Holiday specials and streaming rights; the questionable future of linear cable channels; Bob Iger's Endgame gets interesting; Sports Corner with Rob Manfred, Jason Kelce, and Charles Barkley; Behold, the power of CBS; and some TV shows you should watch. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv : Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Guest Starring: Josef ...
Nov 01, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 81
Apple TV+ comes to Prime Video, and the Diamond bankruptcy continues to disrupt the entire economy of sports. [Downstream+ listeners get: ESPN Flagship, Paramount and the NFL, the future of sports rights, and in praise of narrowcasting.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv : Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Guest Starring: Will Carroll Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit ...
Oct 18, 2024•35 min•Ep. 80
Brian Williams will bring live news to Prime Video, but what's the future of streaming news? Also: More cable bundles include streaming services; Amazon programs a night of game shows; Netflix's coming compensation crunch; and a Diamond/MLB update. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv : Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segm...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 79
Will Carroll re-joins for a mega Sports Corner episode. We discuss the power of the NFL and the future of highlights. [Downstream+ subscribers also get: sports rights, Diamond bankruptcy, Venu doom, and tangents.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv : Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Guest Starring: Will Carroll Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback | NTangible™ - ...
Sep 17, 2024•35 min•Ep. 78
Larry Ellison's ownership of Paramount and what it might mean for CBS News; why Netflix and Apple just don't get movies; Hallmark's new streaming service; the rise of Tubi and FAST; and streaming's lack of curation. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Trakt.tv : Track shows and movies you watch. Discover what's hot and where to stream it. Get 50% off your first year. Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Larry Elliso...
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 77
A judge puts a stop to the launch of Venu, bringing the entire economics of the cable bundle into question. [Downstream+ subscribers also get: Paramount's sale complication, Disney+ success metrics, Olympics wrap-up, and theatrical's revival.] Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Venu Sports launch temporarily blocked following Fubo’s legal challenge - The Athletic Legal Headaches for the Venu Sports Streamer - Puck Venu Tr...
Aug 23, 2024•23 min•Ep. 76
Meg James of the Los Angeles Times joins Jason to discuss Paramount and WBD results, the WBD/NBA conundrum, Peacock and the Olympics, Venu's price, the NFL dodging the antitrust bullet, a Disney price hike, and the high cost of prestige TV. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Guest Starring: Meg James Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Paramount Global takes $6-billion write-down, a...
Aug 09, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 75
Sportswriter Will Carroll joins Jason for an all-Sports Corner edition. We discuss the NBA TV deal, the NFL lawsuit, and the future of sports broadcasting. [Downstream+ members also get: the post-RSN world, Netflix and live sports, and more.] Guest Starring: Will Carroll Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback...
Jul 18, 2024•47 min•Ep. 74
Vulture's Josef Adalian returns to discuss the ramifications of the sale of Paramount, and where the company might go next. We also once again consider that classic streaming question--to binge or not to binge? Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Vox Media: Podcast Network | Land of the Giants RedBird’s Gerry Cardinale on the Next Steps for Paramount - Puck David Ellison Reveals Plans for Paramount - Puck Why Streaming Ser...
Jul 11, 2024•44 min•Ep. 73
TV critic Tim Goodman guests to discuss the WBD and Paramount messes and give an update about what he's been up to over at his Substack. [Downstream+ subscribers get to hear us talk about a very weird New York Times article about media moguls on a yacht.] Guest Starring: Tim Goodman Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback CNN Reportedly Exploring Digital Subscriptions as News Gets the Streaming Treatment | PYMNTS.com 'Harry Potter' HBO Series Hires Writer,...
Jun 27, 2024•41 min•Ep. 72
Vulture's Josef Adalian joins Jason to discuss the fate of Paramount after the latest deal has fallen through, Warner Bros. Discovery moves to plan B on sports rights, and Joe walks us through his Vulture streamer rankings. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Guest Starring: Josef Adalian Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Josef Adalian Author Archive So What Happens With Paramount ...
