Posts for 'Netflix'

Netflix management quashed viewer engagement concerns on its Q2 ’26 earnings video call yesterday. Recent reports about a falloff from season 1 to season 2 among some of Netflix’s important originals sparked worries that Netflix’s business may be slowing. 

But as Colin and I discuss, management forcefully stated that season 1 to season 2 viewership in the aggregate remains stable. Management also shared views on revenue and profitability growth, programming strategy and spending, the role of live content, the popularity of its gaming initiatives, and importantly, how AI is already being leveraged throughout the lifecycle of content production. 

Listen on to hear our key takeaways (29 minutes, 32 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Amid viewership challenges, Netflix continues to diversify into creator and short-form content, video podcasts and more. Is Netflix trying to YouTube-ify itself, and if so, will it work? We discuss all the angles. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (37 minutes, 17 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

On this week’s Inside the Stream we discuss:

• Netflix and Spotify luring podcaster Jay Shetty’s "On Purpose" to their platforms from YouTube and iHeartMedia
• YouTube’s new AI tagging initiative
• Comcast enabling YouTube TV sign-up and billing for Xfinity subscribers
• Roku’s new home screen

Listen to the podcast to learn more (26 minutes, 22 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Netflix reported more steady growth in Q1 ’26 as it transitions to maturity. But from advertising to gaming, and live sports to video podcasts, Netflix is innovating and staying opportunistic. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (26 minutes, 24 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Netflix has raised its prices again, with its ad-supported plan increasing by one dollar per month and its ad-free plans going up by two dollars. Netflix has the biggest price gap between ad-supported and ad-free plans, suggesting the company is guiding subscribers toward the former. 

Related to price increases, we also discuss how the monthly cost of the top six SVOD services compares to several years ago. We consider this in the context of Ampere’s forecast showing the global SVOD industry will top $200 billion in revenue in 2030. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (20 minutes, 59 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

New data from Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends report shows that 68% of consumers now subscribe to at least one ad-supported tier, up from 46% two years ago. The Deloitte data is the latest to highlight how consumers are managing their streaming budgets. We discuss this and other Deloitte findings. 

We also explore the implications of the short-lived Disney-OpenAI deal that unravelled with the demise of Sora, the ongoing push toward CTV-enabled commerce, with Walmart-Vizio and Samsung-Amazon all making announcements this week, and the MLB season opener on Netflix. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (23 minutes, 53 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

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.

Listen to the podcast to learn more (25 minutes, 10 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

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. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (25 minutes, 10 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

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. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (23 minutes, 49 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

 

In a bold move, Disney has licensed 200 of its characters for use in OpenAI’s Sora. In today’s podcast we discuss the benefits and risks of the deal, which opens a new chapter of collaboration between rights holders and AI platforms. We like Disney’s openness to user-generated content to better compete with YouTube, but are cautious about the effectiveness of the proposed guardrails in deterring misuse of Disney’s prized characters. 

Then we shift focus to the battle to own Warner Bros. Discovery. Colin thinks Netflix is likely to prevail, while I think Paramount has the edge. We explain why. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (22 minutes, 51 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Fubo’s deal with Disney has closed and during this week’s earnings call Fubo outlined the path forward. We discuss the four areas of benefit which were identified and what the future might look like. 

Then we explore Netflix’s new Monthly Active Viewers metric, which is defined as those who watched at least one minute of ads on Netflix per month, multiplied by Netflix’s estimated average number of people in a household. Netflix said it now has 190 million MAVs globally. We explore whether this a valuable metric or not. Last, we dig into new data from Gracenote which shows FAST growth and viewers’ frustrations. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (29 minutes, 3 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Netflix reported Q3 ’25 results this week and said it expects advertising revenue to more than double in 2025 vs. 2024. As Colin and I discuss, it wasn’t that long ago that Netflix rejected the idea of offering an ad-supported tier at all; now that tier is driving significant growth for the company. 

