Freddie Morris

Churn Notice ° In Q1 2024, the SVOD industry added 55.2 millions subs. ° Collectively SVODs LOST 50.4 million subscribers to cancellation. ° Combined, the premium streamers netted just 4.8 million new paying customers. ° Sub retention for Media’s premium streaming platforms has fallen 73% in just two years. ° Seventy-three percent. What can you DO about it? Start here: https://lnkd.in/eZjyquCu #churn #streaming #bundles

36

4 Comments

“Sony Music Entertainment is set to acquire the catalog of legendary rock band Queen in a landmark deal worth GBP £1 billion (USD $1.27 billion at current exchange rates). That’s according to Hits, which reported on Wednesday (June 19), citing sources, that Sony Music has emerged as the winning buyer for Queen’s recording and publishing rights, as well as royalties from previous deals with Disney Music Group and Universal Music Group. Disney owns the band’s recorded music catalog in North America, while UMG has a global distribution agreement with Disney. Separately, Queen band members Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon – plus the Freddie Mercury estate – each own equal shares in the company Queen Productions Ltd, which owns the group’s recording catalog outside the US and Canada, Music Business Worldwide noted in a report last year. UMG, as Disney’s distributor, will reportedly retain distribution rights in North America, although Sony will receive the royalties. UMG’s worldwide distribution rights will then transfer to Sony in 2026 or 2027, making Sony Music the sole distributor and owner of all Queen content globally, Hits explained. The deal also reportedly includes name and likeness rights, opening doors for merchandise and other ventures. Meanwhile, Queen’s founding members, May and Taylor, who continue to tour with vocalist Adam Lambert, will reportedly retain control of revenue from live performances.” Read the full article for more: #Queen #SonyMusic #UMG #DisneyMusicGroup #UniversalMusicGroup #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz #Creators #Artists

1

🚗 Rev up your engines, EA SPORTS F1 24 community! The latest patch notes for version 1.11 are here. Find out what's new and improved in the game!

9

My prediction: Netflix is going to ignite the live content market and continue to invest in livestreaming experiences that bring people to the platform AND drive sponsorship revenue. The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight will feature sponsors CELSIUS Holdings, Inc., DraftKings Inc., Experian, Meta Quest and Spaten. By presenting livestreams brands will have access to Netflix’s 278M subscribers and per Netflix President of Advertising Amy Reinhard if brands are “looking for specific genres or specific targeting on demographics, we can offer that” adding that the NFL Christmas games are close to sold out. Netflix has likely seen eye popping watch time results for experiences like ‘the Roast Tom Brady’ which reportedly viewed 22M times. As a result competitors like @Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Meta, YouTube, The Walt Disney Company +, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+ etc will likely start to curate bespoke and licensed livestreams and grow their live programming to tap into both the tune in factor and sponsorship revenue. #livestreaming #brands #netflix

18

2 Comments

YouTube Killed the TV Star For years, I’ve been telling you YouTube is the biggest TELEVISION network on TV - and one with an unparalleled advanced TV audience advertising machine. https://lnkd.in/eAykCjRa I’ve been warning y’all in the TV business that your TRUE competition now is NOT each other, but rather Google’s CTV Death Star. Seems Google liked that pitch, and turned it into their #Upfront presentation: “Other media companies unveil new TV shows coming to their services. YouTube used the stage to boast about its massive reach and engagement relative to traditional TV. YouTube‘s message to Madison Avenue: The video giant isn’t traditional TV. It’s bigger (with literally billions of viewers) and better at targeting relevant audiences.” https://lnkd.in/e_G-pZXy This week I dissected Nielsen’s new look Gauge, which breaks down TV viewing by publisher - across all platforms. https://lnkd.in/gaBZ3KfC With this analysis (my version below) YouTube comes in second for total monthly viewing. But, note, it takes ALL of The Walt Disney Company & Disney Streaming combined (ABC, ESPN, Disney+, Hulu) to best The Tube. It took ALL of NBCUniversal (NBC, Bravo, USA, Telemundo, MSNBC, Peacock), all of Paramount (Pluto TV, Paramount+, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, et al), and all of Disco Bros (TBS, TBT, MAX) to LOSE to YouTube. YouTube’s one, simple, massive app is by far the number one channel… ON TV. It’s the first stop on CTVs for most TV viewers under 35 and, everyday, more and more audiences over 36 too. And, crucially, they are better at video advertising than every other TV platform in the game - catering equally well to massive budgets from P&G and local pocketbook budgets from Mom & Pop Shops. Many in the TV ad biz will obsess this week over Netflix’s fancy shmancy Upfront and their Christmas NFL games. But Netflix’s total viewing (see below) is FAR off the competitive set - ESPECIALLY considering only 7% of their viewing is on the ad tier where viewers can (get this) see ads. (Kinda important in the Upfront.) But YouTube also had the NFL - and the NBA - at their presentation. More importantly, on their Upfront stage, YouTube represented the fastest growing segment of entertainment - The Creator Economy. While other TV platforms trotted out traditional Hollywood celebs to talk about a new wave of TV shows, YouTube brought out the biggest stars in the world that you’ve never heard of - Haley Kalil, Cleo Abram, Kinigra Deon, Ryan Trahan, Taty Cokley, Sydney Morgan, Zach King, Valkyrae. These new TV stars don’t just make shows, they command communities - in ways that limited series and procedural dramas never will. TV is not changing. It changed. Years ago. You may have missed it. But don’t worry, I’m sure there’s a video on YouTube about it, so you catch up.

