VideoNuze Posts

NBCUniversal’s SVOD service will be known as “Peacock” and will launch in April with over 15,000 hours of content. As expected, classic shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” will be exclusively on Peacock, along with “30 Rock,” “Cheers,” “Frasier,” “Will and Grace” and numerous others.

Peacock will be available both ad-supported and ad-free, though NBCUniversal didn’t announce any pricing just yet (Peacock will be included at no charge for Xfinity subscribers). SVOD pricing has been under pressure since Disney announced initial Disney+ pricing at $6.99/month, with Apple TV+ following at $4.99/month. HBOMax is likely to be at the high end around $14.99/month.

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I’m pleased to present the 482nd edition of the VideoNuze podcast, with my weekly partner Colin Dixon of nScreenMedia.

First up this week Colin and I assess the prospects for Apple TV+, now that we know the full details of pricing, promotion, devices and content. I really like how Apple TV+ is being bundled for free for a year for Apple device buyers as an easy on ramp to give the service a try. Colin agrees, but cautions that absent Android support, Apple TV+ remains mainly an effort to bolster the Apple ecosystem, not close to a full competitor to other SVOD services.

Colin then shares key data from TiVo’s latest Video Trends report, which finds the video market’s competition continuing to intensify. Free, ad-supported services like Pluto TV and Tubi are growing strongly, TV networks’ sites are slipping and surprisingly, virtual MVPDs appear to be losing some viewership.  

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Apple finally revealed details of its Apple TV+ SVOD service and by all accounts it looks poised to get off to a fast start when it launches on November 1st. Positives include 9 original shows from A-list talent, low pricing of $4.99 per month, 1 week trial period, ad-free viewing, binge-watching (albeit limited to 3 episodes per show to start), account sharing for 6 family members and downloading.

But the biggest tailwind Apple TV+ will enjoy is that it will be bundled for a free year for buyers of new or Apple-refurbished iPhones, iPads, iPod touches, Apple TVs and Macs who activate Apple TV+ within 3 months of their purchase. That means millions of viewers will become exposed to Apple TV+ at no cost, especially during the all-important holiday season. There is virtually no upfront friction since the Apple TV app is pre-installed on all these devices, including Macs running the latest macOS.

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I’m pleased to present the 481st edition of the VideoNuze podcast, with my weekly partner Colin Dixon of nScreenMedia.

On this week’s podcast we explore research from Hub Entertainment which found viewers are now almost equally split between using pay-TV and an online source as their default way to watch TV. It’s a meaningful change from just a year ago and is still further evidence of how much viewers’ behaviors are changing.

Still more change is coming soon as Disney+ comes to market, and we discuss new UBS research which found the service already has very high levels of awareness and intended interest. As Disney+ audience builds this could also impact the incumbents’ status as the default.

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Click here to listen to the podcast (18 minutes, 43 seconds)

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Startup Eluvio has an ambitious vision for next-gen video delivery that would enable content providers to bypass using traditional content delivery networks (CDNs). Eluvio has launched a software platform called Eluvio Content Fabric, which would stream live, linear, on-demand or hybrid video from a content provider’s single source file, eliminating the need for pre-generating and storing multiple files.

Michelle Munson, CEO and co-founder of Eluvio, explained that this more efficient approach would both improve the economics of video delivery and also create dynamic new content experiences. Lower delivery costs would result from reduced need for transcoding, cloud storage and aggregation.

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Audiences are fragmenting their viewing more than ever, which is in turn creating more choices for video ad buyers to allocate their budgets. But with these choices has come increasing complexity for how to maximize return on investment and especially which technology platforms to partner with.

Late last week Forrester released its “New Wave: Cross-Channel Video Advertising Platforms” report for Q3, 2019, a really valuable analysis of 13 different technology platforms powering advertisers’ campaigns across a variety of video channels (including traditional TV, addressable linear, streaming, connected TV and online video). Video ad buyers across the spectrum would find the report useful both for assessing the 13 different companies covered and also as a review of all the capabilities needed to optimize video advertising going forward.

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I’m pleased to present the 480th edition of the VideoNuze podcast, with my weekly partner Colin Dixon of nScreenMedia.

The stakes keep increasing for Apple’s original programming, as the company has reportedly upped its commitment to the initiative to $6 billion. As Colin and I discuss, the company is likely starting to realize just how much it will take to put its Apple TV+ SVOD service on the map. Colin suggests a studio acquisition may even be essential, and suggests possibly Sony Pictures.

All this is unfolding against a rapidly declining transactional video market, in which Apple has been a key player, with consumer behavior moving to subscriptions.

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Click here to listen to the podcast (22 minutes, 5 seconds)
 

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The VideoNuze podcast is also available in iTunes...subscribe today!

The Financial Times reported that Apple has committed to spend $6 billion on original TV shows and movies for its upcoming Apple TV+ service, which will launch in November. That’s up from the $1 billion it was reportedly budgeting just 2 years ago. The increase no doubt reflects the hard reality that has set in at Apple about what it’s going to cost to compete, rather than just dip its toe in the SVOD water.

Included in the budget is a $300 million commitment for 20 episodes of “The Morning Show” with Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell (working out to $15 million per episode). Bloomberg separately reported the monthly price will be $9.99, above the introductory $6.99 per month Disney+ price but below Netflix’s $12.99 per month price. Though Apple teased a number of its upcoming shows at its big March media event, it didn’t reveal anything on pricing.

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