Paramount Global and WB Discovery in merger talks

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, so after resurrecting this thread from a year and a few months ago, have there been any big shakeups in the streaming business?

They all keep claiming they're going to cut back on spending, but don't seem to be*, although Netflix and maybe others are raising prices.

And, of course, Warner Brothers keeps throwing random stuff overboard in an attempt to somehow cut costs, most recently all of the Looney Tunes cartoons on Max, just as the first Looney Tunes cartoon hits movie theaters and people presumably are in the mood to watch some more cartoons.

* Well, not yet. All of my friends in the industry are saying they haven't had work in months. Quite a few are looking to move or going back to school. At some point, I think we're going to see the pipeline of new scripted content start to dramatically empty out.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I think for the short term there’s alot of levers that can be pulled, that will aid in the short term but will likely lead to eventual demise.

You can always produce cheaper shows. You can buy the rights to stream good but cheaper shows. You can license some of your exclusive content to other streaming networks or purchase fewer exclusive rights. Etc. the problem is that most of these decisions make attracting new and retaining customers harder over time.

Have any of these levers actually been pulled or is this pure speculation?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

All of my friends in the industry are saying they haven't had work in months. Quite a few are looking to move or going back to school. At some point, I think we're going to see the pipeline of new scripted content start to dramatically empty out.

That's certainly the case in the UK, and Netflix deciding to basically stop making shows in the UK (after making quite a lot here) is the main cause of it. But go on Netflix, keep blowing $320m on star-studded SFX-heavy trashfires whilst raising prices!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

That's certainly the case in the UK, and Netflix deciding to basically stop making shows in the UK (after making quite a lot here) is the main cause of it. But go on Netflix, keep blowing $320m on star-studded SFX-heavy trashfires whilst raising prices!

Sadly, they get more eyeball time from us on junk food like The Circle, which is astonishingly (and wonderfully) dumb. And definitely incredibly inexpensive to produce.

 

[GreyLord]

I don't get netflix, not sure why anyone pays for netflix and their prices. Doesn't seem like you get enough of a return for what it offers.

Then again, I pay for Paramount+ /showtime these days so...who am I kidding (though as they said two years ago, it's the star trek man...it's the star trek!)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't get netflix, not sure why anyone pays for netflix and their prices. Doesn't seem like you get enough of a return for what it offers.

Netflix is now getting many of the former exclusives from other streamers as they start looking for more revenue. If you just have to have one streamer -- and aren't deeply invested in Star Trek -- it's probably the one to get.

 

[Zardnaar]

I don't get netflix, not sure why anyone pays for netflix and their prices. Doesn't seem like you get enough of a return for what it offers.

Then again, I pay for Paramount+ /showtime these days so...who am I kidding (though as they said two years ago, it's the star trek man...it's the star trek!)

Comes bundled with ISP.

Don't think we would pay retail.

 

[Umbran]

Hollywood accounting is more for screwing over others who signed up for a cut of the profits vs cut of the gross box office).

No. It is for avoiding paying taxes by having losses on the books that reduce supposed profits.

 

[Zardnaar]

No. It is for avoiding paying taxes by having losses on the books that reduce supposed profits.

That to sure. There's been a lot of behind the scene types screwed over with profit sharing.

On corporate side lots of places do similar tricks so not unique to Hollywood. Here it's farmers and everyone else who can do it.

Things bit more specific to Hollywood are residuals and cuts of the take.

That's where my answer was more coming from. What you're describing is common everywhere.

 

[Umbran]

That to sure. There's been a lot of behind the scene types screwed over with profit sharing.

Maybe. But to be clear, if vindictively screwing over a person actually cost the company, execs engaging in it would get the boot. Fiduciary duty to investors, and all that. Screwing folks over may be a desired coincidence, but not the main goal.