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☆ Fed cuts rates again, but Trump's tariff plan sparks inflation fears and market uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . In today's big story, the Fed cutting interest rates yesterday was never really in doubt . Additional rate cuts aren't as clear, though, as Donald Trump's proposed widespread tariffs could slow down the Fed's plans . The market is indicating inflation could lead the Fed to keep borrowing rates high. AdvertisementGreg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com, told Insider Today that Fed Chair Jerome Powell didn't indicate a pause in cuts was coming in December during Thursday's press conference.

Persons: —, MANDEL NGAN, Chelsea Jia Feng, Donald Trump's, Paul Krugman, It's, Chip Somodevilla, Greg McBride, Jerome Powell didn't, Powell, McBride, There's, Dominique Lapointe, Lapointe, Trump, ANGELA WEISS, Morningstar, Trump's, Dave Sekera, Goldman execs, Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, Donald Trump, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Elon Musk, David Zaslav, Zaslav, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, Ella Hopkins, Amanda Yen, Milan Sehmbi Organizations: Business, Service, Getty Images, BI, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Fed, Manulife Investment Management, Morningstar, Elon, Trump, Keystone State, Big Tech's, Walmart, Target, Costco, Big Media, Warner Bros, Discovery, Paramount, Sony Locations: AFP, China, Pennsylvania, New York, London

☆ Behind the Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount deal that never was
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-05 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Zaslav wanted a deal to happen. The problem, per Paramount: Zaslav didn't want to write a big check to Paramount owner Shari Redstone. What wasn't well-known: Zaslav spent months hanging around the basket, hoping that he could somehow land a Paramount deal. AdvertisementA week later, Paramount says, Zaslav talked to Bakish and told him he'd still love to make a deal. AdvertisementSo here we are today, nearly a year after WBD and Paramount first discussed a deal.

Persons: David Ellison, Larry Ellison's, David Zaslav, Zaslav, Shari Redstone, —, Ellison, Larry, I've, WBD, Per, Bob Bakish, Bakish, he'd, Shari Redstone's, Paramount's Organizations: Paramount, Warner Bros ., SEC, Service, ers, Warner Bros Locations: writedowns, Zaslav

☆ Why Wall Street is skeptical about Comcast's proposal to ditch its cable networks and pair Peacock with a competitor
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-01 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Comcast's Mike Cavanagh said the company will explore ditching its cable networks. AdvertisementComcast said this week it might separate from its cable networks and marry off its streaming service. Mike Cavanagh, Comcast's president, floated the idea Thursday of spinning out cable networks like CNBC and MSNBC into a new firm while holding on to NBC. Several industry analysts said that Comcast could increase its valuation by divorcing itself from its declining cable networks, as it would help emphasize its burgeoning streaming business. "The cable networks likely have little value on their own.

Persons: Comcast's Mike Cavanagh, Peacock, —, Mike Cavanagh, Cavanagh, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, isn't, John Hodulik, Craig Moffett, Moffett, Insider's Peter Kafka, Michael Hodel, Tim Nollen, Rich Greenfield, Greenfield, it's, David Zaslav, WBD, NBCU, Brandon Katz, Max, Katz Organizations: Wall Street, Service, Comcast, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, Disney, ABC, Bank of America, Warner Bros, UBS, Morningstar, Lightshed Partners, Starz, WBD's, NBA, Paramount, Max Locations: MoffettNathanson, USA

☆ Jon Steinlauf, WBD's Top Ad Salesman, to Leave. Read the Memo.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Discovery's top ad salesman, will leave at the year's end. Steinlauf's departure follows his role in merging ad sales units after the Discovery-WarnerMedia deal. Discovery's top ad salesman, will leave the media company at the end of the year, according to an internal memo from Bruce Campbell, WBD's chief revenue and strategy officer, that was shared with Business Insider. AdvertisementSteinlauf led Discovery's ad sales business starting in 2018 under Zaslav pre-merger, having joined Discovery through its acquisition of Scripps Networks. Read the memo about Steinlauf's departure from the company below:

Persons: Jon Steinlauf, —, Bruce Campbell, Turner, WBD, Comcast's NBCU, Marybeth Strobel, Ryan Gould, David Zaslav, Steinlauf Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, NBA, Service, Business, CNN, HBO, Disney, Paramount, Turner Sports, Zaslav, Scripps Networks

☆ CNBC Sport: A responsible look at women's sports exuberance
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Alex Sherman | In Alex-Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +28 min

Media landscape shifts Most of the value in professional sports is propelled by media rights deals, and we're in an unusual sweet spot right now for sports. Still, gaining access to 11 teams' media rights is probably in the league's long-run best interest. You have the WNBA rights term worth $2.2 billion over 11 years with league expansion going from 12 to 15 teams. Media landscape shifts Most of the value in professional sports is propelled by media rights deals, and we're in an unusual sweet spot right now for sports. Still, gaining access to 11 teams' media rights is probably in the league's long-run best interest.

