Anthony F.

Is Paramount's Tech Transformation Just a Pipe Dream? In the ever-evolving landscape of media, David Ellison’s announcement about transforming Paramount into a tech powerhouse stirred quite the conversation. Including by me: https://lnkd.in/eBsi2xbi But as we dive deeper, several challenges emerge, casting shadows of doubt over this ambitious pivot. #1. Financial Feasibility With Paramount grappling with substantial debt and pressing financial obligations, notably hefty NFL payments, the costs of attracting top tech talent become a significant concern. Can Paramount realistically afford this tech overhaul amidst economic uncertainties and a struggling stock? The talent war isn't won on ambitions alone, especially when competitors like Google offer more stable havens. #2. Creator vs. Coder Paramount’s tech ambition, while necessary, seems at odds with maintaining the creator-friendly environment Ellison dually promised. In an era when interest rates have climbed, balancing tech innovation with creative freedom is a tightrope walk. Remember, even Netflix, once a haven for creators with its blank checks during #ZIRP, is tightening its purse strings. How can Paramount navigate these waters without the cushion of a tech giant's capital or rising stock prices? 3. Building vs. Buying Tech Infrastructure David Ellison’s plan for Paramount involves a substantial commitment to developing in-house tech capabilities, focusing on cloud services, AI, user interfaces, recommendation algorithms, and ad-serving technologies. This approach aims to differentiate Paramount from competitors and enhance user experience. However, the tech sector’s history suggests leveraging established third-party platforms could be more cost-effective and reliable. Giants like Disney have successfully integrated platforms like BamTech, while HBO initially utilized external technology before transitioning. AMC Networks similarly relies on Brightcove for streaming technologies. The pivotal question for Ellison is whether the potential benefits of custom-built solutions justify the investment and risk, especially when patching together proven third-party solutions might yield quicker and more economical results. #InEssence... These challenges are monumental, yet not insurmountable. As we watch Paramount’s narrative unfold, one thing is clear: transitioning into a tech entity is more than just a strategic pivot—it’s a gamble on the future of entertainment itself. Thoughts? #Paramount #StreamingWars #MediaTech

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🚨ATTENTION WEB3 Music Community 🚨 SPONSOR OPPORTUNITY 🌴MIAMI 📺The response to go LIVE at ZAO-CHELLA has been incredible with 427 RSVP's this is going to be a great event! LIVE Web3 music broadcasts are entirely community-supported, and if there’s enough interest across a brand, entity, Web3 members and communities, we’ll bring this event to life with a LIVE broadcast on location. Also, I'm just one person..... so if we achieve this support by tomorrow by 1pm EST, cool. Otherwise, we will recap events later in December-January '25 DETAILS: SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The total cost is $1,500 USD (crypto accepted- click link). it can be a single sponsor—whether a brand, project, or artist—can secure the broadcast and receive on-stream brand mentions, logo overlay, and shoutouts throughout the entire event and post production. AND/OR, the multiple Web3 communities and supporters can also activate the broadcast with multiple subscriptions totaling $1,500. https://lnkd.in/ekU8PyD2 On average, events like this yield 1,500–2,000 live viewers (maybe more) across our shares, tags, and the Web3 music network, featuring artist interviews, crowd cams, member cameos, and live performances at #ZAOCHELLA. Extending reach of artist performances, projects and communities while bringing you LIVE coverage of this event. The level of interest from you and the Web3 communities will ultimately determine the additional time, resources, and effort required to make this LIVE broadcast possible. This is an opportunity to elevate what we’re building together in WEB3, expanding awareness and extending the reach beyond the event space to showcase the artists and communities we are all invested in.... Let’s make ZAO-CHELLA an unforgettable moment in Web3 history beyond Miami—#SupportSubscribeZaoChellaLIVE MusicDistrict.io (#SHARE this message to increase awareness to activate this live broadcast) Standing by... ❤️🚀🪩🎶 TY.

