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Tag: Hulu

  • Disney+, Hulu combined would own most hit titles in the US: Ampere Analysis

    Disney+, Hulu combined would own most hit titles in the US: Ampere Analysis

    Mumbai: A combined offering of Disney+ and Hulu would account for the largest share of the 100 most popular titles of any US subscription video on demand (SVoD) service. At approximately 30 per cent, the player would enjoy a comprehensive lead on Netflix’s 23 per cent, according to a recent study by Ampere Analysis.

    Shows from Disney’s Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and Hulu Originals, such as Only Murders in the Building and The Handmaid‘s Tale, are among them.

    Will Disney push to close the deal early? The US streaming platform Hulu is currently owned by Disney (67 per cent) and Comcast (33 per cent), who are due to reach a sale agreement in January 2024. However, recent reports suggest that Disney intends to close a deal sooner to take a 100 per cent stake and integrate the streamer into Disney+ as a combined offering.

    The merger seems logical to Ampere’s analysts, as Disney’s share of Hulu content has grown significantly, suggesting that the company has continued to invest considerably in the platform. Since September 2016, the proportion of Hulu’s catalogue for which Disney owns the distribution rights has tripled, from six per cent of all movies and TV shows to 19 per cent by September 2022.

    Meanwhile, the major studios without streaming platforms have reduced their contribution to Hulu’s content slate (down from 81 per cent in 2016 to 71 per cent in 2022), and those with their own streaming services have generally maintained or reduced their input. Specifically, the combined content from NBCUniversal, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery now makes up less than 10 per cent of all TV shows and movies on Hulu.

    Title reclamation is posing a threat to Hulu. The removal of content from Hulu to support newer services like Peacock, Paramount+, and HBO Max poses a threat to Hulu’s competitiveness. The streamer has already lost highly popular titles like America’s Got Talent (to Peacock), movies and TV shows set within the Star Trek universe (to Paramount+), and Family Matters (to HBO Max). If major studios reclaim their proprietary content, Hulu could lose 10 per cent of its overall catalogue. This figure rises to 37 per cent of Hulu’s 100 most popular titles, using Ampere’s popularity score metric, which tracks overall online engagement with a title.

    Ampere Analysis analyst Christen Tamisin said, “The threat of further popular or critically acclaimed titles leaving Hulu for rival platforms is a concern as engaging content is critical for subscriber retention, especially as the US SVoD market nears saturation. This risk makes the argument for Disney to merge Hulu and Disney+ into a single platform stronger.

    “On the other hand, Disney+ and Hulu’s complementary catalogues mean a combined platform would have a more diverse content offering—akin to that of other major market players—than the two standalone platforms have currently. While the Disney brand has long been associated with family-friendly content, Hulu has a broader, general-audience appeal, offering a wide range of genres and more adult-targeted titles,” he added.

  • Disney expects subscription decline in Disney+Hotstar in Q1 due to absence of the IPL

    Disney expects subscription decline in Disney+Hotstar in Q1 due to absence of the IPL

    Mumbai: Speaking to analysts during a conference call to announce its fourth quarter and annual results, Disney senior executive vice president & chief financial officer Christine McCarthy said that the expectation is that Disney+Hotstar subscribers will decline in Q1 of the current fiscal year due to the absence of the Twenty20 league, the IPL. The company’s expectation is that the overall DTC business will be profitable in 2024 as long as there is no meaningful shift in the economic climate. In Q4, the DTC business reached peak operating losses, which Disney expects to decline going forward.

    Disney’s share price had fallen by 10 per cent in after-hours trading after it missed earnings targets. It reported $20.15 billion in revenue growth in the fourth quarter, a nine per cent increase over the same period in the previous fiscal year. But $21.26 billion had been expected, according to Wall Street analysts. Disney’s income from operations for the quarter was $1.6 billion. This was a 55 per cent decrease from the previous quarter, but comparable to the same period the previous fiscal year.

    The company’s theme park division is rocking. It reported Q4 revenue of $7.42 billion, up 36 per cent from the same quarter in the previous fiscal year. On Disney+ subscriber net additions, it overachieved with 12.1 million versus the expected 9.35 million.