Persons: Alex Sherman, Jeff Zucker, Patrick Whitesell, Zucker, Scripps –, it's, Alex Michael, he's, Michael, they're, There's, Caitlin Clark, Michael said, weathers, AEW, I'm, Tony Khan —, he'd, Khan, US Networks Kathleen Finch, Max, hasn't, Finch, Rob Manfred, doesn't, CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Craig Kilborn, Barrett, Jackson, Caitlin Clark's, You've, Soccer League's Nielsen, Tom Brady, Father, Brady, Jess Golden, Michael Jordan, Libs, Jim France, OneFootball, Lionel Messi, Jessica Pegula, CNBC's, Venu, Fubo, Venu …, Nike, Matthew Friend, John Donahoe, Elliott Hill, Sabrina Ionescu –, Jane Hali, Jessica Ramirez, AE1, Gabrielle Fonrouge, Ariel Atkins, DiDi Richards, Craig Hudson Organizations: CNBC, Endeavor, WNBA, NCAA, National Women's Soccer League, Amazon, CBS, ESPN, Scripps, NBA, Fox, NBC, Apple, Google, MLS, Clark, Warner Bros ., TNT, TBS, Warner Bros, Discovery, US Networks, Diamond Sports Group, U.S, Bankruptcy, Southern, Southern District of, Major League Baseball, Atlanta Braves, MLB, Holdings, UFC, WWE, WME Sports, ATP, Miami, NCAA Women's, Soccer, Angel City FC, NFL, Premier League, Netflix, Tech, CNBC Sport, Father Time, NASCAR, Motorsports, Major League Soccer, American, NHL, Buffalo Sabres, Bills, Disney, International Center for Law & Economics, Nike, New York Liberty, Air Force, Air Jordan, League Men's NCAA, Gonzaga, Pac, West Coast Conference, FloSports, Sports, Indiana Fever, Washington Mystics, Capital, Washington , D.C, Washington Post Locations: York City, Southern District, Southern District of Texas, OpenBet, U.S, Kobe, Washington ,

☆ David Zaslav risked Warner Bros. Discovery's future by passing on the NBA — and the gamble might pay off
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

NBA rights proved to be a hotter commodity than many expected — seemingly including WBD CEO David Zaslav. The Charter deal is a coup for WBDWall Street has had little confidence in Zaslav and company lately. AdvertisementAfter the news that WBD had done just that with Charter, Greenfield heaped praise on WBD. As great as WBD's deal with Charter may be, Greenfield doesn't believe Zaslav is out of the woods. If Zaslav surprises the Street again with his Comcast deal, his company may have better days ahead.

Persons: —, David Zaslav, NBCU, WBD's, Max —, WBD, Rich Greenfield, LightShed, Greenfield, Turner, Craig Moffett, MoffettNathanson, Moffett, Zaslav, Brian Roberts, Matt Belloni, Greenfield doesn't, Comcast's NBCU, Charter's, Venu, Brandon Ross Organizations: Service, Warner, NBA, Business, TNT, HGTV, Food Network, Comcast, DirecTV, Warner Bros, WBD, Charter, NBC Universal, Zaslav, Puck News, —, Disney Locations: Zaslav

☆ WBD scored a crucial cable deal — by making HBO free for millions of people
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Peter Kafka | James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementCharter will end up paying WBD for the right to give away Max with ads (as well as Discovery+, WBD's much-less-popular streamer), which sells for $10 a month. So WBD isn't exactly giving Max away. But by making a version of Max free to millions of Charter subscribers, WBD is basically inviting existing Charter/Max subscribers to trade down. But this time around, LightShed analyst Rich Greenfield calls the deal a "victory" for WBD, given the weakened position of its cable channels. Related stories"Nobody had faith in Zaslav/WBD to get a Charter deal done, especially a deal that was not even up for an entire year," he writes.

