Top News Story
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Another Cable TV Operator Switching to Streaming Video
The migration from pay-TV to over-the-top video among distributors is gaining momentum. Gigabit Minnesota, a regional pay-TV operator near Minneapolis, is getting out of the TV distribution business. In an acknowledgment of changing market forces toward streaming video, Gigabit has begun informing its 10,000 customers that it would cease distributing linear TV on Jan. 31. … Continue reading “Another Cable TV Operator Switching to Streaming Video”
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Amazon Greenlights Four New Local Latin American Originals
Amazon has greenlit four new local original series from Argentina, Chile and Colombia, marking the first-ever locally produced Amazon Originals to launch in these countries that will also be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The four scripted series announced consist of Argentinean original “Iosi, El Espía Arrepentido (“Iosi, … Continue reading “Amazon Greenlights Four New Local Latin American Originals”
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Netflix Opening Italian Office in Rome
Netflix continues its European charm offensive, reportedly setting up Italian operations (with 30 employees) in Rome — a week after doing the same in Paris. Both regional headquarters include increased investment in local content production, in addition to paying taxes. “Since the launch of the service in Italy in 2015 we have been welcomed with … Continue reading “Netflix Opening Italian Office in Rome”
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‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ Conjures Up First Place on Disc Sales Charts
Disney’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil debuted at No. 1 on the NPD VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks combined DVD and Blu-ray Disc unit sales, and the dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart the week ended Jan. 18. The fantasy sequel, a follow-up to the 2014 “Sleeping Beauty” adaptation Maleficent, earned $113.8 million at the domestic … Continue reading “‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ Conjures Up First Place on Disc Sales Charts”
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Trans World Entertainment Selling f.y.e. Retail Chain
Trans World Entertainment Jan. 23 announced it is selling its flagship f.y.e. (For Your Entertainment) home entertainment retail chain to Sunrise Records and Entertainment Ltd. for $10 million. The deal, pending shareholder approval, would transfer the retail brand (operating in U.S. malls and Puerto Rico) and web properties (www.fye.com and www.secondspin.com) to the parent of … Continue reading “Trans World Entertainment Selling f.y.e. Retail Chain”
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Universal Q4 Home Entertainment Revenue Drops
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Jan. 23 reported fourth-quarter (ended Dec. 31, 2019) revenue of $276 million, which was down 12.4% from revenue of $315 million in the previous-year period. After a promising start to the fiscal year, the home entertainment studio saw fiscal declines in Q3 and Q4 to end the year with $957 million … Continue reading “Universal Q4 Home Entertainment Revenue Drops”
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Comcast Loses 149,000 Q4 Cable Subs; Record 733,000 Subs in 2019
In another reminder the traditional pay-TV business model’s leak is widening, Comcast Cable Jan. 23 reported a drop of 149,000 video subscribers in the fourth quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2019. The nation’s largest cable operator lost a record 733,000 video subs in 2019 — underscoring consumers’ growing disinterest in the cable bundle and migration toward … Continue reading “Comcast Loses 149,000 Q4 Cable Subs; Record 733,000 Subs in 2019”
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‘Gemini Man’ Tops Redbox Charts
Paramount’s Gemini Man took over the No. 1 spot on Redbox’s kiosk disc rental and On Demand charts the week ended Jan. 19. The Redbox disc rental chart tracks DVD and Blu-ray Disc rentals at the company’s more than 40,000 red kiosks. The Redbox On Demand chart tracks digital transactions, including both electronic sellthrough and … Continue reading “‘Gemini Man’ Tops Redbox Charts”
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Netflix Adds 8.8 Million Q4 Global Subs Despite Missing U.S. Projection
As expected, the surge in new SVOD services from Disney and Apple is having an impact on Netflix. The SVOD pioneer Jan. 21 announced it added 8.8 million subscribers in the fourth quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2019. That topped company and Wall Street estimates of 7.6 million subs. The streamer added 420,000 subs in the … Continue reading “Netflix Adds 8.8 Million Q4 Global Subs Despite Missing U.S. Projection”
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‘Frozen II’ Coming Home Digitally Feb. 11, on Disc Feb. 25
Disney’s animated hit Frozen II will come out on digital Feb. 11, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray combo pack and DVD Feb. 25. The follow-up to 2013’s Oscar-winning Best Animated Feature, Frozen II is 2019’s No. 4 movie domestically, according to Box Office Mojo, grossing $466.5 million in North American theaters. Worldwide Frozen II … Continue reading “‘Frozen II’ Coming Home Digitally Feb. 11, on Disc Feb. 25”
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How Netflix Got its Latino Mojo Back
Netflix has been a consumer hit across most ethnic groups since launching by-mail DVD rental service in 1997. Yet, the SVOD pioneer had apparently lost some favor among Latino streamers over the past few years with household penetration down 9% through last April, according to new data from IHS Markit/Technology. Now that trend has reversed … Continue reading “How Netflix Got its Latino Mojo Back”
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‘Mandalorian’ Back on Top of Parrot’s TV Demand Charts
The Disney+ “Star Wars” spinoff “The Mandalorian” returned to the No. 1 spot on not only Parrot Analytics’ digital originals rankings the week ended Jan. 18, but also the data firm’s overall list of TV series from any platform, including broadcast and cable, again pushing the Netflix fantasy series “The Witcher” to No. 2. A … Continue reading “‘Mandalorian’ Back on Top of Parrot’s TV Demand Charts”