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☆ Paramount, Charter Communications sign new content distribution deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The Paramount logo is displayed at Columbia Square along Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California, on March 9, 2023. Paramount Global has signed a new multi-year content distribution deal with Charter Communications for its full portfolio of linear cable networks, the companies said on Thursday. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, in which the ad-supported versions of Paramount's direct-to-consumer services, Paramount+ Essential and BET+ Essential, will be included at no extra cost to Charter's Spectrum TV customers. Charter will also make Paramount's direct-to-consumer products available for purchase to its millions of Internet-only customers. It will continue to carry CBS owned-and-operated broadcast stations and all of Paramount's current cable networks and Paramount+, the companies said.

Organizations: Paramount, Columbia, Paramount Global, Charter Communications, BET, Spectrum, CBS Locations: Hollywood , California

☆ Here's how Disney’s streaming business can work toward Netflix-like profitability
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Disney's streaming margins, while still negative due to losses and nowhere near Netflix's, have improved significantly in recent quarters and are now on the doorstep of an important milestone. Disney's streaming overview Disney+ is its flagship streaming service across the globe. The ARPU discrepancy on Disney+ core helps explain why Netflix is much more profitable than Disney's streaming business. Given that Disney's streaming business has rolled out pretty much everywhere across the globe, Cruetz said moving forward "it's about driving more penetration in those markets." The latest is a matchup with Disney and HBO's parent Warner Bros Discovery , whose flagship streaming service is called Max.

Persons: Bob Iger, Disney, Iger, Covid, Morgan Stanley, It's, That's, Cowen, Doug Creutz, Hulu's, Cowen's Cruetz, Brandon Nispel, Cruetz, TD Cowen, Max, Creutz, cannibalization, it's, KeyBanc's Nispel, Wells Fargo, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Presley Ann Organizations: Disney, Netflix, ESPN, Reliance Industries, Century Fox, CNBC, Comcast, Capital, Warner Bros Discovery, Getty Locations: Netflix's, Hulu, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, U.S, Canada, Europe, Africa, West Asia, Los Angeles

☆ 2024 is shaping up to be the year of the streaming bundle
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-26 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The atmosphere at the Disney Bundle Celebrating National Streaming Day at The Row in Los Angeles on May 19, 2022. Still, the age of the cable bundle is giving way to the era of a new kind of bundle that could give both streamers and cable providers a path forward. Media executives told CNBC this month that 2024 could finally be the year that media companies get serious about the bundle. Discovery, earlier this year predicted more integration of streaming services into cable bundles. Despite the demand for a streaming bundle, top players have historically been apprehensive to make such a deal.

Persons: Tim Nollen, Chris Winfrey, Nollen, John Malone, who's, Bob Bakish, David Zaslav Organizations: Disney, Netflix, Media, CNBC, Macquarie, Charter Communications, National Football League, ESPN, Charter's, Liberty Media, Warner Bros, Paramount, Discovery, Companies Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Disney and Charter reach deal to end cable blackout, expand access to streaming services
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hours ahead of "Monday Night Football," which airs on Disney's ESPN, the companies reached a deal that would allow millions of Charter cable customers to watch the game. Terms of the deal are said to include a discounted wholesale price for subscribers for Disney streaming services, and an increase in marketplace, or subscriber fees, paid to Disney, CNBC's David Faber reported, citing sources. The highly anticipated ESPN streaming service will be made available to Spectrum TV Select subscribers when it launches. At the time of the blackout, Charter had about 14.7 million customers. Hours after the blackout began, Charter executives held an investor call pushing for a revamped deal with Disney that would give Spectrum pay-TV customers free access to Disney's ad-supported streaming apps Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

Persons: CNBC's David Faber, ESPN — Organizations: Charter Communications, Disney, ESPN, Warner Bros . Discovery, Paramount Global, FX, Disney Channel, YouTube, U.S ., ESPN — Disney, Hulu, NFL, Monday Night, Charter Locations: Hulu

☆ Disney urges Spectrum users to switch to Hulu live plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 4 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) urged customers of Charter Communications' Spectrum cable service to consider switching to a live television option from Hulu as the media companies remain at odds over a new distribution deal. With no deal in place, Disney suggested that Spectrum customers sign up for Hulu + Live TV, a streaming service that offers ESPN, ABC, Disney+ and dozens of other cable channels. "Despite the ongoing dispute, consumers have many other choices—such as Hulu + Live TV—that allow them to enjoy the great programming for which Disney Entertainment is known," the company said in a statement. Disney pulled its channels off Charter's Spectrum cable service last week in the middle of U.S. Open tennis coverage and other live sporting events including college football. Charter has about 14.7 million subscribers to its Spectrum TV service in markets including New York and Los Angeles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Walt Disney, Disney, “, ” Disney, Christopher Winfrey, Winfrey, Granth Vanaik, Lisa Richwine, Dhanya Ann Thoppil, Stephen Coates Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Charter Communications, Hulu, ABC, ESPN, Disney, Disney Entertainment, U.S, Spectrum TV, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Hulu, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

