Andrew Rosen

Comcast spin-off - what does it say for the future of the #tvindustry Comcast announced "plans to spin off most of its linear cable networks into a separate company, including such stalwarts as CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network and SyFy...The resulting SpinCo, as it’s being called for now, would create a company with a more focused makeup, and really crummy long-term prospects, given the continued cord-cutting that has sent cable subscriptions plummeting. It also may become the fulcrum for a roll-up of other cable networks." Is that the case, as the article says, that there are few long-term prospects? It does seem set up for a future merger or acquisition. "The nets are mired on the cable box, their content largely also available on direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Peacock, which Comcast is keeping. The cable nets’ revenue models are built on advertising and carriage fees, both declining alongside those shrinking audiences. And cable distributors, including Comcast, are more focused on higher-growth broadband and wireless opportunities." Indeed, it seems that this is more complicated than the headline suggests "Less clear is how the company manages to extricate its cable operations from the units Comcast plans to retain. For instance, how will NBC News be separated from CNBC and MSNBC operations? And ad sales may also face some complicated disentangling." According to Comcast management, both companies will be set up to be profitable and go on the offense. But what exactly is offense for the cable networks? Will they move more and more to streaming? How does that work if their services are on Peacock, which stays under Comcast? It all seems that this merger has more questions than answers at the moment. #comcast #mediaindustry #media #mergeracquisition #streamingmedia

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Great article by Fabio Sonnati in Streaming Media Magazine outlining the increasingly complex nature of measuring perceived video quality. Traditional metrics, like VMAF, may serve well for a narrow set of use cases but quickly show their limits with modern codecs and AI enhancements. For instance, when assessing scenarios involving film grain synthesis or AI-based super-resolution, VMAF falls short, misinterpreting enhancements that align well with creative intent as degradation.   However, unlike VMAF, IMAX’s XVS metric rewards grain retention, lack of banding, and retention of detail, offering more consistent, perceptually aligned evaluations.    As someone who’s spent 18 years studying video quality, I’m excited to see our metric continue to evolve, ensuring accurate, actionable insights for the next era of video technology.   #VideoQuality #Innovation #AI IMAX Streaming and Consumer Technology

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The stage was set at the NAB Show 2024. Hundreds of products battled for supremacy in the ever-evolving streaming video arena. Tensions were high as the industry's elite judging panel meticulously evaluated each offering. Then, a true champion emerged from the fray. Vimond's VIA App Builder captivated the experts with a perfect fusion of power and elegance. Features that dazzled: - Lightning-fast development capabilities that make deploying streaming services across devices a mere formality. - An interface so intuitive even a novice could wield its might. - Unparalleled content management that monetises like never before. In an epic clash of innovation, the VIA App Builder reigned supreme – conquering the "Next TV" category to seize the coveted Best of Show honour. A thousand competitors stood in awe. This was more than just an award. It was a statement of Vimond's unwavering commitment to streamlining video streaming for the modern era. An undisputed mark of quality that will shatter industry conventions. The victory horn has sounded. All others have been put on notice. Brace yourselves for the VIA App Builder's continued dominance, as it leads content creators to a new era of broadcast supremacy. https://lnkd.in/gssvefKG

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STREAMING BUNDLES: Is the cable box making a comeback!? Subscriber churn remains an issue for SVOD services – 42% of US streaming subscribers report that they “'regularly subscribe, cancel and resubscribe,” according to Ampere’s Media Consumer survey covering 1Q24. But bundling streaming services can have a significant impact on mitigating the issue. Ampere cites Disney subscribers as an example: Consumers who had previously churned and then returned to take the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle are 59% less likely to churn within 12 months than those who take Disney+ alone, based on 1Q23 sign-ups. Ampere also found that US resubscribers skew younger (aged 18-44), are more likely to be in family households, and are typically avid media consumers. And with that wide media diet, the cohort is 40% more likely than average to exhibit signs of subscription fatigue and 21% more likely to desire unified access to content across different services. Which makes bundles, Ampere concludes, a key strategy in subscriber retention. The cable box is making a comeback! This time, it's on your mobile device$!