690

80 Comments

✅🖥️ WSJ (4/25): “Interest is high in the league’s next round of packages, which kick in after the 2024-2025 season. Disney, which pays around $1.6B a year for TV rights, and Warner, which pays about $1.2B a year, are in discussions to pay substantial increases under a new pact while airing fewer games than they do now, say people familiar with the conversations. The robust pricing expected in the deals shows how valuable live sports are to traditional media companies at a time when cord-cutting is shrinking overall TV viewership. Many households maintain cable subscriptions because it is the only way to watch their favorite teams’ games. Under their current deals, Disney and Warner carry roughly 165 games combined. Games taken from those incumbents would help the NBA create a new package for a streaming player with nationally televised regular-season games and some playoff contests. The league also could draw on a catalog of locally aired games. Amazon’s Prime Video, which airs NFL games, has been aggressive in pursuing the streaming package and is viewed by league and media executives as the front-runner. YouTube is also in the mix, those executives say. The streaming package would give a tech giant the right to show games in markets around the world.” ⬇️🏀 #livesports #streamingtv #ctvadvertising https://lnkd.in/eYK3qmFY

9

3 Comments

Nielsen reported all-time viewing share highs for both streaming (41.6%) and YouTube (10.8%) in November (a short month, ending on the last Sunday 11/24). Amazon Prime Video came close to its prior all-time high with 3.7%. Broadcast viewing was up 3%. "Some of [the increase in streaming's share] can be attributed to viewers seeking solace from the atypical, election-fueled news cycle covered by many traditional TV networks", said Nielsen.

33

5 Comments

Grounds rumbling in the music industry! Recent industry news has unveiled a wave of change sweeping the music business landscape: 🔹 Spotify surpasses Universal as the most valuable company in music, with executives cashing out 🔹 Universal shares plummet by over 24% 🔹 Warner and HYBE shake up senior management, including CEO departures 🔹 Spotify's expansion of its successful AI tool DJ curation now includes Spanish (DJ Livi) Key takeaways and connecting the dots: 🔹 Wall Street's concern over the streaming slowdown in developed markets 🔹 Spotify's path to profitability and AI leverage being acknowledged 🔹 Management shake-ups signaling significant impending changes 🔹 The prime AI opportunity lies in curation 🔹 Spotify's rise over Universal underscores Wall Street's preference for owning the consumer experience and brand 🔹 Mexico's increasing significance across the music ecosystem, spanning live events, streaming, and artist super fans 🔹 The primary opportunity lies in super fans utilizing AI to cultivate relationships rather than push products #musicindustry #streaming #entertainmentbrands

48

9 Comments

I recently spoke with Alyssa Boyle about why advertisers are doubling down on #CTV outcomes measurement (as affirmed by many conversations I had with industry leaders in Cannes this past week). A common theme among the marketers I talked to? They’re looking for metrics that can predict sales based on fast, accurate data. Outcomes such as search activity, website visits, and app downloads are significant indicators that a consumer is considering a purchase — and highly correlated with a brand’s market share. That’s why a brand’s Share of Search grows (or shrinks) before its market share – which our data, validated by Les Binet and the EffWorks working group of the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising), has proven time and again. Given this, it’s no wonder why modern marketers need reliable, investment-grade outcomes data to navigate this complex era of linear and streaming TV. Check out the condensed version of my conversation with Alyssa in AdExchanger for more. https://lnkd.in/erkGsKJi

