International
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Streaming Services Sundance Now and Shudder Acquire ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Based on Best Seller
Streaming services Sundance Now and Shudder July 19 announced at San Diego Comic-Con the joint acquisition of the Sky production, “A Discovery of Witches.” The original drama series will premiere in the United States and Canada simultaneously on both services, marking the first partnership of this kind for the two SVOD services, according to a press … Continue reading “Streaming Services Sundance Now and Shudder Acquire ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Based on Best Seller”
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‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Still No. 1 on Digital Originals Chart, While ‘Orange is the New Black’ Sees Demand Double
The arrival of the highly anticipated finale of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” on July 11 meant the dystopian drama series had no trouble staying at the top of the digital originals chart the week ended July 14, with 25% higher demand compared to last week, according to Parrot Analytics data. “The Handmaid’s Tale” also surged up … Continue reading “‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Still No. 1 on Digital Originals Chart, While ‘Orange is the New Black’ Sees Demand Double”
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Comcast Ends Pursuit of 20th Century Fox, But Not Sky
As expected, Comcast Corp. July 19 officially dropped out of its attempt to acquire select assets of 21st Century Fox, including 20th Century Film and majority ownership of Hulu. The media giant was considering upping its $65 billion offer for Fox, which included a 39% stake in British satellite TV distributor Sky. “Comcast does not … Continue reading “Comcast Ends Pursuit of 20th Century Fox, But Not Sky”
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DOJ Wants Fast-Tracked AT&T-Time Warner Appeals Process
The Trump Administration really doesn’t want a merger between AT&T and Time Warner, whose assets include Warner Bros., Turner (TBT, TNT, CNN) and HBO. On July 18, the government requested the U.S Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia speed up the process by mandating an October deadline for all legal briefs, with oral … Continue reading “DOJ Wants Fast-Tracked AT&T-Time Warner Appeals Process”
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IHS Markit: Amazon and Netflix Ramp Up Global Production
Since rolling out worldwide in 2016, streaming-video giants Amazon and Netflix are building their presence in local country markets with a growing amount of original content, according to IHS Markit. Netflix launched 1,257 hours of original first-run content in 2017, well ahead of Amazon Prime Video’s 285 hours, according to IHS Markit. Netflix has also dramatically … Continue reading “IHS Markit: Amazon and Netflix Ramp Up Global Production”
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SVOD Subs Top Pay-TV in the United Kingdom
The number of consumers in the United Kingdom subscribing to an over-the-top video service such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video has – for the first time – surpassed those opting for linear pay-TV, according to new data from Ofcom, the communications regulator in the U.K. Subscriptions to the three most popular online streaming services … Continue reading “SVOD Subs Top Pay-TV in the United Kingdom”
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Emerging Markets Streaming Service Iflix Reaches 15 Million Subscribers
iflix, a streaming and download entertainment service for emerging markets, announced it has reached more than 15 million subscribers and experienced 250% growth since January 2018. iflix is available to consumers in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Maldives, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Cambodia, … Continue reading “Emerging Markets Streaming Service Iflix Reaches 15 Million Subscribers”
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Comcast Tops Fox’s Bid for Sky as British Government Greenlights Murdoch’s Offer
NEWS ANALYSIS — As expected, Comcast Corp. increased its all-cash offer for British satellite TV operator Sky to $34 billion (£26 billion), or £14.75 per share, exceeding 21st Century Fox’s revised offer of £14 per share. Fox, which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, currently owns 39% of Sky. This came the day before the British … Continue reading “Comcast Tops Fox’s Bid for Sky as British Government Greenlights Murdoch’s Offer”
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Disc Sale Declines Undermine BBC Worldwide Fiscal Revenue
BBC Worldwide July 11 said it generated £1.04 billion ($1.38 billion) in fiscal year revenue, ended March 31. That compared to revenue of £1.05 billion ($1.39 billion) during the previous-year period. The BBC, which combined BBC Worldwide with BBC Studios in April into a single entity, attributed the revenue dip in part to declining packaged … Continue reading “Disc Sale Declines Undermine BBC Worldwide Fiscal Revenue”
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Fox Tops Comcast’s Sky Merger Offer
The “Sky” is apparently the limit for 21st Century Fox, which on July 11 upped its offer more than 30% for the British satellite TV operator to £14 per share — valuing the company at $32.5 billion. Fox, in late 2016, offered £10.75 per share of Sky stock (61%) it did not already own. The … Continue reading “Fox Tops Comcast’s Sky Merger Offer”
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Disney ABC Television Inks Deal with Talk Talk in the U.K.
Disney ABC Television Group has signed a content distribution deal with TalkTalk Telecom Group in the United Kingdom. Under terms of the agreement, Talk Talk’s subscribers who opt into the pay-TV operator’s Entertainment Boost platform will have on-demand access to complete seasons of ABC Studios’ original series, including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” “Quantico” and “Criminal Minds,” among others. “This new … Continue reading “Disney ABC Television Inks Deal with Talk Talk in the U.K.”
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Netflix Dominating Middle East, African Markets
Netflix’s market share remains unmatched in the United States. Since its global launch in 2016, the SVOD pioneer has been replicating that dominance worldwide – including in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region covering 20 countries. New data from Digital TV Research found that Netflix had 1.8 million (36%) subscribers in the MENA … Continue reading “Netflix Dominating Middle East, African Markets”