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Choosing the right location for your film can significantly boost your budget. Rebates can make a huge difference in your production budget. Explore your options and maximize your funding. Interested in more details? DM me for a comprehensive guide on leveraging these rebates for your next project! P.S. Have you used film tax rebates before? Share your insights below!

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Go Forward! 🌟 First #NABSHOW 2024 panel done! "Staying Ahead of The Curve: Producing Great Content with Emerging Media Technology" Honored to represent to TV academy with good pals (and former and current govenors) Lori H. Schwartz & Christina Lee Storm and new pals Faryar Ghazanfari & Nikki Tomaino. Even though we all hit different areas of entertainment/tech, we all agreed that there has never been a better set of tools out there as producer of the arts. You can do so much more with less. 🔥 My hot take with Gen AI? Learn the tools. You as an artist and producer are not a policy maker, they will figure that out. The tools and tech are here to stay (they may be recalibrated but they're here). So your job is to learn them and be the most productive and optimized artist and producer you can be.

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The White House recently hosted its first #Creator Economy Conference, underscoring the massive impact digital content creators have on the future of communication. President Biden highlighted that creators are "the new possibilities," driving innovation in how we connect and share stories. As the content creation industry continues to grow, with projections reaching $480 billion by 2027, there's a wealth of opportunity for those ready to make their mark. For #Singapore's creative community, this global momentum is a reminder that it's never too late to step into the creator economy. Whether you're already a seasoned professional or just starting out, the evolving digital landscape offers countless opportunities to influence, innovate, and inspire. Let's continue to harness our creativity, embrace new technologies, and amplify our voices on the global stage. https://lnkd.in/gvhAifb5 #CreatorEconomy #SingaporeCreators #DigitalInnovation #ContentCreation #InfluenceWithImpact #FutureOfWork #SGCreators

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High-Priced Deals. High-Priced Problems at Peacock. During the Comcast earnings call, President Mike Cavanagh had this to say about their $27B NBA deal: "We are uniquely able to drive strong value with the NBA in multiple ways...First by growing ad sales, by selling NBA ad inventory package with the rest of our marquee programming. Second, by acquiring and monetizing subscribers, both on linear and Peacock, and third, by optimizing NBCUniversal programming investment across sports, entertainment and news.” Earlier this week, I questioned how well sports are working for Peacock: https://lnkd.in/eTB--JxB I then posed that sports aren't helping them (and others) hold on to subscribers. That's not to say what Cavanagh said isn't true. They will be able to package the NBA inventory with other shows. This will help acquire and monetize subscribers. And it helps them diversify their content slate. But it will accomplish all of that despite Peacock, not because of it. The main value in this deal comes from the cable bundle, where all of NBCU's profits are derived, and where they have their most monetizable audience. Cavanagh went on to express this HOPE: "This new fanbase will also allow us to create new entertainment content that will work beyond the basketball season, with exciting opportunities for companion programming and marketing collaborations that tap into the NBA’s pop culture appeal." Essentially, Comcast believes they can turn a fan base of hoop watchers into lovers of Peacock programming. While I agree such a goal is necessary to justify the Peacock portion of this deal, there's no guarantee it will work. What I've seen from the streamers, including our efforts at BlackOakTV, is that fan bases that travel come for what they came for, and they rarely stick around for something different. Sure, if you show them you have the exact same offering to entertain them as someone else, they may stick around. But in a world of almost infinite choice, they won't settle for YOUR content if they know there's something better aligned to THEIR tastes. And I just don't know if Peacock's content is differentiated enough to woo over NBA fans. For the fans who love saucy reality TV—well, they'll stay. But what percentage of NBA fans new to Peacock will that be? Frankly, I feel bad for Peacock, because they're not positioned to do this and they're competing against people who are. The beauty of Netflix now getting into sports is that they're not doing it to acquire more subscribers—they're doing it to further engage the ones they already have, and lessen their entertainment spend, all while decreasing churn. Meanwhile, Peacock is just HOPING for more subs that they HOPE will stick around. And they better stick around. While this deal can still work out because of the NBC component, it can also be the final nail in the coffin for Peacock as a victim of this #PeakSports era we're currently in.