    “At Disney+ Hotstar, we are currently expecting that subscribers will decline in Q1 due to the absence of the IPL, but we do expect to see some stabilisation in Q2,” McCarthy stated. In Q4 of the recently concluded fiscal year, lower pay-per-view revenue at ESPN+ and slightly lower ad revenue at Hulu and Disney+ Hotstar also impacted direct-to-consumer revenue in the fourth quarter relative to the third quarter.

    She said that in Q4 of the recently concluded fiscal year, Hulu and ESPN+ added approximately one million and 1.5 million subscribers, respectively, during the quarter, while Disney+ added over 12 million global subscribers, of which a little less than three million were at Disney+ Hotstar. “Core Disney+ added over nine million subs in Q4, accelerating as expected versus the six million net ads we saw in the third quarter, reflecting the success of Disney+ Day and our tentpole content releases, in addition to continued growth from third quarter market launches. Nearly two million of these net ads were from the US and Canada, and a little over seven million were international Core editions,” she pointed out.

    Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the company is exactly one month from the US launch of Disney+’s ad-supported subscription offering, which he says is a win for audiences, advertisers, and shareholders. “The launch will bring fans a new slate of subscription plans across Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and the Disney Bundle, giving viewers flexibility in choosing an option that suits their needs. The offering also adds a key component to our total company advertising portfolio, and advertiser interest has been strong. We have been a leader in streaming advertising for some time and are bringing our years of experience leading ad tech and relationships to this important opportunity,” he said.

    He added, “Disney+ has secured more than 100 advertisers for our domestic launch window, spanning a wide range of categories. And our company has over 8,000 existing relationships with advertisers who will have the opportunity to advertise on Disney+. Strong base pricing reflects the value advertisers place on our audience, our brand-safe environment for their messages, and our sales experience. We also have proven technology to deliver a great advertising experience on day one.”

    “And importantly, we have the ability to scale and innovate for audiences and advertisers alike. We are incredibly excited about the launch of our new ad-supported subscription offering for Disney+, which rolls out on December 8th. 2022 was an important year of recovery coming out of the pandemic, as we made foundational investments in our long-term success. As we celebrate the three-year anniversary of Disney+ this week, I can’t help but reflect upon how our commitment to and substantial investment in our DTC business has helped create the world’s most powerful suite of streaming services with the ability to reach hundreds of millions of viewers around the world with must-see content, services that aren’t just content delivery systems but platforms that bring us closer to audiences than ever before and enable consumers to access more of The Walt Disney Company’s total offering,” he brought out.

    Chapek went on to say that while DTC losses reached a peak in Q4, those losses will decline. “It has taken just three short years for Disney+ to transform from a nascent business into an industry leader. That transformation is the direct result of the strategic decision we made at launch to heavily invest in our direct-to-consumer offering, a decision made knowing that achieving rapid growth would result in short-term losses. Building a streaming powerhouse has required significant investment. And now, with scale, an incredible content pipeline, and global reach, Disney+ is well-positioned to leverage our position for long-term profitability and success.”

    He said that the company’s financial results this quarter represent a turning point as it reached peak DTC operating losses, which it expects to decline going forward. “That expectation is based on three factors: first, the benefit of both price increases and the launch of the Disney+ ad tier next month; second, a realignment of our costs, including meaningful rationalisation of our marketing spend; and third, leveraging our learnings and experience in direct-to-consumer to optimise our content slate and distribution approach to deliver a steady state of high-impact releases that efficiently drive engagement and subscriber acquisition. With these factors, we believe we are on a path to a profitable streaming business that generates shareholder value long into the future. And assuming we do not see a meaningful shift in the economic climate, we still expect Disney+ to achieve profitability in fiscal 2024, as losses begin to shrink in the first quarter of fiscal 2023.”

    International Channels

    International Channels revenues for the quarter decreased 18 per cent to $1.1 billion, and operating income decreased 18 per cent to $0.1 billion, reflecting lower operating income from channels that operated for the entire current and prior-year quarters (ongoing channels), partially offset by a benefit from channel closures.

    Lower results from ongoing channels were primarily due to a decrease in ad revenue and, to a lesser extent, higher marketing spend and an unfavourable foreign exchange impact, partially offset by lower sports programming costs. The decrease in advertising revenue was due to lower average viewership, partially offset by higher rates. The decreases in sports programming costs and average viewership were due to the non-comparability of cricket events, reflecting the impact of covid-related timing shifts. The most significant impact was on the timing of Indian Premier League cricket matches, as there were no matches in the current quarter compared to 18 matches in the prior-year quarter.

