Weekly Wrap: About those Apple TV set rumors...

I’m Kirby, founder of 43Twenty and The Streaming Wars. Every week, I handpick the best news, insights, and analysis from our FAST-paced industry (yes, pun intended). My mission? To make all this industry chaos easy to consume, no fluff, no filler. If this was forwarded, you can grab the newsletter here.

In today’s edition:

• We unpack Walmart’s $2.3 billion Vizio acquisition and its strategic importance.

• Andrew Wamugi on EverPass Media and Netflix’s partnership for NFL out-of-home streaming.

• Kirby dismisses the idea of an Apple-branded TV, citing ecosystem integration and focus on premium products.

• From the Archives: The rise and fall of Edgio, a pioneer in adaptive streaming and edge computing.

• From the Archives: WWE Network’s evolution and its $5 billion Netflix deal starting 2025.

TSW SPOTLIGHT

The Streaming Wars unpacks Walmart’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Vizio, which includes the SmartCast OS and ad-supported WatchFree+ platform. This strategic move strengthens Walmart Connect’s position in CTV advertising by merging shopping and viewing data for highly personalized campaigns, marking a significant shift in the intersection of retail and streaming. The Streaming Wars

Andrew Wamugi highlights EverPass Media’s partnership with Netflix to stream NFL Christmas Day games in commercial venues, expanding EverPass’s sports portfolio and Netflix’s out-of-home strategy. Wamugi emphasizes that this deal solidifies EverPass’s role as a key intermediary in commercial sports streaming and sets the stage for potential collaborations with ESPN+ and other providers, despite challenges like competition and temporary agreements. The Streaming Wars

Kirby critiques the long-standing rumors of an Apple-branded TV, arguing that the company is unlikely to enter the low-margin, highly competitive TV hardware market. With tvOS and Apple TV+ already integrated into most smart TVs, and innovations like the Vision Pro offering a new way to experience content, Kirby contends that a physical TV would add little value to Apple’s ecosystem. Instead, Apple continues to focus on premium content and high-margin products, leaving the TV market to competitors. The Streaming Wars

Our latest From the Archives examines the rise and fall of Edgio, originally founded as Limelight Networks in 2001. A pioneer in adaptive streaming and edge computing, Edgio powered major events like the Olympics and helped drive OTT growth. Despite its early successes, competition, costly acquisitions, and legal battles led to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024, with select assets acquired by Akamai Technologies. The Streaming Wars

As WWE transitions key content to Netflix starting January 2025, From The Archives delves into the history of the WWE Network, from its groundbreaking 2014 launch to its partnerships with Peacock and Netflix. The Streaming Wars

FROM THE FRONTLINES

Fubo reported a 40% increase in upfront ad revenue for 2024-25, driven by new advertisers, innovative CTV formats, and strong demand for live sports. The Streaming Wars

Sky Group introduced the "Sky Essentials" TV package in the U.K. for £15/month, offering 100+ channels, ad-supported Netflix, and Discovery Plus. A no-contract option costs £18/month, with premium upgrades available for added flexibility. Link

Nielsen and TikTok partnered to integrate TikTok into Nielsen One, enabling advertisers to compare TikTok campaigns with CTV, linear, and digital platforms. This collaboration provides brands with cross-media insights to better fragmentation in the media landscape. The Streaming Wars

Apple TV+ expanded its availability to Amazon’s Prime Video Channels in the U.K., Australia, and Canada. This shift aligns Apple with Amazon’s aggregator model, marking a pivot from ecosystem dominance to channel-based distribution. Link

AWS introduced a "Buy with AWS" button, streamlining payment processes for cloud software vendors. This feature enhances convenience and strengthens customer and partner loyalty. The Streaming Wars

Max is testing the integration of HBO’s linear channels for select ad-free subscribers, creating a cable-like experience. Channels such as HBO Comedy and HBO Signature offer 24/7 content, blending linear TV and streaming. The Streaming Wars