Persons: —, WBD, Max, there's, Warner, Rich Greenfield, Nobody, Greenfield, John Malone, Malone, David Zaslav, Goldman Sachs, He'll Organizations: Service, Warner, TNT, NBA, Business, HBO, Charter, Disney, ESPN, Analysts, Comcast, DirecTV Locations: Zaslav, DirectTV's

☆ Inside Netflix's hunt for its next ads leader and what it signals about the company's future
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-03 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Reinhard parted ways with previous ad sales leader Peter Naylor in July, in Netflix's second ads leadership shake-up in two years. To get a sense of how Reinhard is approaching the hire, Business Insider spoke with 11 people who had inside knowledge about the search or who are close to Netflix's ad business. Others with those credentials who some insiders think could be in the mix include Pooja Midha, EVP and GM for Effectv, the ad sales arm of Comcast's cable division. "They view ad sales as having a lack of rigor and discipline," the first person who'd had conversations with Netflix said. Netflix also shook up its ad sales leadership twice, with its first ads leader Jeremi Gorman being replaced after a year, and then with Naylor's recent exit.

Persons: —, Amy Reinhard, Reinhard, Peter Naylor, Lisa Valentino, WBD's Ryan Gould, Jim Keller, Pooja Midha, who'd, Naylor, Dimitrios Kambouris, Greg Peters, Peters, hadn't, Jon Whitticom, Whitticom, Netflix's, Jeremi Gorman, they're Organizations: Service, Madison, Business, Netflix, Warner Bros, Disney, Effectv, Hulu, Google, Big Tech, Insiders, Prime, Microsoft, Street Journal, NFL Locations: Madison

☆ How David Zaslav can save Warner Bros. Discovery as the cable bundle collapses, according to a top media analyst
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementThose moves show just how rapidly the cable TV business is unraveling. WBD's direct-to-consumer segment still loses money, and its streaming revenue actually declined 6% from last year — even though Max added 3.7 million subscribers. WBD added 3.9 million streaming subscribers abroad last quarter, thanks to its rollout across Europe ahead of the Olympics, which the company broadcasts outside the US. If that service attracts enough cord-cutters, it could help stop the bleeding in WBD's fast-declining pay TV business in a best-case scenario. Join forces with other media firmsAdvertisementAlthough WBD is struggling as the pay-TV business shrinks, the silver lining is that it's not alone.

Persons: —, David Zaslav, Patience, WBD wasn't, Max, Fox —, Tim Nollen, WBD, Nollen, Venu, NBA would've, it's Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Business, Paramount, Macquarie Research, Disney, NBA, Comcast's NBC, MLB, NHL, TNT, TBS, Max, Hulu Locations: WBD, Europe, Latin America

☆ Why Apple should buy Warner Bros. Discovery. No, seriously.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

So I've got a not-so modest proposal: Time for Apple to jump in with both feet, and buy HBO — along with the rest of Warner Bros. I know, I know: "Apple should buy X, Y or Z" is a long-running piece of techworld fanfic. But now I think Apple should spend real money and buy WBD. And then, boom: Apple's services business — the part of the company Apple needs to keep growing while its hardware business slows — instantly grows by nearly 50%. AdvertisementIt's one thing for a tech company to buy a minor studio and 50% of the James Bond franchise.

Persons: —, I've, that's, Maxes, Warner, James Bond, hoover, It's, Tim Cook, Steve Jobs, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, WBD Organizations: Service, Apple, HBO, Warner Bros, Business, Warner Bros . Studios, CNN, Warner mergred, Microsoft, Activision, Big Tech, Comcast, Paramount, Warners Locations: writedowns

☆ WBD is suing the NBA so it can stay in business with the NBA. Yikes.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Discovery boss David Zaslav told investors he'd be ok without NBA games, which his TNT network had been airing for decades. You can read an excellent blow-by-blow of WBD's failed negotiations with the NBA from John Ourand at Puck. One is that WBD somehow wins its suit and ends up forcing the NBA to give it games it would prefer to sell somewhere else. And then there are two other possibilities: One is that WBD doesn't get the games, but extracts some kind of settlement from the NBA for supposedly breaching a contract.