    Overall for the company Chapek noted, “2022 was a strong year for Disney, with some of its best storytelling yet, record results at the parks, experiences, and products segment, and outstanding subscriber growth at the direct-to-consumer services, which added nearly 57 million subscriptions this year for a total of more than 235 million. Our fourth quarter saw strong subscription growth with the addition of 14.6 million total subscriptions, including 12.1 million Disney+ subscribers. The rapid growth of Disney+ in just three years since launch is a direct result of our strategic decision to invest heavily in creating incredible content and rolling out the service internationally, and we expect our DTC operating losses to narrow going forward and that Disney+ will still achieve profitability in fiscal 2024, assuming we do not see a meaningful shift in the economic climate.”

    He goes on, “By realigning our costs and realising the benefits of price increases and our Disney+ ad-supported tier coming on 8 December, we believe we will be on the path to achieve a profitable streaming business that will drive continued growth and generate shareholder value long into the future. And as we embark on Disney’s second century in 2023, I am filled with optimism that this iconic company’s best days still lie ahead.”

    He added that Q4 was also the first time in Disney history that the company released tentpole original content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic. “This is an indication that we are now at a full cadence of new releases as we hit our steady state. As evidenced, Hocus Pocus 2 was a smash hit, becoming not only the most watched premiere on Disney+, but also a Nielsen record-setting streaming movie with 2.7 billion minutes viewed in its first weekend. And Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel completed its run in July, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law debuted in August, contributing to subscriber growth and driving substantial engagement.”

    He spoke about Lucasfilm’s Andor, a spy thriller that explores the backstory of Cassian Andor, a popular character from Rogue One. This, he said, earned rave reviews and showcases the company’s ability to extend stories from the big screen to streaming services. “Turning to general entertainment, the critically acclaimed Prey from 20th Century Studios was Hulu’s biggest premiere ever across all films and series and was the most watched film premiere on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories. Looking ahead, we are thrilled that audiences are returning to the box office for blockbuster films, and we have big plans for the big screen in fiscal year 2023. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens this Friday, and Ryan Coogler has delivered yet another culture-defining powerful film.”

    He is excited about Avatar: The Way of Water, which opens on 16 December and is the sequel to the highest grossing film of all time. “James Cameron and his team have once again created something truly magical using groundbreaking technology. The audience is as excited as we are to return to Pandora. And given the strong performance of September’s rerelease of the original Avatar, we can’t wait for the film to hit screens. Our Searchlight studio continues to deliver critically acclaimed films, and three fantastic titles will be in theatres this quarter: The Banshees of Inisherin, which has earned critical acclaim since its Venice premiere; The Menu, starring Ray Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy; and The Empire of Light, from Academy Award winner Sam Mendes.

    “Looking even further into 2023, we’ll see the theatrical releases of three highly anticipated Marvel films, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and The Marvels. And we could not be more excited about Disney’s live-action. The Little Mermaid, a reimagining of one of the most popular animated films of all time, stars Halle Bailey, whose rendition of Part of Your World has already lit up the internet. We’re also bringing 999 happy haunts to life with the hilarious new live-action Haunted Mansion featuring an all-star cast. Pixar will debut an all-new original feature, Elemental. And Harrison Ford is back in the eagerly awaited fifth Indiana Jones film, which is going to be spectacular.”

    In terms of the theme park business, he said that Disneyland Paris is enjoying a great resurgence. “Our fantastic new Marvel Avengers Campus opened on 20 July, and guests love the highly immersive and dynamic environment of the first ever Marvel-themed land in Europe. Prior to the recent closure of Shanghai Disney Resort, we were seeing positive momentum there and at Hong Kong Disneyland. We are hopeful that the situation will improve and are thinking of all of our employees there as we manage through the challenging covid environment. Our Disney Cruise Line is showing strong signs of recovery.”

    He explains that one of the things that guests loved most was the opportunity to celebrate at Disney’s parks, as evidenced by the post-pandemic return and sell-out of special ticketed events like Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. “I visited Disneyland with my family just before Halloween, and the celebration was phenomenal. Tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World have now officially gone on sale, and over half of all dates have already sold out. As you know, we are about to embark on the company’s 100th anniversary celebration.”