Jun 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 71
Other strategies for WBD if it loses the NBA, we answer a bumper crop of listener letters, and Julia has some big career news. [Downstream+ subscribers also get to hear us discuss Netflix potential sports futures and the changing face of broadcast TV.] Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback If the NBA on NBC Returns, Could Charles Barkley Defect? - Puck David Zaslav on TNT Without the NBA, and the Disney-Max Bundle Maybe TNT Doesn’t Need the NBA After All...
May 30, 2024•46 min•Ep. 70
Why the "great rebundling" isn't the return of the cable bundle; recalibrating how talent is paid for streaming shows; Paramount twists in the wind; Spulu gets a real name; the NFL makes a deal with Netflix; and Diamond Sports meets with skepticism. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback M4 iPad Pro Review: Here we go again – Six Colors Is the new Max/Disney+ Bundle Just Cable 2.0? Not Really - Puck Apple, Netflix Amazon Want to Change How They Pay Hollyw...
May 18, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 69
We revisit the philosophy of binge drops versus weekly releases--because it's complicated. [Downstream+ members also get to hear us discuss the future of Paramount, complicated NBA rights negotiations, and more RSN drama.] Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Baby Reindeer, Fallout & Binge Game Theory - Puck Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy - Entertainment Strategy Guy TV Grim Reaper | Substack...
May 03, 2024•28 min•Ep. 68
Is this phase of the streaming wars reaching an endgame? We discuss the fates of Peacock and Paramount+, and consider Max after a year under its new name. Also, we share more listener streaming suggestions! Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback The clock is ticking on Disney’s streaming strategy. - The Verge Peacock’s M&A Endgame - Puck The Paramount Sale: Gerry & The Jeffs Come for Shari’s Baby - Puck It’s Not HBO, It’s Max - Puck...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 67
Is it time for a Disney pep talk? We discuss what's working and not working, and how Disney's ready for streaming success if it's willing to change. Plus, streaming advice! [For Downstream+ subscribers only: Disney/Apple bundling and Baseball streaming.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback The Story of Disney+ - Puck A WWE Business Smackdown With N...
Apr 04, 2024•40 min•Ep. 66
Lots of Disney this time! We talk Disney's big succession question, Taylor Swift's Disney+ numbers, and Disney's deal in India. Also, a quick Sports Corner on NFL streaming rights, Spulu, and ESPN as a streaming aggregator. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Good Chop : High-quality American meat & seafood. Get $120 off your first 4 boxes with code downstream120. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback No One Is Ever Ready to Be the Next CEO o...
Mar 28, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 65
Someone new is in charge of Netflix's film output, which lets us ponder the company's past and future film strategy. [Downstream+ members get: Max's new Harry Potter approach, and lessons we could learn from The CW's mid-budget approach to superhero TV.] Links and Show Notes: Video version of the show is on YouTube . Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Dan Lin to Replace Scott Stuber as Netflix Film Boss Walt Disney Movie President Sean Bailey Exits; David Greenbaum Takes O...
Mar 06, 2024•29 min•Ep. 64
Fallout from the "Spulu" announcement from Disney, Fox, and WBD continues; picking apart HBO's "Last Week Tonight" YouTube strategy; and what does Peacock have in common with the New York Jets? This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Good Chop : High-quality American meat & seafood. Get $120 off your first 4 boxes with code downstream120. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Fubo sues Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. to block their combined sports ...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 63
Disney, Fox, and WBD come together to create a sports streaming joint venture, but what does it all mean? [Downstream+ subscribers also get to hear us discuss Disney's Epic investment, Sports Corner updates, and the most streamed originals of last year.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback ESPN, Fox, WBD to team up ESPN, Fox, WBD to team up (Apple ...