Persons: —, David Zaslav, He's, it's, they've, WBD's, John Ourand, WBD, who's, doesn't, Fox — Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, NBA, TNT, Disney, Comcast, Business, HBO, WBD, Fox, Advertisement College, NFL Locations: Puck

☆ Warner Bros Discovery (basically) admits its merger didn't work
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That's basically the pitch the management of Warner Bros. Discovery is floating to investors today, via a story in the Financial Times: "A dramatic plan to split its digital streaming and studio businesses from its legacy television networks." And would the money from those declining networks be enough to service all that debt? Apple, most notably, inquired about buying HBO way back when its parent company was called Time Warner. If WBD can't split the company the way it's supposedly proposing now, it will end up selling off assets (maybe CNN?

Persons: That's, WBD, I've, hasn't, Pimple Popper, HBO hasn't, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, Rich Greenfield, you'll, it's, Time Warner, David Zaslav —, Donald Trump, he's, Zaslav Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Financial, Business, HBO, Max, CNN, Netflix, Big Tech, Apple, Time, Sun, Paramount

☆ David Zaslav's Warner Bros. Discovery experiment has failed, Bank of America's top media analyst says. Here are the company's 3 best paths forward.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Zaslav, the cable-executive-turned-mogul, orchestrated the tie-up between Warner Media and Discovery after running the latter for 15 years. "The current composition as a consolidated public company is not working," Ehrlich wrote in a July 16 note. AdvertisementZaslav should reexamine his strategy and look at options that would benefit his long-suffering stock, Ehrlich wrote. 3 best blueprints for a WBD turnaroundIn the note, BofA media analysts outlined several potential paths forward for Zaslav and the company. Advertisement"We have long discussed an impending 'rebundling' in media, as the current streaming market is oversaturated and ripe for consolidation," Ehrlich wrote.

Persons: —, it's, David Zaslav, hasn't, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, Ehrlich, BofA, Bob Iger, Fox Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Warner Media, Discovery, Business, Bank of America's, NBC, Disney, ABC, CBS, Paramount, Skydance, Max Locations: Zaslav, Hollywood

☆ Amazon is winning the race for TV ad dollars, leaving Netflix and other streamers in the dust
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Lucia Moses | Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Both companies made a splash at this year's upfront presentations, where streamers make their pitches for the nearly $70 billion in annual TV ad spending and advertisers seek to lock down the bulk of their annual TV ad commitments. But among newer streamers, it's Amazon that's winning advertisers' wallets, several ad buyers told Business Insider. AdvertisementAmazon's big increase in ad inventory and lower ad prices, of about half the ad rate ($30 per 1,000 impressions) that Netflix sought when it launched its ad tier in 2022, put pressure on other TV ad sellers to lower their prices. A second ad-holding-company exec said they expected Amazon to be the third or fourth biggest TV ad seller in the upfronts, behind traditional TV stalwarts NBCUniversal and Disney and potentially YouTube. Data has shown that people watch three times as much Netflix as they do Prime Video, although Prime Video viewing is growing.

Persons: —, execs, NBCUniversal, They're, catchup, Netflix's, Max, Ed Papazian Organizations: Service, Netflix, Amazon, Business, Disney, Warner Bros, gunning, Sports, NBA, NFL, NASCAR, National Women's Soccer League, National Basketball Association, WWE, Fox, Wall Street, Prime, NBC, Media Dynamics

☆ Hollywood is facing a dire threat: sports
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

AdvertisementSports media rights have never been more expensive, but media companies keep paying up. The number of TV shows across the industry has been declining since the 2022 end of the Peak TV era. Media companies have been aggressively pursuing other secondary sports to maintain their value to distributors and advertisers, as Warner Bros. All this has dire implications for entertainment budgets, which media companies have already been trimming after overspending to build streaming businesses. AdvertisementRelationships with the top people in sports will likely be a bigger factor in leadership at media companies moving forward.