    McCarthy noted that the parks, experiences, and products segment had another stellar quarter, with DPEP operating income in the fourth quarter more than doubling versus the prior year at $1.5 billion. One thing she noted is that Disney’s parks in the US are now getting more visitors from outside the US, and the level is around the same as pre covid. “Our domestic parks delivered significant year-over-year revenue and operating income growth despite an adverse impact of approximately $65 million to segment operating income from Hurricane Ian. And per-capita spending remained strong, increasing 6% versus Q4 of fiscal 2021 and nearly 40% versus fiscal 2019, reflecting the continued popularity of premium offerings, including Genie+ and Lightning Lane.

    “We are also making meaningful progress on the return of international visitors to our domestic parks, particularly at Walt Disney World, where the mix of international attendance in the fourth quarter was roughly in line with pre-pandemic levels. Looking toward fiscal 2023, while we continue to monitor our booking trends for any macroeconomic impacts, we are still seeing robust demand at our domestic parks and are anticipating a strong holiday season in Q1. Disney Cruise Line was also a meaningful contributor to the year-over-year increase in domestic parks and experiences’ operating income in Q4, reflecting the successful launch of the Disney Wish in July and the continued recovery of the existing fleet coming out of the pandemic. To date, occupancy for the Wish continues to exceed 90 per cent, while we have also seen a meaningful pickup in the rest of our fleet, with booked revenue up versus pre-pandemic levels.

    “At international parks, fourth quarter results also improved significantly year over year, driven by continued strength at Disneyland Paris, partially offset by a decrease at Shanghai Disney Resort. As Bob mentioned, the situation in Shanghai has recently been challenging. The park is currently closed, and we do not yet have visibility to a reopening date. Q4 results at consumer products also increased versus the prior year, driven by higher merchandise licencing results across several of our key franchises, including Mickey and Friends, Encanto, and Toy Story.”

  • Jimmy Kimmel to host The Oscar Awards for a third time

    Jimmy Kimmel to host The Oscar Awards for a third time

    Mumbai: Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show host and producer Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the 95th Oscars. This is Hollywood’s most prestigious awards show. The announcements were made by executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner. Kimmel hosted back-to-back broadcasts in 2017 (the 89th Awards) and 2018 (the 90th Awards). Molly McNearney will serve as an executive producer. The 95th Oscars will air live on ABC in the US and in broadcast outlets in over 200 territories worldwide on Sunday, 12 March, 2023. In India, the show will air on Star Movies Live early in the morning on 13 March. It will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

    “We’re super thrilled to have Jimmy score his hat trick on this global stage. We know he will be funny and ready for anything!”, said Weiss and Kirshner.

    “Jimmy is the perfect host to help us recognise the incredible artists and films of our 95th Oscars. His love of movies, live TV expertise, and ability to connect with our global audiences will create an unforgettable experience for our millions of viewers worldwide. With Kimmel, Weiss, and Kirshner’s fresh perspective and masterful guidance, the Oscars will celebrate its rich 95-year history, the collaborative nature of moviemaking, and our diverse, dynamic, and deeply creative community of filmmakers,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang.

    “Having Jimmy Kimmel return to host ‘The Oscars’ is a dream come true. As we see every night on his own show, Jimmy can handle anything with both heart and humor, and we know that he will deliver the laughs and celebratory moments that define the Oscars. We love being the home of Hollywood’s biggest night and can’t wait to toast the success of this year’s cinema and storytelling,” said ABC Entertainment, Hulu, and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals president Craig Erwich.

    “Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honour or a trap. Either way, I am grateful to the Academy for asking me so quickly after everyone good said ‘no,’” said Kimmel.

    Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and recently signed a three-year contract extension, making him one of the longest-running talk show hosts in American television history.

  • Banijay confirms proposed acquisition of Beyond International

    Banijay confirms proposed acquisition of Beyond International

    MUMBAI: Banijay has entered into a Scheme Implementation Deed (Scheme) to acquire Beyond International. It is a scripted and non-scripted multi-territory content group. Beyond has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987, but once the Scheme is implemented it will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and its shares will cease to be publicly traded.