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Pittsburgh is a world leader in AI, and NVIDIA has taken notice. They've announced that they are investing in Pittsburgh to establish their first-ever AI Tech Community, and Governor Josh Shapiro was on hand yesterday at AI Horizons Pittsburgh as they joined Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh to sign an MOU making it official. Here's a quick video I shot at the event. #Pittsburgh #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Automation

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Do not pay #adtech fees on #fast channels and #ctv channels, #viewtv cloud charges the advertisers a targeting fee thsat includes all of the advertising placement saving channels thousands of dollars per month .... https://lnkd.in/e7W8gjMS #adtech

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Another big licensing deal in podcasting! In addition to selling the audio podcast inventory, Amazon will distribute video episodes and translate them for global distribution. These types of deals show how effective podcasting can be in proving IP. Once you have a hit, you need to figure out your 360-degree strategy for global audiences, live events, merchandise, etc. Q3 just started, and we'll still see a couple more of these before the end of the year, as predicted in the DWNLOAD Media Report. https://lnkd.in/efJVZXEE

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SiriusXM shared their Q2 earnings earlier today... Let's dive in! First, the company continued to lose subscribers, but the loss of 173k was nothing compared to the Q1 loss of 500k... so that's good. They barely missed revenue projections ($2.18b vs. $2.19b), which is still down 3% YoY. Now, SXM doesn't break out podcast revenue; they bundle it with "off-platform," which includes Pandora and podcasting, which generated $528m, up 2% YoY. But how much of that is podcasting? First, let's take a look at Pandora. In Q2, they lost 41,000 paying subscribers (64k last quarter) and now report 6 million paying subscribers (compared to Spotify's 246 million). I have to ask: What the hell is Pandora, anyway? There was a time when Pandora could have owned the podcast space. In 2015, Pandora was the biggest music app & did a huge deal with Serial. Had they had any strategy for podcasts other than waste money on Serial, the landscape would look entirely different today. I digress. Back to pod revenue: iHeartMedia reported nearly $100m of podcast revenue in Q1. If you look at weekly downloads on the Triton Digital ranker, iHeart has about 34% more weekly downloads than SXM. So, we can estimate that SXM is seeing $65-75m of ad revenue on podcasts per quarter, but it's a total guess. Another interesting bit: SXM is launching SiriusXM Podcasts+, a subscription offering on Apple Podcasts that will include ad-free and exclusive content from its top shows like SmartLess. This is a total departure from the walled garden of SXM's past, but it's a smart play. I wonder if any Howard Stern content will also be included on Apple...? Finally, when asked about the most significant growth areas, CCO Scott Greenstein said, “Obviously, it's in podcasting." SXM knows the sub business for satellite, and Pandora is declining, and their push into podcasting is an effort to replace those offerings - no longer just as a companion offering. And while ad revenue is growing, they want to stay in the subscriber business, so I expect to see a big push with subscriber-only content, live events, etc. In January, I predicted the podcast industry would 1) do more big licensing deals and 2) make a major push into subscriptions. SXM is going all-in on these. The good news for SXM is that their subscription business is still a cash cow despite declining revenue, so they have the time to figure it out. -- I'm the founder of DWNLOAD Media, a fund that invests in the audio space. If you'd like to learn why now is the time to invest in podcasting, DM me! I'll also recap all of the Q2 earnings via email. Sign up: https://lnkd.in/eysH5x5C Read the Q1 Recap: https://lnkd.in/etkGMXa7 Read the 2022 Outlook: https://lnkd.in/eW9nPCZQ #podcasting #audio #sxm #siriusxm #investing