84

Nielsen April 2024 Gauge report is in: Tubi share is up while overall time spent watching TV was down month-over-month. Year-over-year, Tubi’s share of TV viewing in the U.S. grew 60% - that’s faster than any other streamer. #tubi #fox #avod #ott #streaming #nielsen #viewership #ratings

143

7 Comments

Comcast's recent announcement of the StreamSaver #bundle with Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV + , marks a significant step forward toward "Cable 2.0" in the streaming industry - where streaming wars are moving from platform vs. platform, to bundle vs. bundle. The new offering, set to launch next week, packages Peacock's ad-supported premium tier with Netflix's basic ad tier and Apple TV+ for $15 a month, yielding savings of around 35% compared to subscribing to these services separately. Bundling provides consumers with a comprehensive entertainment package at a more manageable price, addressing the financial constraints many face when choosing between multiple streaming services. This approach mirrors the traditional cable bundles, making it easier for consumers to access a wide range of content. Media companies are under pressure from investors to scale their streaming services and achieve profitability, while also facing stiff competition from tech giants like Amazon and YouTube. These proposed ‘mini bundles’ not only offer a more reliable revenue stream for companies but also helps mitigate the issue of subscriber churn, which has been a persistent challenge in the industry. The entertainment industry is in a transition, with rising content costs and market saturation driving prices higher. Bundling services not only provides a more reliable revenue stream for companies but also helps stabilize the market by offering consumers more value. Unfortunately, this also means the end of the ad-free, a la carte offerings that many consumers have come to enjoy, as the focus shifts towards comprehensive bundles that limit flexibility but enhance overall value. #LITrendingTopics #StreamingWars #Bundling #SubscriberChurn https://lnkd.in/esZpwnEJ 

42

1 Comment

Mission: Impossible—Troika Force Logline: In a world where media giants wrestle for dominance, Paramount Global entrusts its fate to ‘THE TROIKA’— 3 visionary leaders tasked with a high-stakes mission to rescue the studio from the brink. Through strategic cuts, covert partnerships, and bold innovations, they race against time to save PARA from collapse. Will they succeed in this epic quest, or will their efforts be the final act in a storied legacy? Originally seen as a temporary fix, ‘THE TROIKA’ is now set to steer the ship through some stormy seas and possibly redefine Paramount’s future. With PARA’S $14 billion debt & lagging stock, ‘THE TROIKA’ are tasked with making tough decisions, including significant layoffs & asset sales. Their goal? Transforming Paramount into a leaner, more agile company. Despite the unconventional setup and skepticism from some analysts, the team has a unified vision & close working relationship, always a good omen — if sustained. Cough. However, their success could end up paving the way for JUST 1 of them to take the helm — solo — eventually. #ParamountGlobal #Leadership #MediaIndustry #BusinessTransformation #filmindustry #entertainment #media #business #news

5

2 Comments

Music Business Association Music Biz 2024 coming up in May. Find out more about Reactional Music and what we are delivering across interactive music, music personalisation, in-game economies, generative composable music and the possibilities for creators, composers, artists and developers

14

2 Comments

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Prime Video & Amazon Studios are reportedly finalizing a deal that could change the game for sports media, and putting pressure on Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal According to executives with direct knowledge of the talks, the streaming service is set to become a major home for the league’s games. Prime Video's package is expected to include significant regular season and postseason games, and possibly even some conference finals. The contract is anticipated to be for at least a decade and slated to begin during the 2025-2026 season. Article via The Athletic #NBA #AmazonPrimeVideo #SportsMedia #sportsbiz #sportbusiness #sportsmarketing #streaming #marketing #media #sponsorships #sportssponsorships #ai #mensio #hive

2

Nielsen's The Gauge for September is out! Prime Video surged to a record 3.6% share, driven by the NFL and Rings of Power. Disney+ hit an all-time high of 2.5%, supported by Hulu content and hits like Bluey (and possibly Inside Out 2). YouTube and Netflix maintained their leading positions at 10.6% and 7.9%, unchanged from August. Surprisingly, Netflix didn't see growth despite a strong release lineup (See Streamonomics 10/2/24: owlandco.com/insights) (Reminder: The Gauge only measures TV sets in the US, while Netflix's reported Viewing Figures are global and include all devices) Stay updated on the latest industry shifts: 📊📺 #ViewershipTrends #StreamingPlatforms

9