    Complementing Banijay’s existing catalogue of over 130,000 hours, Beyond Rights plays home to more than 8,000 hours of IP. From third-party producers and in-house production, its key distributed titles include, but are not limited to, Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue: 401, Massive Engineering Mistakes, Halifax: Retribution, MythBusters and Deadly Women.

    Elsewhere, with a track record of production in English-language markets, Beyond Productions’ latest titles include the recently announced Back in the Groove, a new dating series for Hulu, produced in partnership with Walt Disney Television Alternative; multi-territory franchise, Love It or List It Australia; the 8-part scripted series Troppo (co-produced with EQ Media) screening on Freevee USA and ABC Australia, and several yet-to-be-announced new series in production across a number of markets.

    Beyond International MD & CEO Mikael Borglund, remains in his current role.

    Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti said, “As content demand continues to soar, catalogue remains key, and in acquiring Beyond, we would take our offering up considerably. Primarily bolstering our IP and production portfolio in the English-language and factual space, with Beyond’s complementary content, the deal can enhance our position as a leading go-to for clients and commercial partners alike.”

    Borglund said, “The Beyond Board is very much supportive of the deal, which will see us join Banijay’s group, bolstering its standing in what is an increasingly competitive market. Joining a leading global business like this is a very exciting opportunity for us and we look forward to collaborating on newfound opportunities ahead.”

    The acquisition would see Banijay take full control of the Beyond International Ltd group of companies and departments, with all elements of the business boarding the former’s own production and distribution footprint.

    The implementation of the Scheme remains subject to certain conditions including Beyond shareholders’ approval, court approval and other customary closing conditions. It is hoped the deal will close at the end of 2022 or by the beginning of 2023.

    Banijay is being advised on the transaction by Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

  • Disney+ announces Alisa Bowen as its new president

    Disney+ announces Alisa Bowen as its new president

    Mumbai: Alisa Bowen has been named Disney+ president, effective immediately. In this role, Bowen will build on the flagship streaming service’s reputation as a global destination for premium content. Bowen has led global business operations for Disney’s streaming platforms, including Disney+, since its launch in 2019. In that time, Disney+ has expanded rapidly, growing its reach to 154 markets worldwide with 152.1 million total subscriptions as of the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2022.

    Bowen will work closely with key leaders across Disney to drive continued focus on innovation, including the forthcoming launch of the ad-supported tier, as well as multi-channel promotional support for Disney+ and its robust content slate. Regional leaders for Disney+ in Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Latin America will report jointly to Bowen and regional leadership. Bowen will continue to report to Michael Paull, president of Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution Direct to Consumer.

    “Alisa has been an indispensable member of our leadership team since the inception of Disney+. She possesses a rare and valuable combination of deep institutional knowledge, forward-thinking innovation, and global vision rooted in a strong focus on our consumers that is perfectly suited for this critical role, and I am confident that she will have an immediate and positive impact on the business,” said Paull.

    “Disney+ is a phenomenal growth story and has delighted fans around the world on a tremendous scale. We have a best-in-class team behind this success, and I’m excited to partner with them in this new role as we drive the next phase of Disney+ growth. Our upcoming content is incredibly exciting, and we are committed to innovation to give our fans and subscribers the best possible experience, including more choice on how they can enjoy Disney+,” said Bowen.

    Bowen is a seasoned media executive with decades of experience in product, technical, and operational leadership roles in several global media organisations. She most recently served as Disney Streaming executive VP of global business operations. She oversaw global content and business operations for the company’s direct-to-consumer video streaming businesses, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+. This included cross-functional leadership of the global Disney+ rollout in 154 markets worldwide.

    She joined Disney in 2017 as SVP of digital media and CTO of the company’s international operations, where she led a transformation of Disney’s channel broadcast technology, content operations, and digital publishing across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

    Prior to Disney, Bowen served as News Corp Australia’s CTO, where she was responsible for the digital transformation strategy, including the pivot to digital subscription business models and the launch of new digital advertising offerings. She has also held product, business operations, and general management leadership positions at major media organisations.