Persons: —, Doug Shapiro, Shapiro, Seth Meyers, Spencer Wang, David Levy, — it's, Levy, it's, Jonathan Miller, WBD, Michael Kassan, Mark Lazarus, Media Group's, John Kosner, Ed Desser, Sports doesn't, David Zaslav, Alex Iosilevich Organizations: Service, NBA, Business, Turner Broadcasting, Apple, Google, Street Journal, NBC, ESPN, Amazon, Warner Bros, NFL, Comcast, Netflix, Nielsen, Turner Networks, Horizon, Entertainment, Marvel, Star, Integrated Media Co, Hollywood, Media, Warner Bros . Discovery, Sports, Cannes Lions, Turner, TNT, TBS, Premier League, WWE

☆ The cost of sports content is soaring — and it could mean big cuts in Hollywood budgets
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Read previewSports has increasingly become the star of the show for big TV companies, and its ascent is sending a shiver down Hollywood's spine. AdvertisementSports media rights have never been more expensive, but media companies keep paying up. The number of TV shows across the industry has been declining since the 2022 end of the Peak TV era. Media companies have been aggressively pursuing other secondary sports to maintain their value to distributors and advertisers, as Warner Bros. AdvertisementRelationships with the top people in sports will likely be a bigger factor in leadership at media companies moving forward.

☆ Max has a big loyalty problem — and it shows why WBD has been looking to team up with its rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Discovery's flagship streaming service Max needs more loyal customers. The service has cut its churn rate since last year, but it still has room for improvement. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Discovery's Max can live up to its tagline of "the one to watch," the streaming service must first become "the one to not cancel." This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Max, — Organizations: Warner Bros, Service, HBO, Business

☆ WBD's streaming chief JB Perrette reveals the plan to get Max growing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Discovery's Max was supposed to become a Netflix killer when it rolled out a year ago. It combined HBO Max's prestige originals with Discovery+'s reality TV fare to capture viewers as they migrate away from WBD's bedrock traditional TV business. Related storiesGiven its low penetration, it's possible that Max can add tens of millions of subscribers, he said. WBD execs hope the crackdown will encourage people to subscribe to the three-in-one bundle of Max, Disney+, and its sister app, Hulu. While the overlap between Netflix and Disney+ is high, about half of Disney+ subscribers don't subscribe to Max, and vice versa, so each has a chance to significantly increase its audience.

Persons: —, Discovery's Max, WBD, Max, hasn't, JB Perrette, Perrette, We're Organizations: Service, Warner, Netflix, HBO, Disney, Hulu, Business, Nielsen, Vodafone, Amazon, Paris Olympics, Cartoon Network Locations: WBD, Orange

☆ A key sign of strength in Warner Bros. Discovery's latest earnings report would take a massive hit if TNT loses the NBA
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

And while WBD's $0.40-per-share loss was 4 cents better than last year, it was still lower than analysts had hoped for. Warners added about 2 million net streaming subscribers globally in the first quarter, bringing its total to 99.6 million. There's a simple explanation for WBD's streaming ad growth despite modest subscriber additions: the advent of live sports on Max. As impressive as WBD's burgeoning streaming ad business looks now, it may be nothing more than a blip if Comcast's NBC outbids TNT for NBA media rights in the league's next TV deal. Suddenly, it seems like Zaslav is taking an even bigger risk by playing hardball with the NBA.

Persons: Discovery's, David Zaslav, Max, Warners, WBD, it's Organizations: Warner Bros, Business, NBA, Warners, Max, MLB, NHL, NBC, TNT, Media, UBS, hardball

☆ Inside NBC's ingenious scheme to snatch NBA rights from Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Discovery's TNT is dangerously close to being left out of the NBA's next TV deal after rival NBC made a massive offer, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal. A source familiar with the negotiations told Business Insider that a deal hasn't been finalized and offers are always changing. Still, it's not clear that paying an average of $2.5 billion a year for NBA rights will be profitable. AdvertisementJoe Bonner, a media analyst at Argus Research, has been under the assumption that WBD can and will retain NBA rights even though its cable-TV revenue is steadily shrinking.

Persons: —, hasn't, NBA hasn't, Craig Moffett, Peacock, Moffett, it's, Joe Bonner, Bonner Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, TNT, NBC, Wall Street Journal, Business, NBA, ESPN, Amazon, Puck, Comcast, Argus Research

☆ Why the DC Universe reboot could give WBD's streaming business a much-needed jolt
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

However, WBD's upcoming reboot of the DC universe may help move the needle for Max, according to Bank of America lead media analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich. AdvertisementWBD is now rebooting its superhero franchise with the DC Universe, or DCU for short, which will have films with interconnected storylines like Marvel has. Reif Ehrlich said new DC films and series could be cross-sold across Max, cable, and free, ad-supported streaming TV channels. AdvertisementAlthough WBD's cable channels are suffering as millions of US households cut the cord, Reif Ehrlich said this dual-distribution method is an effective marketing mechanism. "WBD can employ this same playbook to promote the launch of the new DC universe and other high-value content," Reif Ehrlich wrote.

