermine Sports' TV Might Arctos co-founder on the future of private equity in sports Takeaways from Netflix’s NFL Christmas ratings door-buster: The streaming giant could be here to stay - The Athletic Netflix Spent $5B on WWE Monday Night Raw, Convinced Me to Watch Netflix secures U.S. broadcast rights for 2027, 2031 Women’s World Cups - The Athletic Netflix Scores FIFA Women's World Cup Exclusive Rights for 2027, 2031 Netflix’s FIFA Women’s World Cup deal feels like a page out of the pay-to-play book: Rueter - The Athletic ‘Why walk away?’ Al Michaels wants a 39th season calling NFL prime-time games - The Athletic John Gruber: "2024 NFL broadcast teams and telecast quality, ranked" Under The Knife | Will Carroll | Substack

Down the chimney comes Tim Goodman, reuniting with Jason to discuss his super-secret insider TV reviews, streaming's influence in the rise of international TV here in the U.S., and Jason's top TV shows of the year. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv: Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Guest Starring: Tim Goodman Links and Show Notes: Jason mentioned: Shogun (Hulu), Dark Matter (Apple TV+), Bad Monkey (Apple TV+), Hacks (Max), Slow Horses (Apple TV+), Silo (Apple TV+), Shoresy (Hulu), Masters of the Air (Apple TV+), The Diplomat (Netflix), and A Man on the Inside (Netflix). Tim Mentioned: Black Doves (Netflix), Giri/Haji (Netflix), Moving (Hulu), House of Ninjas (Netflix), A Shop For Killers (Hulu), The Frog (Netflix), Kleo (Netflix), and Black Twitter: A Peoplpe's History (Hulu). Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Tim Goodman / Bastard Machine | Substack TV Talk Machine - a podcast from The Incomparable Our Silent Nights are Getting Loud (Apple Music) Merry Christmas, Baby. (Apple Music) Our Silent Nights are Getting Loud (Spotify) Merry Christmas, Baby. (Spotify)

Josef Adalian, the West Coast editor and contributor for Vulture, dives into Disney’s streaming strategy, revealing how ESPN integrates into Disney+. He critiques the user experience of Hulu and Disney+, and reflects on the shifting corporate culture in media. Adalian discusses the intense competition among streaming giants like Disney and Netflix, particularly around content bundling and audience engagement. He also touches on the significant deal between Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery, and the implications for future media dynamics.

Apple's movie mistakes, Comcast pushes cable channels onto the ice floe, Diamond exits bankruptcy, Netflix goes live, the holiday season as a streaming opportunity, and our TV picks! This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv: Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Guest Starring: Natalie Jarvey Links and Show Notes: Natalie mentioned: A Man on the Inside (Netflix), No Good Deed (Netflix), Squid Game (Netflix), The Agency (Paramount+), Skeleton Crew (Disney+), Scotland's Home of the Year, and Rivals (Hulu/Disney+). Jason mentioned "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (Paramount+). Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Jon Watts On Why He Canceled George Clooney & Brad Pitt 'Wolfs' Sequel Comcast Announces Intention to Create Leading Independent Media Business Through Spin-Off of Select Cable Television Networks Comcast Cable Spinoff Employee Reaction: Skepticism but Also Optimism Diamond Sports cleared to emerge from bankruptcy after new MLB deals | Reuters MLB plans new national TV packages for 2028; changes to revenue sharing, CBA crucial - The Athletic Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Was the Most Streamed Sporting Event in History - Netflix Tudum