  • US SVod revenues to be flat from 2024-2027: Digital TV Research

    US SVod revenues to be flat from 2024-2027: Digital TV Research

    Mumbai: Despite being the world’s most mature market, US SVod (subscription video-on-demand) revenues will grow by $14 billion from $43 billion in 2021 to a peak of $56 billion in 2024, according to new data from Digital TV Research. However, revenue growth will be almost flat from 2024 to 2027 due to price competition and new hybrid AVoD-SVoD tiers from major players such as Disney+ and Netflix.

    Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said, “Netflix will remain the SVoD revenue winner. However, the platform will lose $1.4 billion in SVoD revenues between 2022 and 2027 due to lower ARPUs from 2023. Netflix will more than recoup these SVoD revenue losses with AVoD (Advertising-based video on demand) sales.”

    Netflix will have 63 million subscribers by 2027 – down by 4 million from 2021. Hulu, Disney+, HBO and Paramount+ will each boast 40-50 million subscribers by 2027. Some consolidation – mergers and closures – is likely.

  • Original and exclusive content constitue Netflix’s entire US library

    Original and exclusive content constitue Netflix’s entire US library

    Mumbai: The number of original and exclusive titles in Netflix’s US catalogue accounted for more than 50 per cent of all available content for the first time in the company’s history in March 2022, according to a report.

    Ampere’s Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) tracking data indicates that there are now over 3,700 original-branded (i.e. original and exclusive) movies and TV seasons in the Netflix US library, which has consistently offered around 7,000 titles over the last three years.

    Among the major SVoD platforms, Netflix is second only to the much smaller Apple TV+ in its focus on original-branded content. It’s far ahead of fellow longstanding streaming incumbents Amazon Prime Video (9 per cent) and Hulu (4 per cent).

    Netflix’s original content investment reached $6.2 billion in 2021. Originals have been a major focus of Netflix’s content strategy. In September 2016, when originals and exclusives accounted for only 5 per cent of its US catalogue, the then CFO David Wells set a target of a 50/50 split between original and licensed titles within the next few years. This transition to the majority of original titles is a product of Netflix’s market-leading spending.

    Content data shows that the group has outspent every other SVoD company on original content each year since 2013 and has consistently increased its yearly investment. Netflix’s original content spend peaked at $6.2 billion in 2021, more than double the next highest spender, Disney+, with $2.8 billion.

    Netflix owns some of the most-watched SVoD content, including Bridgerton. Such investment has helped make Netflix a prominent distributor of popular content. Ampere’s proprietary Popularity score indicates that across Q1 2022, Netflix originals and exclusives accounted, on average, for 12 per cent of the 100 most popular titles available on SVoD in the US, the highest share of any SVoD platform.

    Notable titles include the final season of crime series Ozark and the second season of period drama Bridgerton, which recently became the most-watched English-language TV series on Netflix.

    Ampere Analysis analyst Joe Hall said, “Netflix’s increasing content self-sufficiency is necessary for today’s streaming market. The rise of studio-led direct-to-consumer platforms has led to a shrinking pool of licensable content as studios prefer to keep productions in-house. Original content also allows platforms to offer exclusive titles internationally without additional licensing costs. This is particularly important as Netflix sets its sight on acquiring more international subscribers to compensate for maturity in developed markets.”

    75 percent of titles on Netflix will be original or exclusive by the end of 2024. Under current growth rates, Ampere estimates that 75 per cent of the movies and TV seasons available on Netflix will be either originals or exclusives by the end of 2024.

  • Disney taps Google’s Jeremy Doig to lead its streaming as CTO

    Disney taps Google’s Jeremy Doig to lead its streaming as CTO

    Mumbai: Media conglomerate Disney has roped in Google veteran Jeremy Doig as the new chief technology officer for Disney Streaming. In this role, Doig will report directly to Disney Streaming president Michael Paull.

    Doig brings 30 years of experience in online media to lead the technology organisation and global technology strategy for The Walt Disney Company’s portfolio of direct-to-consumer streaming services. He will play a key role in driving the next phase of technical innovation and growth for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+.

    During his 18 year career at Google, Doig developed new standards for online media, spanning novel compression approaches for audio and video, streaming protocols for real-time and on-demand delivery, and spatial experiences.

    “Jeremy is a true visionary that has sat at the forefront of making online video streaming possible in his nearly 30-year career at the intersection of technology and media, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Disney Streaming leadership team, ” remarked Michael Paull. “We have an exceptional team of global technologists, and Jeremy’s experience leading transformational initiatives in complex and dynamic environments will make him an incredible asset to lead this world-class group.”

