Highlights from Recode Media interviews of Warner Media’s John Stankey and Disney’s Kevin Mayer, including an extended discussion on sports.
Disney’s Bundle, Huawei’s HarmonyOS, Uber’s Earnings
Disney’s bundle is compelling both for Disney and also Hulu, then Huawei’s new OS doesn’t make sense commercially but does make sense geopolitically. Plus, Uber’s earnings have been unfairly represented even as they are very concerning.
Disney Takes Full Control of Hulu, Disney’s Organization, The Streaming Struggle
Disney has acquired control of Hulu, and has structured itself to take full advantage. Other streaming services, though, are not nearly as well-positioned.
Disney and the Value of the Consumer Relationship, Disney’s Consolidation of Hulu, Comcast and AT&T
Follow-up on Disney and the Future of TV, including why Disney as a whole will gain so much from Disney+. Then, AT&T sells out of Hulu, and Comcast probably will too, and why Comcast appears in better shape.
Disney and the Future of TV
TV is moving from a world where distribution dictates business models to one where business models need to fit the jobs consumers want done. That is the best way to understand Disney’s latest announcement.
Amazon “HQ2” Choice, Disney’s Earnings, Disney’s Hulu Plan
Amazon’s HQ2 process deserves the most cynical of lenses. Then, Disney revealed more details of their streaming service, with a surprising focus on Hulu — and linear TV.
Spotify’s Earnings, Spotify’s Free Plan and Hulu Partnership, Snap’s Earnings
Spotify’s earnings were not what the market expected, but the company gained credibility. Snap, meanwhile, doesn’t have any credibility at all.
Disney-Fox Deal Announced, Horizontal Antitrust, Whither Hulu
The Disney-21st Century Fox deal is official, and the antitrust questions continue to loom large: there are clear issues with regards to a horizontal merger, but is having a vertical competitor to Netflix worth it?
Amazon Studios Shifts Strategy, Spotify and Hulu, Facebook to Spend $1 Billion on Video
Amazon Studios is shifting its strategy, which rationalizes Prime Video; the big winner is Netflix. Then, Spotify makes a smart move with Hulu, while Facebook is resorting to brute force in video.