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Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

arstechnica.com

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Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#21

Post by JKCalhoun »

londons_explore wrote: post #11
zpeti wrote: post #7

Is it just me or has the quality of streaming content gone massively downhill? We are in the era of the McDonald’s of streaming. Everything is low quality mass market crap. At this point I’m only watching pre 2016 content or foreign stuff. It’s just so bad. And this is the stuff writers went striking over. I mean I’m not surprised they are threatened by AI, it’s not hard to copy American films and tv at this point. I…

I have to wonder why consumers so desire new content. Old films and TV shows have much the same entertainment value, and are vastly cheaper to stick through some AI to turn to HD and strip out the no-longer-politically-acceptable jokes. There is also a wealth of content from other countries and languages, which could be translated with a little AI assistance to do lip sync etc. With far more content than anyone could…

Why would you feel the need to have AI "cleanse" older shows? Otherwise, I agree there is a rich history of films.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#22

Post by SethMurphy »

londons_explore wrote: post #11
zpeti wrote: post #7

Is it just me or has the quality of streaming content gone massively downhill? We are in the era of the McDonald’s of streaming. Everything is low quality mass market crap. At this point I’m only watching pre 2016 content or foreign stuff. It’s just so bad. And this is the stuff writers went striking over. I mean I’m not surprised they are threatened by AI, it’s not hard to copy American films and tv at this point. I…

I have to wonder why consumers so desire new content. Old films and TV shows have much the same entertainment value, and are vastly cheaper to stick through some AI to turn to HD and strip out the no-longer-politically-acceptable jokes. There is also a wealth of content from other countries and languages, which could be translated with a little AI assistance to do lip sync etc. With far more content than anyone could…

I would prefer, for future generations not me, to leave the original dialogue. They could include an intro putting the show in context and explaining current value set shortcomings instead. It would seem more productive to learn from the past values and see how they evolved, not simply erase them.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#23

Post by JKCalhoun »

tomjen3 wrote: post #19
zpeti wrote: post #7

Is it just me or has the quality of streaming content gone massively downhill? We are in the era of the McDonald’s of streaming. Everything is low quality mass market crap. At this point I’m only watching pre 2016 content or foreign stuff. It’s just so bad. And this is the stuff writers went striking over. I mean I’m not surprised they are threatened by AI, it’s not hard to copy American films and tv at this point. I…

When you broadcast a TV series you get Nilson ratings. When you run the a streaming service you get data on when people go and take a toilet break. This is not very useful for already existing catalog, but when you write new content there will be pressure to adapt the material to the data and so all the new stuff ends up being bland and boring ("we get 3% more viewership if the leading lady is blond with shoulder len…

Nilsson Schmilsson — I think you meant Nielsen.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#24

Post by gcgbcfy »

s0l1dsnak3123 wrote: post #15

The answer to this nonsense is quite clear to me: we need to build a federated media platform instead of building silos that create negative outcomes for the customer and perverse incentives for the distributors and producers. We need to homogonise the pricing just like cable bundles do, but without locking the customer into products they don't care about. Spotify, while having many issues of their own, have more or…

[flagged]

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#25

Post by frutiger »

apwell23 wrote: post #6
morsch wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which stock? This isn't about Netflix, but its rivals. Kind of a garden path headline.

> Disney, Warner, Comcast and Paramount warner is up 22% this year. comcast 26%

You have to compare any growth against a benchmark index which reflects what would’ve happened if the company had simply invested its assets in that index fund instead.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#26

Post by akritrime »

MrBuddyCasino wrote: post #8

It wasn’t all for naught, some hidden pearls came out of the low interest orgy thad made everyone and their dog open a streaming service. For instance, AMC+‘s „The North Water“ or Starzplay’s (yes, really) „Counterpart“. Any more recommendations?

Didn't they cancel Counterpart? I watched the first season but never watched the second one when I learnt that it was canceled.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#27

Post by ohthatsnotright »

mr_mitm wrote: post #9
MrBuddyCasino wrote: post #8

It wasn’t all for naught, some hidden pearls came out of the low interest orgy thad made everyone and their dog open a streaming service. For instance, AMC+‘s „The North Water“ or Starzplay’s (yes, really) „Counterpart“. Any more recommendations?

Bosch Patriot Cobra Kai House of Cards

Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Glow

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#28

Post by paulryanrogers »

londons_explore wrote: post #11
zpeti wrote: post #7

Is it just me or has the quality of streaming content gone massively downhill? We are in the era of the McDonald’s of streaming. Everything is low quality mass market crap. At this point I’m only watching pre 2016 content or foreign stuff. It’s just so bad. And this is the stuff writers went striking over. I mean I’m not surprised they are threatened by AI, it’s not hard to copy American films and tv at this point. I…

I have to wonder why consumers so desire new content. Old films and TV shows have much the same entertainment value, and are vastly cheaper to stick through some AI to turn to HD and strip out the no-longer-politically-acceptable jokes. There is also a wealth of content from other countries and languages, which could be translated with a little AI assistance to do lip sync etc. With far more content than anyone could…

Sensibilities and context change. Even my FIL hates movies from his generation because he sees them as poorly acted, regardless of any other aspects. He prefers more modern work.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#29

Post by tom_walters »

I think this primarily comes down to a fundamental misunderstanding of where the value in streaming services lies from the perspective of old world media giants. The majority of people who buy streaming, I suspect, are interested mainly in the conveyor belt of diverse and engaging content. Sure I whack an episode of Rick and Morty on via Netflix once a month, but 90% of viewing is of new serialized content.

Disney naively thought they could just serve up old classics while wringing the life out of Marvel and Star Wars IP and people would happily continue to pay. But the IP dilution and very real costs of beaming 4K video around the world on demand don’t mix well together.

Meanwhile Netflix has built some of the most sophisticated production tooling in the world, and leveraged cross-country content like no old-world provider ever has.

It’s a classic story of a tenant mistakenly believing the landlord has it easy - so they abandon their sublet and try to build a mall from scratch - the models are vastly different, and perhaps in this case, lethal.

Re: Disney, Warner, Comcast, and Paramount are contemplating cuts, possible mergers

#30

Post by londons_explore »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #21
londons_explore wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have to wonder why consumers so desire new content. Old films and TV shows have much the same entertainment value, and are vastly cheaper to stick through some AI to turn to HD and strip out the no-longer-politically-acceptable jokes. There is also a wealth of content from other countries and languages, which could be translated with a little AI assistance to do lip sync etc. With far more content than anyone could…

Why would you feel the need to have AI "cleanse" older shows? Otherwise, I agree there is a rich history of films.

It really depends what the watcher desires... A lot of audiences will say "ewwe, I couldn't possibly let my children watch that, there are homophobic slurs in it".

Or parts are simply outdated and won't be understood by viewers - like a key element of a plot being that someone erased an answerphone tape - perhaps in todays world you'd replace that with messages showing one tick only...

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