    “I am thrilled to be joining The Walt Disney Company at this crucial moment in the entertainment industry, ” said Doig in a statement.

  • Our approach to local language deals is driven by talent: Beatrice Springborn

    Our approach to local language deals is driven by talent: Beatrice Springborn

    Universal International Studios has been leaning into local language productions over the last six months, reveals president Beatrice Springborn at the Series Mania Forum 2022 on Tuesday. The studio has partnered with French-Vietnamese writer and showrunner Quoc Dang Tran who is behind the series “Call My Agent!” and “Parallèles.”

    In a session moderated by Deadline international TV editor Max Goldbart, Springborn outlines Universal Studios’ ambitions as well as the company’s ability to meet global demand. Springborn has been an influential figure in TV for over two decades. She took over the reins at Universal International Studios in October 2020 after the exit of Jeff Wachtel. Before joining Universal, she was associated with Hulu and led the comedy and drama development, co-productions, and casting across Hulu’s acclaimed and award-winning slate of originals.

    Edited Excerpts:

    How has your past at Hulu shaped your experience at Universal so far?

    I was at Hulu for almost seven years. I don’t think I would have been able to do this job without having been a buyer. When I was a buyer, what was appealing to me about the studios that came to us was that they had a point of view and weren’t necessarily dictating to our mandate. I think it is important as a seller to have confidence in what you want to sell. Network mandates change all the time and our executives need to have a very strong vision of what they want to do and stand behind that. I think that’s appealing to a buyer. My experience at Hulu very much helped how I saw creativity.

    What are Universal International Studios’ ambitions to meet global demand in a world that is replete with content?

    Universal is in a unique place because we have a wide library, lots of IP and while that’s an overused word, when you look at the films we’ve made, the shows that we’ve scripted, our distributor networks, we’ve got amazing deals from executives around the world. We’ve been able to take advantage of that. 

    We always talk about how we’re Universal and while that sounds like a catchphrase, it applies to everything we do. I think about how as a studio you can add value. Our deals are the same as anyone else but we need to be great executives where we’re a partner, creative collaborator to talent. We don’t just want to have a business, we want to offer our point of view, our experience and our connections. A lot of the time we’ve arranged marriages across studios outside the studio based on our relationships as well. My experience has been very much based on book-based development. I love getting ahead of the book market and bringing a really special book to a piece of talent.

    What are the big projects coming down the track and something that you’re particularly excited about?

    After having developed nine exciting series for Hulu, I’m excited for us to be doing “Apples Never Fall” for Peacock (streaming service) with Melanie Marnich. She is producing the series with David Heyman.

    We’re also doing “While Justice Sleeps” with Stacy Abrams and she’s been a joy to collaborate with. It is an honour to be talking to someone who’s such a prolific creator and has been able to create a career for herself in novel writing. 

    We have some projects coming down the pipe which are our local language deals. We just did this deal with Quoc (Dang Tran) who did “Parallèles” for Disney+ and “Marianne” for Netflix. He’s also done “Call My Agent!” He’s got an incredibly wide range of genre experience from family TV to Netflix comedy and we’re excited to be working with him. He heads the projects that we’re already starting to talk about.

    Last year you struck a deal with Buendía Estudios in Spain, is this where you see the future, striking deals with top European talent in such a way?

    We’re looking to expand into new territories. We don’t necessarily want to go to Spain or Italy but we ask who’s the great talent there. We’re going to be announcing a few other deals in other territories like Spain but they’re going to be driven by people who we’re excited to be in the business with. The way we’re looking at our local language originals, we’re going to be more focused on talent. With the Quoc deal, we not only want to be in France but we want to be with the incredible writing talent and quality. We pursued him heavily to come and work with us especially because he could work across so many different genres so successfully. The additional deals that you will see us doing, will be driven from talent first and territory second.

    What’s your process to find the best talent?

    Typically, it comes from referrals from another talent. In some of the deals we’ve done across the studio, a showrunner has come to us and said I love this writer, you should get to know them. We love that because it is a referral network of people who have loved working with us in the past. Sometimes it is just sampling, like reading something amazing or watching a lot of films, plays and theatre. It is across the board in terms of how we’re discovering talent. 

