Netflix programming exec Diego Buñuel presented to two standing-room-only audiences last Tuesday at Sunny Side of the Doc in beautiful La Rochelle. It was the ‘event with the event.’ Delegates lined up for an hour beforehand to secure their seats. Netflix is that hot! The generous Diego is a former producer who comes from that great …
CuriosityStream is the subscription video online service created by Discovery founder John Hendricks to serve the audience that loves classic factual programs. Clint Stinchcomb is a veteran of the Discovery senior executive team. He went on to start up and lead other digital and traditional media franchises, and is now president and CEO of CuriosityStream. …
Why do Netflix-type Subscription Video On Demand / Over-The-Top (SVOD/OTT) services succeed? Or fail? My colleague Dr John Morse (Byron Media) shared a very useful presentation / webinar from research firm Parks Associates titled AVOIDING OTT’s TOP FIVE MISTAKES. The key is Subscriber Retention. More than 25% of current SVOD/OTT customers have recently cancelled a …
Rupert Murdoch stepped into his father’s brogues when he took aim at global power and profit. Rupert’s father Keith was the Australian kingmaker who taught the young Rupert how to leverage media ownership into political power. The son differs from the father by promoting racial and class resentment mixed with bigotry as a key tool …
Ellen Windemuth launched OFF THE FENCE from her basement 25 years ago. In this week’s podcast, Ellen: Looks back at her company’s launch. Reflects on the particular challenges then for women in a male-dominated industry. Explores how Off The Fence grew into an industry-leading independent distributor / producer with a turnover of around $20 million. Describes her …
Producers are on the receiving end of another rate card reduction from Amazon Prime Video Direct. The online retail behemoth is cutting U.S. royalties from the present range of 6 to 15 cents per-hour-viewed. The new rate is between 4 and 10 cents per-hour-viewed. A similar 33% rate reduction is being introduced in UK, Germany …
Quibi is showing up in my conversations as an active buyer that is outbidding legacy networks. The ‘Quibi’ brand name does not refer to a Vietnamese appetizer: It is short for ‘quick bites.’ Funded by Disney, Alibaba, Comcast and others, it is a video streaming venture run by corporate heavyweights Meg Whitman (CEO) and Jeffrey …
The feature documentary is booming. That’s the message from Sundance 2019. Reported bids for rights approach $20 million. Topping the list is Knock Down the House, the Sundance Audience Award winner that captures the run for Congress in 2018 of the “AOC” superstar Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The SVOD giant reportedly bid $10 million for worldwide rights. That’s …