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Inside the Stream: SVOD Matures, WBD Deal Impacts TV Audience Shares
First up this week we discuss Antenna’s new State of Subscriptions report, which shows a maturing SVOD market with single-digit subscriber growth in 2025. Spike days of acquisition continue to be concentrated, with Q4 becoming ever more important. Churn has also stabilized. We also discuss the increasingly important role of bundling.
As we recorded the news broke that Netflix has backed out of the bidding for WBD, so we briefly discuss that, in the context of the latest Nielsen The Gauge numbers and how TV viewing shares will change when the deal eventually closes.
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Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music RSSTopics: Antenna, Nielsen, Podcast
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Inside the Stream: Apple Taps IMAX for F1, YouTube Expands in the UK, Colbert Streams
Apple has partnered with IMAX to screen 5 F1 races at 50 different IMAX locations around the US this year. The move follows Apple’s 5-year deal with F1 from last October for exclusive US broadcast rights. Both of us like how the IMAX partnership leverages the broadcast deal and broadens exposure of Apple TV, likely driving more subscribers.
Elsewhere, more than half of YouTube’s UK audience now watches on their TVs. YouTube has also become the fourth most-viewed navigation platform, illustrating how YouTube has integrated mobile and web with connected TV. Speaking of YouTube, Stephen Colbert used it this week to stream an interview CBS blocked him from broadcasting. We discuss all.
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Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music RSSTopics: Apple, Podcast, YouTube
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Inside the Stream: YouTube TV’s Skinny Bundles, AMC’s Streaming, Super Bowl Stats
YouTube TV has begun rolling out its less expensive tiers of service, which it announced late last year. The tiers focus on sports, sports plus news and entertainment. All are priced less than its $83 per month base tier. Colin and I discuss whether the new tiers will attract cord-cutters and cord-nevers and whether existing subscribers will downgrade.
Elsewhere, AMC reached a milestone, reporting that in Q4 it generated more revenue from streaming domestically than from its affiliate/traditional pay-TV distribution. And of course, last Sunday’s Super Bowl was a broadcast hit, but we are still waiting on specific Peacock numbers. We discuss all.
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Categories: Cable Networks, Podcasts, Skinny Bundles, Sports
Topics: AMC, Podcast, Super Bowl, YouTube TV
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Inside the Stream: NFL-ESPN, Fubo-Hulu, YouTube Growth, Peacock’s Losses
The NFL-ESPN deal has closed with the league taking a 10% ownership stake in the sports cable network, in exchange for handing over NFL Network, NFL RedZone and fantasy assets. Meanwhile the NFL is looking to renegotiate it existing media deals. We discuss the implications.
Meanwhile Fubo and Hulu+Live have joined forces, though we’re not sure about the specifics. YouTube’s total revenue for 2025 topped $60 billion, and Peacock’s losses escalated despite adding 3 million subscribers in Q4. Join us for a discussion of all.[UPDATE: Fubo asked Colin to correct the net loss numbers he quoted in the podcast and clarified that ad revenue from Hulu+Live is transferred to Fubo. Here are their numbers:
– Reported Net Loss of $19.1 million, compared to $38.6 million– Pro Forma Net Loss of $46.4 million, compared to $130.4 million]
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Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music RSSTopics: ESPN, NFL, Peacock, Podcast
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Inside the Stream: Netflix Viewing, BBC-YouTube, Sony-TCL, Amazon-NFL
Netflix reported a strong 2025 though Colin calculates engagement per viewer seems to have lightened up. The jockeying for WBD continues with Paramount. Meanwhile BBC is going to start making shows specifically for YouTube. This comes in the wake of last week’s report that by certain metrics YouTube viewership is eclipsing BBC’s in the UK.
Then we discuss the demise of Sony’s TV business, which was spun into a JV with TCL this week. Finally, Amazon is on a streak, recently recording a new record for live-streaming an NFL game.
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Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music RSSCategories: Podcasts
Topics: BBC, Netflix, Podcast, YouTube
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Inside the Stream: YouTube Edges BBC, Ad Tier Use Soars, Versant-Peacock
The YouTube colossus rumbles on as new data shows YouTube with 51 million viewers in the UK in Q4 ’25, just edging out the BBC with 50.8 million viewers. The caveat is that this is for three minutes only, with an expanded 15 minute definition still showing the BBC ahead.
Meanwhile ad-tier usage among paid streaming services continue to increase across the board. Netflix has 40% of its active accounts using its ad plan, while Disney+ has 44% and HBO Max has 28%, all up year-over-year. Last we discuss the impact of Peacock of losing Versant content.
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Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music RSSCategories: International, Podcasts, SVOD
Topics: Netflix, Podcast, YouTube
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Inside the Stream: Versant’s Opening, TV-AI, NFL Streaming and Disney-Hulu
In our first podcast of 2026 we discuss Comcast’s spinoff of Versant, which was finalized earlier this week. So far Wall Street has been cool to the stock, indicating further concern about cable networks’ future. Next, Colin shares his observations on news from CES related TV OEMs and AI. The NFL continued its streak of record viewing on Christmas with Netflix, and on Thursday Night Football with Amazon. Last, we explore Disney’s plan to sunset the Hulu app.
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Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music RSSCategories: Cable Networks, Podcasts, Sports
Topics: Comcast, Disney+, Hulu, NFL, Podcast
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Inside the Stream: YouTube-Oscars, Movies Anywhere, Netflix Podcasts
YouTube will begin streaming the Oscars globally in 2029 per a new deal with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As Colin and I discuss, it’s another indicator that streaming platforms’ financial clout and distribution reach have become critical differentiators for marquee events.
Next we discuss Netflix’s further push into video podcasts following announcements with iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports this week. Finally, we explore Google and YouTube’s return to Movies Anywhere and the ongoing WBD acquisition saga.
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Categories: Deals & Financings, FIlms, Podcasts
Topics: Netflix, Podcast, Warner Bros. Discovery, YouTube
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