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Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

thewaltdisneycompany.com

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Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#21
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like piracy is going to continue to be an issue until we get a spotify/tidal/apple music-type service for video content. Netflix seemed a lot closer to that several years ago, but it feels like we're moving backwards.

Netflix is so cheap compared to cable, though. I wouldn't mind paying for a few streaming bundles as long as the coverage is wide enough. I don't know if the industry will move towards consolidation like we've seen in music streaming services, but if prices stay similar to cable but I can watch whatever I want whenever I want, I'd consider that a win. EDIT: my point doesn't refute that piracy will continue, just that…

Amazon Prime Video is even cheaper. If Amazon manages to increase content while leveraging costs because of their scale and vertical integration, it could be huge.

Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#23
post #10

I'm a little surprised they didn't move this content to Hulu. Disney already owns a 30% stake in Hulu, this could only make it more valuable.

They were able to buy BAMTech outright, and BAMTech has better live event streaming. I don't think this is an investment play for Disney. I think it's about what gives them the best streaming platform that's completely under their control.

Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#24
post #3

Didn't they just recently (past year) sign this deal? I imagine Disney has to pay a fair amount back to end the distribution deal.

> Didn't they just recently (past year) sign this deal?

Netflix's deal with Disney dates all the way back to 2012, although it only ramped up last year with current theatrical releases. Given they're still providing films to Netflix until 2019 I think they probably had a standard break clause.

More interesting to me is how this impacts the Marvel deals Netflix has. They're covered by separate deals, but will Disney be looking to slowly consolidate all their Marvel TV content under their own streaming platform?

Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#26

Wow it's 2017 and they still haven't understood this. Nobody will pay for a Disney service, a HBO service, a Netflix Originals service, an Amazon Originals service, .. Not because people can't afford it, Americans happily paid $120 for cable, but simply because the balkanization throws convenience out of the window and nobody wants to deal with that .

People said the same thing about HBO and Hulu and Amazon. Add Netflix and ESPN/Disney and we are still talking less than the average cable bill.

Addendum: I think you updated your comment as I replied with the note on balkanization, but subscriptions are "set it and forget it"--it's why paper magazines still exist.

Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#27

I'm happy to pay Spotify a monthly fee. It is more than I ever spent on music before though (not a pirate, just didn't buy much music.) Same with netflix. I'll not be happy with paying monthly for n different channels to watch a film. I want to pay. But either one service with all I need like Spotify or paying for the stiff I actually watch.

This used to be a thing. It was when you paid $60-120 a month for your cable TV package.

Did you really think everyone was gonna let you cut that down to $10 a month?

Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#28
> The ESPN-branded multi-sport service [...] including Major League Baseball, National Hockey League [...]

Missing NBA and NFL and subject to regional restrictions and Fox Sports ownership. Any non-cable package that doesn't offer regional broadcasts of ANY of the major 4 is a weak one.

Until the leagues stop with regional restrictions, these sports packages will be hamstrung and never sell on their own. But why would the leagues do this when they can double dip: charge some customers for all-but-local (i.e. blacked out) online (e.g. mlb.tv) and charge others via their cable package for their local teams (i.e. there is no Fox Sports Go w/out cable subscription).

These companies (ESPN and Fox) really need to use their weight to make these leagues and teams stop w/ arbitrary restrictions based on location. But it goes the other direction these days, see the exorbitant prices cable networks pay leagues/teams for exclusive regional broadcast rights (on cable + their online package) and still don't get the right to serve it to someone out-of-region.

Until they use this weight, they will continue to falter because consumers are using their weight.

Re: Disney acquires own streaming facilities, will pull Netflix content

#30
If every studio thinks I'm going to pay them $10+ a month to stream their content, they are going to be very mistaken.

I can't imagine that a lot of people want to spend the collective hundreds of dollars to sign up for all the streaming services. It's almost asking to drive people to torrents.

Now, if Disney does something like $30/year or something really affordable - sure. I might do that on a whim. I guess it's all about volume vs. price.

Netflix, however, I'll keep paying for gladly because of the library size. For the streaming price, it is well worth the value.

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