The Streaming Wars: CBS doesn’t give a flying F(ear)

DISNEY REPORTS EARNINGS TODAY

Walt Disney is scheduled to report its fiscal Q3 earnings today before the market opens. Look for the company to provide updates on Disney+ as well as the performance of its TV, movie, and parks business.

If you’d like to listen to Disney’s Q3 FY2019 earnings results webcast, visit this link at 4:25pm EDT / 1:25pm PDT today. 

I WANT MY AVOD TV!

As the Streaming Wars heat up and networks shell out big money to try to “kill Netflix”, free streaming service Tubi launched a new out-of-home branding campaign yesterday. The campaign targets Netflix and Hulu customers and reminds them there’s another service they can be hanging out with instead...for free. 

Here are some of the billboards:

“Dear Netflix, I had my first freesome last night. Tubi was amazing.”

“Dear Hulu, I was with Tubi last night, but I only watched.” 

According to a study by Amdocs, 81% of consumers 14-to-35 years-old are open to ads if it means getting the viewing experience they want.

Tubi announced in June it had over 20 million monthly users (MAU). Other notable AVOD services include:

• Pluto: 16 million MAU

• Xumo: 5.5 million MAU

• Crackle: Nearly 10 million MAU

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

CBS has zero f***s to give, throws shade at premium rivals, and thanks AT&T for the “free marketing". Will we see a Viacom merger this week?

Lo and behold, Locast is being sued.

• Netflix is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to produce big-budget movies and has been running a quiet test on Android devices to track the movement of subscribers. 

• Fox to buy a 67% stake in Credible Labs for $265 million and commit up to $75 million of growth capital over the next 2 years.

• You’ll soon be able to binge Hulu shows and movies on Delta flights.

• A look at Bloomberg’s new OTT strategy.

• Quibi makes “dual asset” demand of show producers.

• The CW doesn't think its 4 platform streaming strategy will confuse consumers.

INSIGHTS

• How data supports growth at each phase for SVOD services.

• How do you compare to your peers if you’re an OTT TV provider.

• How average standalone pay-TV Service ARPU declined 10% from 2016 to 2018.

• How brands can regain consumer trustHow marketers know who they're targeting.

• How video streaming services forgot their foe was piracy, not each other.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: SEPTEMBER 21, 2009

Today, nearly 3 million users access Netflix's instant streaming service, watching an estimated 5 million movies and TV shows every week on their PCs or living room sets. By the end of 2009, nearly 10 million Netflix-equipped gadgets will be hanging on walls and sitting in entertainment centers. And Hastings says this is just the beginning: "It's possible that within a few years, nearly all Internet-connected consumer electronics devices will include Netflix." Read more

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