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Why do I think that in the near future we're going to see Netflix-branded originals, first seasons of shows like Stranger Things or Bridgerton on streaming services like Max, Tubi, or Peacock—or maybe even on cable networks? At this point, after the password-sharing crackdown and the full global rollout, Netflix is essentially fully penetrated and has limited room left for subscriber growth. This is also why, starting next year, they will stop releasing subscription figures every quarter. Instead, they are shifting their focus to profit margins. The question then becomes: how will Netflix continue to grow profitability when subscriber numbers stagnate? Currently, Netflix has two primary growing-strategies: advertising (which they previously vowed to avoid) and increasing subscription fees. But I suggest there's a third way to better appeal to Wall Street, and another vow that should be broken: taking a page from the old traditional media playbook by licensing and syndicating their content. Licensing and syndication would generate substantial revenue from existing content. This approach could be especially beneficial as it helps monetize content that might not be actively driving subscriptions on Netflix itself but could still have significant value to other audiences and platforms. In addition, it would strengthen the Netflix brand by having its shows appear across other platforms. By allowing their content to be featured on Max, Tubi, or even traditional cable networks, Netflix can extend the reach of their brand beyond their own subscriber base. This expanded presence could lead to greater brand recognition globally, making Netflix content undeniable and inescapable. It could also bring audiences and subscribers back to Netflix. Like how Paramount licensed iCarly to Netflix before launching the spin-off on Paramount+ in hopes of bringing new subscribers to the platform. Similarly, AMC's Breaking Bad was licensed on Netflix, which significantly boosted its popularity and viewership, ultimately contributing to the cultural phenomenon it became. Needless to say, I am not suggesting that putting the first season of The Crown on Max would necessarily do wonders for the biggest and most dominant streaming service in the world, and putting those shows on cable, would require some adjustments—but it would be another financial engine, and it surely wouldn’t hurt. I'm curious to hear what you think—is this a viable strategy for Netflix to pursue?

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Runway's Gen-3 Alpha is more than just a powerful tool for video transformation—it could redefine how we approach LUT creation and color workflows in post-production. Having worked with various DIT workflows, I can see how this AI could open up new ways to create dynamic LUTs, even allowing for real-time adjustments based on lighting and environmental changes captured within footage. Imagine being able to generate custom LUTs for each scene with just a prompt, seamlessly integrating them into the editing process. This tech could potentially streamline color grading in ways we haven’t seen before! #PostProduction #VideoEditing #ColorGrading #DIT #LUTs #AI #CreativeTech #VideoToVideo #TechInnovation #Gen3AI

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Synth Studios Introduces the World’s Fastest Video Compression Software for a Seamless 4K Experience You are watching a UHD file playing at 3Mbps. That may not mean anything numerically to you, but your tech team will be blown away. This is the paradigm shift the communications and entertainment and sports industries have been hoping for.... Our team has pushed the boundaries of what was once deemed impossible, delivering a solution that not only enhances user experience but also will reduce your video file sizes by 50% - 75%, thereby saving you transmission and storage costs...instantly adding substantial value to your bottom line. EMPEG technology can be deployed without changing or modifying the existing platforms in use. Customers and end users will not need to purchase or download any hardware or software to receive and view any video or data received in the EMPEG-H.264 or EMPEG-H.265 formats. Thanks to a remarkable 97-98 VMAF score, viewers can enjoy content with indistinguishable quality from the original source. With the debut of this revolutionary software, 4K video compression reaches unimaginable heights, boasting a staggering 4000:1 compression ratio while maintaining impeccable image quality. This monumental achievement shatters previous limitations, ushering in an era where streaming sports in 4K becomes not only feasible but effortlessly accessible on televisions and mobile devices using standard MPEG with no CapEx required to deploy. The video content presented in this demonstration is being used by permission, solely for illustrative, non-commercial, and educational purposes. We assert no ownership over the copyrighted material and acknowledge that the rights, trademarks, and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. #videocompression #videostreaming #videocodec #livesports #liveevents #livestreaming #livestreamingtechnology #livestreamingtechnologies

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