Max is also addressing password sharing with "gentle messaging" ahead of stricter measures by 2025. The platform is also expanding internationally and adding franchise content, add-ons, and partnerships to grow profitability and subscribers. The Streaming Wars

FIFA inked a $1 billion deal with DAZN (notably not Apple) to stream the 2025 Club World Cup for free. The agreement secures global sponsorships and aims to expand DAZN’s reach while addressing challenges like broadcaster interest and player workload concerns. Link

Disney+ launched an ESPN hub, offering bundle subscribers access to ESPN+ live sports, original content, and on-demand programming alongside Disney+ and Hulu content. Standalone Disney+ users also gain curated sports and Hulu options. The Streaming Wars

FilmRise acquired exclusive streaming rights to 100 hours of Guava Juice content, created by YouTuber Roi Fabito. The content will be repackaged for distribution across FilmRise’s various services. Link

Netflix is expanding its consumer products business with branded merchandise and collabs with companies like Puma and Crocs. Pop-ups, retail stores, and themed products aim to replicate Disney’s playbook. Link

Televisa-Univision, owner of Vix, announced a restructuring of its workforce to address declining pay TV ad revenue. Link

NBC Sports self reported 26.6 million viewers for the Packers-Dolphins Thanksgiving game, peaking at 31.3 million in Q2. This marks the third consecutive NBC Thanksgiving NFL broadcast to surpass 26 million viewers. Link

43TWENTY

Since 2018, 43Twenty has built an A+ team of content strategists and digital marketers who don’t just know the industry and its zillions of acronyms, but we live and breathe it every day. We’re in the trenches, solving the challenges you face.

That’s why B2B companies in the OTT and CTV space trust 43Twenty to elevate brand awareness, generate leads, and drive revenue with custom marketing strategies that work.

What we do:

• Content Strategy & Development: We create high-quality content—blogs, gated assets, newsletters, webinars—that boosts visibility and establishes your brand as a thought leader, driving leads and conversions.

• SEO: Our comprehensive SEO strategies boost your online visibility, driving organic traffic and improving your rankings to attract and convert customers.

• Paid Media: We leverage Google Ads and LinkedIn to generate high-quality MQLs with targeted ad campaigns that increase traffic, engagement, and conversions.

• Digital PR: We amplify your brand through strategic media outreach and partnerships that captivate audiences and drive meaningful media coverage.

We’re your dedicated OTT and CTV marketing agency—whether working independently or alongside your existing team. We’ve got you covered. Learn more.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

A Hub Entertainment Research survey shows households now use an average of 13 entertainment sources, the highest since the survey began, with younger audiences under 35 using 16 sources and families averaging 17. Despite the variety, only half of these are "must-haves," with the rest deemed "nice-to-have." Younger audiences increasingly favor gaming (2.4 sources) and short-form video (3.6 sources) over traditional premium video (7 sources). Link

But wait, there’s more:

• Microsoft and Google are fighting over the future of Xbox. Link

• TechCrunch analyzes how Spotify Wrapped has influenced a wave of year-in-review features streaming services. Link

• Is Streaming TV Operating System Consolidation Coming? Link

• The NFL Is Ready to Take Over Hollywood Now. Link

ICYMI

Hollie Choi has been named president and CEO of OTT.X, succeeding Mark Fisher. With prior roles at EIDR, Disney, and Fox, Choi brings extensive experience in metadata governance and digital asset management, aiming to drive growth and innovation at OTT.X. The Streaming Wars

STIRR | Thinking Media has partnered with Bitmovin to enhance STIRR as an AI-native streaming service. The collaboration introduces AI-generated feeds, Server-Guided Ad Insertion, and Multiview features, supported by Bunny CDN, to improve user experience and playback quality. The Streaming Wars

Amagi Corporation has acquired Argoid AI, a company focused on recommendation engines and programming automation. The acquisition will integrate Argoid’s AI capabilities into Amagi’s platforms, enhancing content recommendations and advancing FAST 2.0 initiatives. Link

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