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☆ Strikes were just one battle. Hollywood is still fighting a war for survival
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Hollywood writers and actors are going back to work after one of the longest strikes ever in the entertainment industry. Hollywood is in a rebuilding era — a painful, awkward transition fueled by tectonic changes in technology and consumer behavior. Strikes, while disruptive, were only a blip compared with the many other existential quandaries weighing on media companies. Cable TV sign-ups have been rapidly falling for a decade, and no one believes that trend is going to reverse. Netflix and Disney aren’t just competing against each other, they’re also competing with YouTube and TikTok and endless podcasts.

Persons: CNN Business ’, Bob Iger, “, ”, We’re, Hulu —, Peacock, HBO Max — we’re, Max, “ OTT ” —, Iger, aren’t, Harrison Ford, Disney, they’re, That’s, Barbenheimer ”, Taylor Swift, Indiana Jones, you’ll Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Hollywood, Studio, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, Cable, Netflix, Hulu, Apple, Amazon Prime, HBO, CNN, Discovery, Disney aren’t, YouTube, Intelligence Locations: New York

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's new streamer, Max, is live — these top 9 execs are helping content chief Casey Bloys take on Netflix and win over subscribers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Discovery driving content at HBO and new streamer Max. WBD has one of TV's most respected executives working to ensure Max's success: Casey Bloys, who's been with HBO since 2004, is chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content. In week one 70% of HBO Max subscribers switched over to the new app, and some Discovery+ subscribers have moved over as well, WBD told The Wall Street Journal. It'll take time for Max to build up the brand equity HBO Max has. As for existing subscribers, most HBO Max users may seamlessly transition to Max and see no change in price.

Persons: Casey Bloys, Max, Barry, WBD, who's, HBO Max —, there's Kathleen Finch, JB Perrette, Harry Potter, HBO Max, Bloys Organizations: Warner Bros, HBO, Max, DC, Netflix, Disney, Hollywood, HBO Max, Wall Street

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery's new streamer Max is here. Meet the 9 top execs driving content chief Casey Bloys' strategy to compete with Netflix and Disney.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Discovery driving content at HBO and new streamer Max. WBD has one of TV's most respected executives working to ensure Max's success: Casey Bloys, who's been with HBO since 2004, is chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content. It'll take time for Max to build up the brand equity HBO Max has. As for existing subscribers, most HBO Max users may seamlessly transition to Max and see no change in price. But Discovery+ users will have to fork over twice the $5 per month that they were previously paying to get the cheapest version of Max, which is $9.99 per month.

Persons: Casey Bloys, Max, Barry, WBD, who's, HBO Max —, there's Kathleen Finch, JB Perrette, Harry Potter, Bloys, HBO Max Organizations: Warner Bros, HBO, Max, DC, Netflix, Disney, Hollywood

☆ How Warner Bros. Discovery plans to take on Disney and Netflix with new streamer Max, according to WBD's top marketing exec
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"HBO had its limits," Patrizio Spagnoletto, Warner Bros. WBD research showed that to attract new subscribers, the HBO brand was too nichePatrizio "Pato" Spagnoletto is Warner Bros. DiscoveryIn dropping "HBO" from the name, WBD is acknowledging HBO Max has a potent but narrow appeal that could turn off a broader audience. The Max logo has the same vibe as the HBO Max logo, however, and incorporates a few elements of HBO's logo. "Right now, we have very limited capabilities" in that regard, he said of the current HBO Max app.

☆ How HBO and Netflix have evolved away from each other in the past decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Discovery decided to remove HBO from the name of its flagship Max streaming service to protect the HBO brand from becoming ... Netflix. "HBO is HBO. In a not-so-subtle shot at Netflix, HBO CEO Casey Bloys touted Max by highlighting its brand strength. Under the ownership of AT&T, then-WarnerMedia CEO (and now AT&T CEO) John Stankey appeared comfortable leaning on the HBO brand to challenge Netflix. This was the driving force behind making HBO Max — combining HBO's programming with other original content and library programming from the WarnerMedia catalog.

☆ Top Warner Bros. Discovery marketing exec reveals the launch strategy for mega-streamer Max, the challenges ahead, and why HBO was dropped from the name: 'HBO had its limits'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Spagnoletto, who goes by Pato, was referring to the market research WBD conducted before settling on the name Max — dropping the HBO from its existing service, HBO Max — for the company's long-awaited mega-streamer that will combine content from HBO Max and Discovery+. WBD research showed that to attract new subscribers, the HBO brand was too nichePatrizio "Pato" Spagnoletto Warner Bros. DiscoveryIn dropping "HBO" from the name, WBD is acknowledging HBO Max has a potent but narrow appeal that could turn off a broader audience. The Max logo has the same vibe as the HBO Max logo, however, and incorporates a few elements of HBO's logo. "Right now, we have very limited capabilities" in that regard, he said of the current HBO Max app.

☆ How HBO's content chief plans to grow the audience for Warner Bros. Discovery's new mega-streamer with DC and Warner Bros. shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

HBO's Casey Bloys revealed his content strategy on "The Watch" podcast and in a talk with Parrot Analytics. Bloys also shared what's ahead for HBO Max once it combines with Warner Bros. Despite economic pressures on streaming, he's not worried that HBO content will suffer. "Euphoria" is second only to "Game of Thrones" in most-viewed HBO shows, but Bloys was hesitant at first to develop its hit 2022 prequel "House of the Dragon," he told "The Watch." And he pointed to more Batman spinoffs like "The Penguin" that's coming to HBO Max and will star Colin Farrell.

