61–70 of 255 posts
Here's hoping for a new Stargate TV show! Despite a couple of amazing BSG seasons, SG-1 is just better overall. I don't event want the old crew. Just give us something cool. The only good thing that came out of SG Universe was the opening episode. It was awesome.
Here's hoping for a new Stargate TV show! Despite a couple of amazing BSG seasons, SG-1 is just better overall. I don't event want the old crew. Just give us something cool. The only good thing that came out of SG Universe was the opening episode. It was awesome.
I fear Amazon will just screw it up - theyll make it an edgy game of thrones style show where people explode in vats of blood in episode 1 and then they’ll deflect all criticism by adding touches of the latest twitter trends to an episode here and there
Is the SEC and FTC ever going to do their job? They have failed us in the 21st century. Shareholder value over everything else. It would be nice for some regulation to attack all this rent seeking.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
what job do you want the FTC to do here? I assume you think there is an antitrust angle on this potential acquisition? I am an economist and that is my field. I disagree with your take, if that is what you mean. This is a vertical merger. Vertical mergers are quite different in their welfare effects to consumers than horizontal mergers. Vertical mergers can frequently be welfare-improving to consumers. Indeed, this i…
> I am an economist and that is my field. I disagree with your take Maybe economists need to get a new take cause this shit is obviously ridiculous EDIT: see the already pending antitrust litigation against Amazon in EU and US
Isn't it the case that a radio station doesn't need the permission of a composer to play their work on the radio, but instead pays a non-negotiable fee? Internet radio stations work similarly, but also distribute money to the performer(s) and label. The core idea of forced licensing to any streaming service willing to pay a set fee could do a lot to prevent consumers from needing to pay for so many streaming services…
Music has compulsory licensing which pretty much no other copyrighted material has. >The core idea of forced licensing to any streaming service willing to pay a set fee could do a lot to prevent consumers from needing to pay for so many streaming services. I'm skeptical. While there are exclusives, one of the reasons Netflix, for example, doesn't have more content is that it has to balance the size of its catalog wit…
I'm thinking more of the example of Disney changing the licensing terms on Netflix's former slate of Marvel based live action shows, before creating their own streaming service.
Streaming services want exclusives, even if it means buying the production company.
Netflix has been warning shareholders for several years of what it sees coming.
>“Our early investment in doing original content more than six years ago was betting that… there would come a day when the studios and networks may opt not to license us content in favor of maybe creating their own services.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/08/lo...
$9bn is 0.5% of AMZN's current market cap, so $9bn represents a daily price fluctuation. They also have $45bn in cash reserves, so amazon could buy 5 MGMs without borrowing or issuing stock.
That's not even a lot! Apple, Google & FB have $200bn, $140bn & $65bn respectively. Dividends don't seem to be a thing, and it's basically impossible to invest this much cash internally. These companies don't have factories to build, or any kind of hard capital investments to make. Even an epic, blue sky cash sink like Waymo isn't capable of burning through their available capital, nevermind credit. Large capital investment at meaningful scale is not part these companies' culture, or competencies.
Acquisition is the only thing they can do, besides buying bitcoin and vanguard. Meanwhile, acquisitions bid up prices and exasperate the scenario further.
Morals and regulatory potential aside, does it not make sense for Tesla to buy and bury one or two major auto manufacturers? Ford is worth $50bn, GM is $80bn. Tesla is $600bn. Why bother competing?
^I'm purposely overstating, to make the provocative point... especially in regards to Tesla, who have no cash and other ways of doing capital investment anyway. Obviously, there is debt financing and other factors that complicate all of this.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
what job do you want the FTC to do here? I assume you think there is an antitrust angle on this potential acquisition? I am an economist and that is my field. I disagree with your take, if that is what you mean. This is a vertical merger. Vertical mergers are quite different in their welfare effects to consumers than horizontal mergers. Vertical mergers can frequently be welfare-improving to consumers. Indeed, this i…
> I am an economist and that is my field. I disagree with your take Maybe economists need to get a new take cause this shit is obviously ridiculous EDIT: see the already pending antitrust litigation against Amazon in EU and US
I judge these things on the potential for harm to consumers. I don’t see that here. Perhaps you do.
Do you see this leading to increased prices or a reduction in quantity consumed? (And of what, btw?) That’s how we make these judgments so if it’s obvious to you, let’s talk.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I fear Amazon will just screw it up - theyll make it an edgy game of thrones style show where people explode in vats of blood in episode 1 and then they’ll deflect all criticism by adding touches of the latest twitter trends to an episode here and there
I have watched all of Naren Shankar's Expanse. It was revived by Amazon, and quite nicely. There are very few complaints among the fans, if any at all.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Amazon already is a studio, i.e. someone who makes bets and writes checks (and owns the rights to content--personally I don't mind that not being as fragmented as it is). Acquiring another studio given the way things operate in the film/TV industry today seems fairly uninteresting from a monopoly perspective.
Its for MGM's IP and back catalog so Amazon can literally rent it for a monthly price.
Here's hoping for a new Stargate TV show! Despite a couple of amazing BSG seasons, SG-1 is just better overall. I don't event want the old crew. Just give us something cool. The only good thing that came out of SG Universe was the opening episode. It was awesome.
BSG?