Meanwhile, with the NBA season underway, games on NBC and Peacock are being broadcast and streamed. But, we’re skeptical that the $27 billion 11-year rights deal is likely to pay off for Peacock in sustainable subscriber growth or significantly increased time watched. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (28 minutes, 57 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Netflix is getting closer to achieving parity revenue on subscribers to its ad-supported tier compared to subscribers to its ad-free. Colin shares his detailed analysis outlining the numbers. Then we discuss updates in the TV OS world including The Trade Desk inking a deal to bring Ventura OS to DIRECTV and Amazon launching Vega OS, which will replace Android on its Fire TVs. Last we explore the benefits of Fubo’s new deal to ingest ESPN content into its app.  

Listen to the podcast to learn more (25 minutes, 0 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

First up this week, A+E Global Media, which is co-owned by Disney and Hearst, is the latest group of cable TV networks for sale or spinoff, as media companies rush to divest themselves of troubled assets. We discuss the reasons behind the divestments, including the steep drop-off in viewership over the past four years. 

Next, Netflix is once again the number one ranked “must keep” brand in TV according to research from The Strategic Counsel. We explore what Netflix doing so well to keep retaining the top slot. 

Rounding out, HBO Max is, HBO Max again, after a two year distraction as Max, a branding no man’s land. And Apple is eyeing F1 streaming rights, another potential foray into sports. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (25 minutes, 16 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

In May, 2025 a milestone was reached according to Nielsen’s The Gauge: total streaming viewership surpassed total broadcast plus cable viewership for the first time. Streaming had a 44.8% viewership share while traditional TV had a 44.2% viewership share. To put these numbers in context, back in May 2021 streaming had a 26% share and traditional TV had a 64% share. 

As we discuss, there have been 4 main drivers of these seismic changes: (1) YouTube’s ascent as the number one destination for streaming content on CTVs, (2) the complete collapse of cable TV viewership, down from 39% four years ago to 24.1% now, driven in part by the disinvestment in cable TV networks by media companies in favor of their streaming services and (4) the rise of free ad-supported streaming services “FASTs” which have become broadly popular, especially among viewers 65 and over, with Tubi alone now having 100 million active viewers per month.

The combination of these factors has upended the TV industry. As we discussed on last week’s podcast, “Dissecting Warner Bros. Discovery’s Split,” Wall Street has taken notice. Just two companies - YouTube and Netflix - now have an estimated combined market value of over $1 trillion. Meanwhile the rest of the industry’s value has atrophied, with media companies now spinning off their cable TV networks. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (32 minutes, 25 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Netflix reported strong Q4 results, adding 19 million subscribers globally to end 2024 at nearly 302 million. We discuss what was behind the growth, which was up across all regions except EMEA where it was flat. Netflix’s huge scale gives it the ability to invest heavily in content, while others are pulling back.

Netflix’s ad-supported tier accounted for 55% of sign-ups where it’s available and we talk about the role this tier has played while password sharing has been eliminated. Last, Colin explains the important role of games in Netflix’s future.  

Separate, complimentary sign-up is now available for VideoNuze’s virtual CTV x AI conference on Feb. 25th. Grab a ticket now!

Listen to the podcast to learn more (33 minutes, 33 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Four topics for this week’s podcast:

Both Google and Roku announced new streaming media devices this week, with Google launching its Google TV Streamer, which is positioned as the “next generation of Chromecast,” and Roku releasing an updated version of its Roku Ultra. As we discuss, these are two companies at far ends of the TV OS battle, with Google somewhat surprisingly still a laggard, and Roku still a leader.

Next up, Disney+ officially launched its paid sharing globally, following its announcement earlier this year. Disney+ is clearly hoping to emulate the success Netflix had following its rollout of paid sharing, though as we detail, there are important differences between how Disney+ is executing that could lead to much different results.  