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With the media industry on the brink of more transformations (like these predictions), it's important to understand these changes to find future opportunities and stay ahead. Don't forget to listen, subscribe, and share The Hollywood Makers podcast (on all podcast platforms) where we are sharing this type of news and interviews with key people in the industry. #FilmandTV #mediaproduction #creatives #mediaentrepreneurs #streaming

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The latest Radio World eBook includes a great QA with Chris Gould of All In Media (part of Xperi Inc.) on how its Rapid solution fits into the metadata ecosystem. As Chris explains, Rapid enables broadcasters to "manage the creation, synchronization, and distribution of metadata associated with their audio services across broadcast and IP platforms." He further explains how "metadata is the key that ensures a listener has the best experience while consuming the station's content." For more insight read the article, starting on page 27: https://lnkd.in/ep7RFTnr #Radio #automotive #connectedcars #cars #broadcastradio #BroadcastIndustry #hybridradio

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Streaming will be added to national TV ratings. The Media Rating Council (MRC), an oversight group that applies standards to audience measurement models from companies such as Nielsen, Comscore and VideoAmp, has approved a plan for Nielsen to integrate first-party streaming data into the company's panel-based national TV ratings. The "panel plus big data" measurement has the potential - at least for live events - to show that a significantly higher number of people are watching a particular program than the panel-only measurement. The sample size for panel plus big data is currently small. Amazon is the only Nielsen client currently using integrated measurement, for its Prime Video Thursday Night Football telecasts. In his a statement Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao highlighted the importance of the MRC's approval, which confirms Nielsen's ability to introduce this innovation in a safe and verified manner. With proven methodologies such as our panel of accredited individuals and precise new research solutions for the streaming measurement era, Nielsen will ensure accurate measurement of the content viewers are watching. Our industry will finally have a true picture of linear and streaming audiences. Data there has shown a significant increase with the addition of Amazon's streaming data, about an 8 per cent increase (just under 1 million viewers) from the panel-only measure. Nielsen's panel-only figures have 'Thursday Night Football' averaging 13.2 million viewers per game this season. The Big Data addition pushes the audience to 14.26 million. This increases the number of titles with limited multi-platform data from other networks that occasionally report combined TV and streaming numbers for live events. NBC's Sunday Night Football has averaged about 18.9 million TV viewers this season (streaming on the Peacock and other digital platforms, as measured by Adobe Analytics). Those games have grown to 21.3 million, an increase of about 13 percent. Other Nielsen clients such as Fox, ESPN and CBS have also seen streaming gains for live sports, although not as regularly (CBS is also currently in a contract dispute with Nielsen and does not use its ratings product). Nielsen is currently in talks with a number of other clients to use the panel plus big data measurement for live events. What it won't do, however, is show additional same-day viewing for most regular programming or episodes of popular TV series. The new tool could help networks and streamers reach an even wider audience. Live broadcasts are among the most reliable viewers on television. Let me know what you think in the comments. You can find a link to the full article in the first comment under this post. Follow my profile to stay up-to-date when it comes to industry news, technology updates, and market analysis. #SzymonKarbowski #StreamVX #videostreaming #Nielsen #TheMediaRatingCouncil #NationalTVRatings #Amazon #Peacock #NBC #PrimeVideo #Fox #ESPN #CBS

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Consoladation is where it is at...

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An interesting Hollywood Reporter article on YouTube's 'Independent TV' caught my attention today. "We're not making user-generated content. We're making independent television." This statement raises a crucial question: will traditional TV merge with social media and user-generated platforms? As per my own discussions with industry insiders, the answer is not straightforward. For some demographics, this convergence has already happened, but for others, there are powerful forces and entrenched habits at work to prevent it. I'd say - (and sorry for the cop out) too early to tell, but I do hope if there is convergance there is room for the range of brilliant scripted and unscripted programming currently available across the 'tiles' on my TV (and phone, laptop etc).... #YouTube #IndependentTV #SocialMedia #TraditionalTV #UserGeneratedPlatforms #EntertainmentIndustry https://lnkd.in/dCWdUMGX

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I couldn't agree more with Jason Kilar, CEO of WarnerMedia prior to the Discovery takeover: the #streaming business can be incredibly attractive for media companies and investors. Kilar recently quoted Charles Darwin, stating, “It’s not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." We see this natural selection playing out in the #Media industry today. Some companies are adapting, while others are leaning back. To be clear: there is a path to growth, scale, and attractive margins for legacy media companies in streaming. But it requires leaving behind many old management practices and thinking and embracing change and innovation. #Strategy #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #MediaEconomics #Netflix #Leadership #Investing

