Google’s approach to travel mirrors its approach to Shopping, which, correctly or not, was already ruled to be illegal in Europe. Then, Disney+ rolls out like a movie, and fails like a service. Plus, more on Instagram and influencers.
HBO Max, AT&T’s Challenges, The Streaming Battleground
AT&T announced details about HBO Max, which are both safe and aggressive, and also raise questions about AT&T’s long-term stewardship. Then, why Netflix and Disney are the long-term winners.
Ghost 3.0, An Interview with Ghost CEO John O’Nolan
There is a new offering in the subscription space: Ghost. John O’Nolan, the founder and CEO of the Ghost Foundation, explains what makes Ghost unique.
The Athletic Reaches 500,000 Subscribers, Brute-Forcing the Bundle, Local Bundles
The Athletic has 500,000 subscribers and continues to pursue growth over profitability. It’s an approach that makes sense, and the demise of local bundles helps explain why.
Substack Raises Series A, An Interview With Substack Co-Founders Christopher Best and Hamish McKenzie
An interview with Substack Co-Founders Christopher Best and Hamish McKenzie, who recently raised a Series A to enable newsletters from Andreessen Horowitz.
HBO Max and Friends; British Airways, Marriott Hit with GDPR Fines; Zoom’s Vulnerability
HBO Max is AT&T’s new streaming service, and it is paying a lot for Friends. Then, the best part of GDPR has its intended effect, while Zoom shows that security still isn’t a priority
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.
The Wall Street Journal and Apple News, The Problem with Regulating Content, Australia’s Terrible New Law
Why the Wall Street Journals’ deal with Apple isn’t so bad, and how that applies to YouTube. Plus, why content regulation isn’t workable, and a review of Section 230. Then, Australia passes a truly terrible law.
Apple’s Services Event
Apple’s Services Event generally made sense, even if most products weren’t ready to launch. It’s fair to wonder, though, if something important is being lost.
Changes at HBO, AT&T’s Strategic Rationale, HBO’s Differentiation
There are changes afoot at HBO, driven by AT&T’s desire to compete with Netflix; that, though, risks HBO’s differentiation.