Then we discuss a newly announced initiative by Whip Media to bring more transparency to FAST viewership across channels. While this would be a step forward, as Colin explains there are critical challenges to making this a reality.  

Finally, we circle back to a report last Friday about remarks from Netflix’s co-CEO Greg Peters concerning the possibility of the company leaning into live sports. Peters said “never say never” about live sports and with nearly 280 million global subscribers, Netflix would have an immediate impact.

Listen to the podcast to learn more (32 minutes, 34 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Viewers’ shifting consumption from linear TV to streaming is well-documented, but multibillion-dollar write downs in Q2 ’24 at Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount helped quantify just how costly the shift has been to big media companies.

In today’s podcast we discuss the write downs and the broader industry context. When Discovery acquired WarnerMedia, it made a bet-the-company wager on the resiliency of linear TV that has gone completely wrong. Wall Street has ruthlessly punished WBD, knocking its stock down from a high of $77 in March, 2021 to just $7 recently, valuing the company at approximately $17 billion. To put that in context, Netflix’s market cap is now over $290 billion, over 42x WBD’s.

It’s hard to see any near-term positive catalysts for WBD, and if anything, TNT’s loss of NBA rights following this season will create even more pressure. As we detail, Internet economics have come to the TV industry, wiping out the artificial economics of the pay-TV world, and exposing the true current value of legacy cable TV networks. It’s a very unsettling picture.

Listen to the podcast to learn more (29 minutes, 3 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

Comcast reported Q2 ’24 results this week, including an update on Peacock, which cut its loss to $348 million in the quarter from $639 million a year ago. Peacock’s subscriber count increased from 24 million in Q2 ’23 to 33 million at the end of Q2 ’24, but that was actually down a million from the end of Q1 ’24. 

In this week’s podcast we discuss whether and when Peacock will turn the corner and become a scaled, profitable streaming service. Peacock is betting big on expensive sports to deliver, with the Olympics kicking off tonight, and a new multi-billion dollar NBA deal to be announced soon, validating our call for Peacock to "Go Big or Go Home" back in November, 2021.

Peacock was a very late entry to the streaming game, and according to MoffettNathanson, has lost at least $8 billion over the past 14 quarters. Colin and I explain why we aren’t convinced sports can carry the weight of Peacock’s turnaround, and agree that only time will tell. 

We then switch gears to discuss Netflix’s Q2 earnings and the company’s lagging ad-tier performance, which surprises both of us a bit. Veteran podcast listeners will recall that back in October, 2022 Colin and I expressed our optimism about the pending impact of paid sharing and the ad-tier. The former has been a monster success for Netflix, based at least partly on the expert execution of its rollout. The ad tier remains a work in progress but we remain confident Netflix will figure it out. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more (30 minutes, 46 seconds)

Browse all previous podcasts 

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS

We’re excited to have top Wall Street media analyst Michael Nathanson join us this week. Michael and his partner Craig Moffett of MoffettNathanson are the “one-two punch” of the TV, streaming and broadband industries. Their analyses and insights are widely considered best in class. Michael is an old friend, and we’re so pleased to have him join us in this exclusive, must-listen interview.

Among the many topics we cover: the recent decline in CTV CPMs due to Amazon’s market entry and why the new inventory will be digested, the competitive dynamics in the broader CTV/AVOD market, YouTube’s massive scale and Michael’s prediction that YouTube TV will be the pay-TV market leader in two years with 10 million subscribers, FAST’s potential, legacy media’s abysmal $30B cumulative loss on DTC services in the past 5 years, why streaming’s future will be driven by advertising and why the “unit value” of advertising is poised to soar due to AI and finally, the biggest potential surprise in the next year.

Anyone who wants to understand what’s really happening in the TV/streaming industries will find this exclusive interview invaluable.

Listen to the podcast now (44 minutes)

Browse all previous podcasts

Subscribe to Inside the Stream
Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Amazon Music  RSS