Feb 09, 2024•50 min•Ep. 62
Subtitle: Sports Pentagon After some Apple Vision Pro opinions, it's time for a veritable Sports Pentagon of topics, including: Regional sports streaming alliances, the NFL cozying up to ESPN, Amazon cozying up to Diamond Sports, and the value of Peacock's streamed playoff game. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Julia uses Vision Pro NFL in advanced talks with ESPN to acquire equity stake in network: Sources - The Athletic The NFL May Buy a Stake in ...
Jan 18, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 61
The fate of Paramount Global hangs in the balance, and our favorites of the year. [Downstream+ subscribers get an extra half hour, including RSN collapses and potential streaming solutions, and our predictions for 2024.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Links and Show Notes: Favorite movies: "Godzilla Minus One" (JA) and "Oppenheimer" (JS) Favorite TV shows: "Succession" (JA) and either "The Bear" or "Strange New Worlds" (J...
Dec 29, 2023•47 min•Ep. 60
It's finally happened: Netflix has made its viewing data public... via an Excel spreadsheet? Also: Disney+ and Hulu get connected in the U.S., it might be the endgame for Paramount Global, and your letters! Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Pixar's Soul, Turning Red, Luca Coming to Theaters in 2024 Netflix’s Data Bomb & Iger’s Hulu Wish List - Puck Netflix’s Data Drop, Power Laws, Netflix’s Motivations – Stratechery by Ben Thompson Streaming’s ‘S...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 59
The holiday season is peak streaming season, too! We discuss the seasonal opportunities for streamers, plus: letters! [Downstream+ subscribers also get: Amazon's Black Friday NFL experiment, YouTube & Sunday Ticket, and the coming sports/RSN implosion.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Factor : Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback The Christmas Streaming Miracle - Puck...
Dec 01, 2023•34 min•Ep. 58
Disney's going to own all of Hulu. Does this uniquely position them to be the most legitimate challenger to Netflix? We also discuss the power of platforms, Apple's "Napoleon" opportunity, and Disney's Marvel experimentation. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Memberful : Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit ...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 57
Netflix adapts to selling ads, and your letters! [Downstream+ subscribers also got: Apple TV+ cancelling Jon Stewart and raising prices, YouTube's news challenge and the value of YouTube culture, and Jason Kilar's big idea.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Get Downstream+! - No ads and extra content every other week. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Netflix, Pushing Into AVOD Fray, Plans New Ad Formats, Sponsorships One Year Into Netflix...
Nov 02, 2023•28 min•Ep. 56
Netflix (which is still top dog) reports results and makes price hikes. Also: Disney+'s value proposition, the complexity of selling ads for streaming, Marvel discovers TV, and your letters. This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Memberful : Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback ‘Daredevil’ Overhaul: Marv...
Oct 20, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 55
The WGA strike is over, so what does it mean? Also, your letters! [Downstream+ subscribers also get: Don't blame the writers for the end of Peak TV, Max gets interesting, Amazon adds ads, and Disney ♥️ Charter.] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Electric : Unbury yourself from IT tasks. Get a free pair of Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones when you schedule a meeting. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback Writers Guild Tentative Agreement Details ...
Oct 06, 2023•40 min•Ep. 54
We break down the arrival of Mark Thompson as CNN's new boss. Also, there's a mega letters segment! [This episode was recorded September 7. See you in two weeks!] This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Electric : Unbury yourself from IT tasks. Get a free pair of Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones when you schedule a meeting. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback...
Sep 21, 2023•46 min•Ep. 53
Does the battle between Disney and Charter augur the end of the cable business model as we know it? Is the entertainment industry going bankrupt slowly, then all at once? It's time for an all-Sports Corner episode of Downstream! This episode of Downstream is sponsored by: Electric : Unbury yourself from IT tasks. Get a free pair of Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones when you schedule a meeting. Links and Show Notes: Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment! Submit Feedback...
Sep 07, 2023•40 min•Ep. 52