The offers speak to the unusual nature of the business dispute between Disney and Charter Communications, and doesn't auger a quick resolution. Charter is telling its Spectrum TV customers about a special deal being offered by the Fubo live television streaming service to get two months at discounts of 25% or 30%, depending on the plan. Political Cartoons View All 1145 ImagesDisney, meanwhile, is also offering upset Spectrum customers online links to sign up for other services, like Hulu, Fubo, Sling and YouTubeTV. The business battle resulted in ESPN, ABC, FX, National Geographic and Disney-branded stations going abruptly dark on Thursday night for Charter’s Spectrum TV subscribers. “Could this end up being a watershed event for the linear TV business that also blows up the entire sports media ecosystem?"

Persons: ”, Phillip Swann, Disney, Rich Greenfield, Greenfield Organizations: ESPN, The Walt Disney Co, Disney, Charter Communications, ABC, Geographic, Charter’s Spectrum, Lightshed Partners Locations: Hulu, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles

☆ Why Charter and Disney Are Fighting, and What It Means for Viewers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | More About Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

On its surface, the quarrel is about how much Disney can charge Charter for its content, and how much Charter’s customers will pay for access to Disney’s streaming apps. Charter is positioning the blackout of Disney’s channels, including ESPN, as a fight over the future of TV. Disney has said it has “proposed creative ways to make Disney’s direct-to-consumer services available to their Spectrum TV subscribers.”How has Disney responded? Until Disney and Charter reach an agreement, the company’s TV channels, including ESPN, will be dark for the 15 million people who subscribe to Charter’s Spectrum service. There’s a chance that with Disney’s channels on Spectrum going dark, Charter’s customers might just cancel their subscriptions and opt for alternatives.

Persons: Disney, “, There’s Organizations: Disney, Media, ESPN, Spectrum, ABC, Charter, U.S, Disney Channel, YouTube, U.S . Locations: Disney’s

☆ Disney, Charter in talks for new distribution agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A screen shows the logo and a ticker symbol for The Walt Disney Company on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 31 (Reuters) - Disney (DIS.N) said on Thursday that the company is in negotiations with Charter Communications (CHTR.O) for a new agreement after Disney pulled ESPN, ABC and other cable channels off Charter-owned Spectrum's cable service. Charter will host a webcast on Friday to discuss the status of its distribution agreement with Disney, the company said in a statement. Minutes later, a message appeared on the screen informing viewers that Disney had removed its programming, social media posts said. Cable operator Charter Communications (CHTR.O) serves more than 32 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand, according to its website.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Disney, Akanksha, Nivedita Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Disney, Charter Communications, ESPN, ABC, Spectrum, U.S, Twitter, Cable, Disney Entertainment, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Spectrum owner Charter calls pay-TV model broken as it battles Disney over blackout
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That resulted in Charter's customers losing access to its networks, including broadcaster ABC and pay-TV channels such as ESPN and FX. These sorts of battles, which can lead to so-called blackouts for pay-TV customers, are common in the industry. They said they pushed for a revamped deal with Disney that would see Charter cable customers receive access to Disney's ad-supported streaming services like Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost. "The [traditional TV] model has been very good to Disney," Pitaro said at CNBC x Boardroom's inaugural Game Plan sports business summit. Disney said Thursday that it has been able to secure successful deals with other pay-TV companies and is still committed to reaching an agreement with Charter.

Persons: Disney, Chris Winfrey, Winfrey, Bob Iger, Iger, Jimmy Pitaro, nix, Pitaro, didn't Organizations: Cable, Charter Communications, Disney, U.S ., ABC, ESPN, FX, Fort, CNBC, ESPN –, Plan Locations: U.S, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Fort Worth and Atlanta

One of the really interesting questions here – this will be fascinating – the core of linear TV is sports rights. When you look at the size and scope of the linear TV business, it's huge. Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty ImagesByron Allen, Entertainment Studios founder and CEO: I think linear TV will exist for a very, very long time. Simmons: I believe Apple, out of nowhere, will start making their own awesome televisions that have Apple TV embedded in them. We are witnessing early stages of this dynamic with deals like "NFL Sunday Ticket" on YouTube and the MLS deal with Apple TV.

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