    How does discovering talent dovetail with your taste? What are you enjoying at the moment?

    I have a nine-year-old daughter so we watch a lot of cooking shows across the board. Everything from “Nailed It!” where amateurs try baking and it doesn’t end up great. For the past two years, I’ve loved “It’s a Sin,” the Russell T Davies show. It was done with so much joy and has a great cast.

    My experience is from working at Hulu and a lot of the shows that we developed there, have started to come out now. You will see that some of the shows that we worked like “Only Murders in the Building” subvert genre and tone. That’s one of the things you’ll see from across the Universal studio while creating for Peacock. 

    “Apples Never Fall” which is coming out on Peacock shows my love for books. I’ve been really lucky in my career to have people who’ve trusted me and I feel the same way about the executives who work here. It is hard to have confidence in your creative opinion and be surrounded by people who have their point of view. I don’t want this studio to be worn in my image. I want everyone else to be contributing, coming with their input and hopefully getting shows for everyone which is borne from their passion.

    You’re focused creatively on European talent based on the stuff you’ve announced. What do you think is the current landscape for European content?

    When I’m talking to the creative about the studio, I’m talking about television, so it’s all the same and I don’t think people see those boundaries anymore. Everything from the often referenced “Squid Game” to “Normal People” and shows we’re seen across the board, people don’t look at a piece of content and say that’s an international show, I’m not going to watch it. We’ve seen the world open up in a way that is embracing all kinds of content. Shows like “Squid Game” ripped up the rulebook that defined the popularity of non-English language programming. I also think people want to travel after all this time and experience another culture. There’s a real openness in audiences today to embrace other cultures.

    We’re looking for local and foreign-language shows. Local for the global is a strategy but I also think looking global for local, there is a real emphasis on finding stories that you might not think may translate for the audience but people are just interested in the human experience without language boundaries. So, we’re looking for creators first even if they’re coming from a non-English background to speak to them and experience that universal human connection.

    There are a couple of Universal shows where authenticity comes out such as “We Are Lady Parts”. What’s the process for producers to make a show as authentic as it can be?

    Working Title Television, one of our production partners worked on “We Are Lady Parts” along with Nida Manzoor. Nida had such a specific experience, humour and heart to the show that no one else but her could have brought that authenticity. I think the best way to construct a show is by having the right people and the right chemistry. Like “We Are Lady Parts” could not have been made without Nida there are many shows like that which are lightning in a bottle not because it was a piece of IP that was reverse engineered but because of the amazing group of people that went into producing it.

    What are your key priorities for the next few months?

    I’m seeing a few other local language deals. We’re coming out in some bigger territories and some deals were borne out of us being in love with a certain show or having read a script from the creators. We reached out to them and wooed them to come to Universal. A lot of the deals are based on the relationships that we have with creators. There are some people who I worked with at Hulu and some of them were people, other people I knew worked with. All those deals have emerged out of collaboration and from a relationship perspective first. 

  • Pamela Anderson to ‘tell the real story’ in new Netflix documentary

    Pamela Anderson to ‘tell the real story’ in new Netflix documentary

    Mumbai:  “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson is keen to set the record straight with a new documentary on Netflix. 

    The star, whose life story, tumultuous marriage to rocker Tommy Lee, and the controversy surrounding the leak of their sex tape in the 1990s is the subject of the recently released Hulu series “Pam & Tommy,” announced the news about her documentary on social media with a handwritten note.

    “My life/ A thousand imperfections/ A million misperceptions/ Wicked, wild and lost/ Nothing to live up to /I can only surprise you /Not a victim, but a survivor /And alive to tell the real story,” she said in the note.

    Anderson’s son Brandon Thomas Lee, who serves as a producer on the project, reposted the note on his Instagram Story and captioned it: ‘The real story,’ as did her younger son Dylan Jagger Lee.

    Dubbed the definitive documentary about the pop culture icon, the film has been in the making for several years. Directed by Ryan White, the yet-to-be-titled project will feature exclusive access to Anderson, as well as archival footage and her personal journals, reported Variety.

    The documentary has been dubbed as an intimate portrait embedded in the life of Pamela Anderson as she looks back at her professional and personal path and prepares for the next steps on her journey.