☆ HBO's content chief reveals plans to build audiences for HBO Max and Warner Bros. Discovery's new mega-streamer with DC and Warner Bros. shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

HBO's Casey Bloys revealed his content strategy on "The Watch" podcast and in a talk with Parrot Analytics. Bloys also shared what's ahead for HBO Max once it combines with Warner Bros. Despite economic pressures on streaming, he's not worried that HBO content will suffer. And even after Bloys took on oversight of HBO Max Originals in 2020, "The idea is to do things that are not necessarily for HBO," he told "The Watch." And he pointed to more Batman spinoffs like "The Penguin" that's coming to HBO Max and will star Colin Farrell.

☆ HBO layoffs, cuts, and 'ill will' over show cancellations have damaged its reputation among TV creators
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"I'm super, super nervous, because HBO has always been my favorite place to do business," said one TV agent. But concerns about new corporate leadership, layoffs, budget cuts, and the future of HBO Max — the streaming home of HBO — kept bubbling to the top. "I'm super, super nervous, because HBO has always been my favorite place to do business," one TV agent said. Aside from the 70 or so layoffs at HBO and HBO Max over the summer amid broader restructuring at WBD, creatives were troubled by the company's decision to pull existing TV shows and films from HBO Max. Read all of Insider's 2022 report here: 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows: HBO is No.

☆ HBO is No. 1 as 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows: Apple's a big spender and 'there's a sheen when you're a Hulu show,' but there's 'fear in the air' at Netflix
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Elaine Low | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

"It's definitely been not the most exciting and robust year," said one TV agent at a major agency. Around 70 people at HBO and HBO Max have been let go this year, and their comedy development teams have merged. While WBD doesn't break out streamer-specific figures, it said on Thursday's earnings call that HBO Max, HBO, and Discovery+ have a combined 94.9 million subscribers, ensuring that any show on HBO Max has the chance to get a lot of eyeballs. They'll also take smaller swings in the genre department, do things at a lower budget," said the second TV agent. Echoed the first TV agent: "You pitch and sell to them if no one else wants it."

☆ These are the best Black Friday streaming deals from Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Streaming is getting more expensive, but there are still some good deals to be had this Black Friday. From Amazon to HBO, there are a number of offers available if you want to catch up on "House of the Dragon" or finally watch "The Handmaid's Tale." The offer is available to new subscribers, as well as past subscribers who haven't been members for at least the past month. Prime Video — $1.99 for select channelsSopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesSubscribers to Amazon Prime already receive Prime Video included with their membership. Disney Plus — Get a full year for $79Thiago Prudencio | SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images

☆ Warner Bros. Discovery layoffs, cuts, and 'ill will' over canceled shows have tarnished HBO with TV creators
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"I'm super, super nervous, because HBO has always been my favorite place to do business," said one TV agent. But concerns about new corporate leadership, layoffs, budget cuts, and the future of HBO Max — the streaming home of HBO — kept bubbling to the top. "I'm super, super nervous, because HBO has always been my favorite place to do business," one TV agent said. Even original series created just for the streamer, such as "Little Ellen," "Summer Camp Island," and "My Dinner with Hervé," were pulled. Read all of Insider's 2022 report here: 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows: HBO is No.

☆ 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows now as Apple TV+ closes in on HBO Max amid turmoil at Warner Bros. Discovery
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Elaine Low | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

☆ Paramount took a risk keeping ‘Top Gun’ grounded for two years. It was this year’s biggest hit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“Maverick” flew into theaters with lots of buzz and strong reviews, and that helped the movie blow past box office projections for its opening weekend. It brought in a Memorial Day weekend record of $160 million at the North American box office. “Maverick” is an old-school box office hit made for the biggest screen possible that emerged just as the industry’s future was very much in doubt. “The commercial reception of Tom Cruise’s legacy sequel was the summer movie miracle theaters needed,” Scott Mendelson, a box office reporter, wrote for Forbes. Climbing back up the mountain"We really felt, and Tom certainly agreed with the fact that we had a great big screen movie," Bakish said.

You can get a free three-month subscription to Apple TV+ with the purchase of a new Apple device. You can add Apple to that list, with the launch of their own original video streaming app, Apple TV+. If you buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, or Mac computer, you automatically get three months of the service for free. Quick tip: The Apple TV+ subscription can be shared among up to six family members at no additional cost. Quick tip: For more information, check out our guide on the best shows to watch on Apple TV Plus, from Ted Lasso to Severance.

☆ ‘Game of Thrones’ ended with a thud. But ‘House of the Dragon’ has caught fire
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —HBO has created a kingdom of hits, with none as popular as “Game of Thrones.” But “Game of Thrones” ended with a thud in 2019 when critics and fans were unhappy with the fantasy epic’s ho-hum conclusion (Bran Stark on the Iron Throne? Create more “Game of Thrones,” of course. Enter “House of the Dragon,” a prequel that takes place almost 200 years before the events of its predecessor and focuses on the Targaryen family. To put that number into context, season seven of “Game of Thrones” averaged 32.7 million viewers per episode, and season 8, its final season, averaged 46 million viewers. (It doesn’t hurt that “Game of Thrones” is pretty much like watching sports, albeit with more dragons.)

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