Persons: —, WBD's, HBO Max, Max, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, WBD, Marvel, James Gunn —, Reif Ehrlich, Kate Taylor, David Zaslav Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Netflix, HBO, Warners, Nielsen, Business, Bank of America, Disney, Marvel, DC, DCU, Max, Hollywood, HGTV, Food Network

☆ Why NBC is the wild-card NBA bidder to watch as the league negotiates a new TV deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Why NBC could be a perfect fit for the NBABarring a major upset, ESPN and WBD will continue to broadcast NBA games. The network used to broadcast NBA games nationally starting in 1954, and Comcast still shows games on its regional-sports networks in five markets. Comcast-subsidiary Sky Sports also aired NBA games in the United Kingdom for four years starting in 2019. Moffett, the media analyst and MoffettNathanson cofounder, told BI he sees NBC entering the bidding war for NBA media rights if only to assist its streamer. Unlike ESPN and TNT, NBC doesn't necessarily need NBA games.

Persons: it's, supercharge Peacock, Peacock, Craig Moffett, Nielsen, That's, Will, Moffett, Joseph Bonner, WBD's, Bonner Organizations: NBA, ESPN, Warner Bros, TNT, Business, Apple, Netflix, NBC, Comcast, WBD, Diamond Sports, NFL, Premier League, Sky Sports, Moffett, BI, Argus Research, Disney, Fox, Google Locations: United Kingdom

☆ It's a do-or-die moment for debt-riddled Warner Bros. Discovery's live-sports strategy as it vies for NBA rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

WBD generated $6.2 billion of free cash flow through 2023 and likely shelled out around $1.4 billion of that for NBA games. Analysts estimate that figure would be closer to $2 billion if WBD re-ups its NBA package. WBD wants a big NBA deal, despite Wall Street's wishesSixteen months ago, Zaslav said WBD didn't "have to have" the NBA. NBA ratings have been lackluster lately, with national TV games averaging 1.6 million viewers in the last two seasons. Zaslav's latest public remarks on the NBA negotiations reflect that.

Persons: —, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Tim Nollen, Max, Jason Bazinet, WBD, David Zaslav, it's, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, Wall, Zaslav, John Hodulik, Chuck, Ernie Johnson Organizations: Service, Basketball Hall of Famers, NBA, TNT, ESPN, Warner Bros, Business, Media, Amazon, NBC, Comcast, Apple, Netflix, WWE, Macquarie, Disney, Fox, Cable, Citigroup, Warners, of America, Street, Zaz, UBS Locations: Shaq

☆ Winter is coming for 'Game of Thrones' freeloaders thanks to Max's password-sharing crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewThe days of watching "Game of Thrones" for free on your brother-in-law's Max account are numbered. Max is the latest streaming service to announce a crackdown on password-sharing. AdvertisementHe specifically referenced Netflix's password-sharing crackdown as one that had been "extremely" successful. Following Netflix's lead, Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (all owned by Disney) also said earlier this year that they would limit password-sharing. Max accounted for a scant 1.3% of streaming viewing in January, behind YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, and others, according to Nielsen.

Persons: —, Max, Perrette, Morgan Stanley, Nielsen Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Warner Bros, Netflix, Hulu, Disney, Business, Discovery, Morgan, Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, ESPN, Max, YouTube, HBO Locations: Hulu

☆ HBO is making it harder to watch John Oliver for free — the opposite of what Comedy Central is doing with Jon Stewart
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Discovery is delaying "Last Week Tonight" YouTube streaming to push viewers to Max. Every Sunday night, John Oliver hosts "Last Week Tonight" on cable TV. When it plays on YouTube, where HBO runs it without ads, it doesn't make any money. So hoping that making "Last Week Tonight" a little harder to see for free fits pretty easily into that pattern. AdvertisementThe move also runs counter to the way TV networks are treating comedy #content in general.

Persons: Max, —, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Oliver, — John Oliver, @iamjohnoliver, David Zaslav, I've Organizations: Warner Bros, YouTube, Service, Warner Bros Discovery, HBO, MAX, Netflix, Big, Max Locations: YouTube's

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