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In Q1 2024, Netflix and Amazon accounted for 53% of all global SVOD commissions. In the first quarter, the number of Netflix commissions out of Western Europe, led by originals from the U.K., Spain, and Germany, nearly matched that of North America, and Asia Pacific titles also saw a notable uptick. Amazon also upped its game in Asia, particularly in India, where the streamer ordered a record slate of 37 new titles, more than the previous six quarters combined, setting a new record for quarterly commissions. Both continue reaffirming their leadership in the streaming market through aggressive commissioning of original content, particularly outside the U.S. This aligns with their growing need to tap into new subscriber bases in regions with higher growth potential than the saturated North American market. The shift towards international productions is a smart move for Netflix and Amazon. It broadens their appeal across diverse markets and keeps them competitive in the ever-evolving and challenging streaming landscape. By understanding and catering to local preferences, these streaming giants are building a loyal subscriber base, which is essential for long-term growth and stability. The strategic focus on cost-effective productions also highlights the importance of financial diplomacy in sustaining high volumes of original content. For more detailed read check out the article below. #streamingwars #netflixoriginals #amazonprimevideo #svod #contentstrategy #internationalproductions #localizedcontent #entertainmentindustry #contentstrategy #streaming

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SiriusXM reported its Q1 earnings this morning, and the headlines are justifiably focused on its loss of subscribers (nearly 500k). Like all radio, its subscription business is highly vulnerable with the move to digital audio, especially in cars. But a bright spot? If you paid attention to Spotify's earnings, you wouldn't be surprised: "off-platform revenue." For SXM, this includes Pandora and podcast revenue, which saw a 7% revenue increase. During their investor call, they signaled the growth for podcasts, explicitly saying, "Podcasting revenue saw a 22% year-over-year lift in the quarter, while programmatic podcast revenue increased 12% sequentially and 97% year over year." I'd love to see SXM break out the podcast numbers even further, but if you look at what they do provide, it's easy to conclude that podcast revenue is growing much faster than other segments. For example, Pandora continues to bleed users (64k paid subs in Q1 alone), so podcast revenue seems to be the tide lifting all "off-platform" boats. When asked about their podcast initiatives, Scott Greenstein said, "One is, you know, the podcast thing and industry is really still in the second or third inning, so it's evolving." He is 100% right. SXM also signaled that it will continue to license more podcast content and is not closing the book on exclusive content. One more fun nugget: On today's call, podcasts were mentioned 30 times. Pandora was only mentioned ten times, SmartLess nine times, and Howard Stern... zero point zero. Where do you think their priorities are moving forward? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eRQTM2Kq ---- I'm the CEO and founder of DWNLOAD Media, a fund focused on acquiring majority stakes in podcast companies. With continued audience and revenue growth, podcasting continues to be the most under-valued medium, making it time to invest in audio. If you're interested in investing in the podcast space, DM me! #podcasting #audio #siriusxm #sxm #earnings #investor #investing #podcasts

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U.K. Government Forum to Scrutinize Future of TV Broadcasting Amid Streaming Concerns The UK government’s recent initiative to convene a forum addressing the evolving landscape of streaming and broadcasting is a pivotal step toward aligning regulatory frameworks with the rapid advancements in media consumption. As highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter, this move underscores the necessity for a collaborative approach among policymakers, industry leaders, and content creators to ensure that regulations not only protect consumer interests but also foster innovation and growth within the sector. In an era where streaming platforms are reshaping the way audiences engage with content, it’s imperative that our regulatory strategies evolve accordingly. This forum presents a unique opportunity to address challenges such as content standards, fair competition, and the protection of intellectual property rights. As a TV executive and format creator, I recognize the importance of such dialogues in shaping a sustainable and dynamic media environment. It’s encouraging to see the UK government taking proactive measures to adapt to the changing media landscape, ensuring that both consumers and creators can thrive in this new era of broadcasting. For a detailed overview of this development, refer to The Hollywood Reporter’s coverage.

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