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Tag: Jason Kilar

  • HBO Max and HBO end 2021 with ~73.8 million subscribers globally

    HBO Max and HBO end 2021 with ~73.8 million subscribers globally

    Mumbai: HBO Max and HBO have ended 2021 with ~73.8 million subscribers across the globe, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar announced on Wednesday ahead of the company’s fourth quarter earnings call.

    It has added 4.4 million subscribers in the fourth quarter beating its July 2021 forecast to end the year with 70-73 million subscribers. In October 2019, at an investor day event, the company was projected to reach 75-90 million subscribers by the end of 2025. However, it achieved that goal almost four years early, noted Kilar.

    “To say that this is a remarkable result would be an understatement,” said Kilar. “This performance is beyond what had been our best laid plans at the start of 2021.”

    After the service launched in the US in 2020, it was launched in 45 more countries in 2021. HBO Max is expected to arrive in India in 2022. HBO Max is distributed as an app across devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, Google Chromecast, Roku and a host of smart TVs. WarnerMedia has also launched an ad-supported version of HBO Max which offers the service to consumers at a lower price.

    At the beginning of 2021, the company had taken the controversial decision to release its slate of films under Warner Bros. Pictures simultaneously in theatres and HBO Max ignoring the theatrical window completely. This meant that the movie studio’s 18 films were available on the streaming service at the same time as their theatrical release. “We took a thoughtful risk (and some understandable heat), and it has worked,” remarked Kilar.

    Impressive content launches by the company include ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, ‘Mare of Easttown’, ‘Friends Reunion’, ‘The White Lotus’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘Dune’, ‘Succession’, ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ and ‘Return of Hogwarts’.

    The service also launched its live sports offering by picking up the rights to UEFA Champions League in Brazil and Mexico.

  • WarnerMedia names Jason Kilar as CEO

    WarnerMedia names Jason Kilar as CEO

    MUMBAI: WarmerMedia has announced that media, entertainment and technology executive Jason Kilar will be its new CEO, effective 1 May. He will report to AT&T president and chief operating officer John Stankey.

     “Jason is a dynamic executive with the right skill set to lead WarnerMedia into the future. His experience in media and entertainment, direct-to-consumer video streaming and advertising is the perfect fit for WarnerMedia, and I am excited to have him lead the next chapter of WarnerMedia’s storied success,” said Stankey. “Our team led by Bob Greenblatt, Ann Sarnoff, Gerhard Zeiler and Jeff Zucker has done an amazing job establishing our brands as leaders in the hearts and minds of consumers. Adding Jason to the talented WarnerMedia family as we launch HBO Max in May gives us the right management team to strategically position our leading portfolio of brands, world-class talent and rich library of intellectual property for future growth.”

    “In partnership with this world-class team, I'm so excited for the opportunity to lean into the future at WarnerMedia,” said Kilar. “Stories well told have always mattered, and they matter even more in this challenging time for the world. It will be a privilege to invent, create, and serve with so many talented people. 1 May can't get here soon enough.”

    Kilar previously was the founding CEO of Hulu and SVP at Amazon. He was CEO of Hulu from its start in 2007 until 2013. He served in several leadership positions at Amazon from 1997 to 2006, including SVP of Worldwide Application Software. Also, Kilar was co-founder & CEO of video streaming service Vessel from 2013 to 2017. Additionally, he served as a board member at DreamWorks Animation (2013-2016) and Univision Communications (2016-2020). He holds a bachelor’s degree (journalism & business) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Harvard Business School. 

  • Universal Music inks deal with Vessel to premiere music videos online

    Universal Music inks deal with Vessel to premiere music videos online

    MUMBAI: Universal Music Group (UMG) and Vessel, an online video service, have inked an agreement to premiere select UMG videos through Vessel for an exclusive time period before making the content available on free, ad-supported services.

     

    Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said, “Vessel represents the latest business model innovation for premium short-form content and we’re pleased to extend our industry-leading track record of empowering entrepreneurs who are growing the playing field for new content services. Jason and his team recognize the substantial value of the music videos created by our world class roster of artists and have built a platform that promises fans a first-rate experience while providing artists and labels new ways to increase the monetization of their creative work.”

     

    Vessel CEO and co-founder Jason Kilar added, “We are excited to work with Lucian and everyone at Universal. Their team has a real gift for finding talented new voices and helping them reach a wider audience through new platforms like Vessel. It’s no secret that consumers love music videos. We look forward to giving Universal artists an amazing new home on Vessel.”

     

    The specific artist videos from UMG’s labels that will be featured on Vessel’s paid tier will be revealed in the coming weeks. 

     

    Vessel subscribers receive at least 72 hours of exclusive access to short-form, professionally produced content on mobile devices and the Web for the price of $2.99 a month. During the early access period, videos on Vessel can earn a multiple of 20-times more per-view compared with free, ad-supported online video services.

     

    After the exclusive time period, videos posted on Vessel become available on general ad-supported online services, including Vessel’s free, ad-supported offering.

  • Lucian Grainge, Jason Kilar elected to DreamWorks Animation board of directors

    Lucian Grainge, Jason Kilar elected to DreamWorks Animation board of directors

    MUMBAI: DreamWorks Animation announced that at its upcoming annual meeting of stockholders, scheduled to be held on 29 May, 2013, current directors Nathan Myhrvold and Richard Sherman will retire from the company‘s board of directors.
     
    Universal Music Group chairman CEO Lucian Grainge and Hulu former CEO Jason Kilar will be nominated for election as new directors.
     
    Myhrvold is Intellectual Ventures CEO and has served on the DreamWorks Animation board of directors since the company went public in October of 2004. Sherman is The David Geffen Company CEO and has served as a DreamWorks Animation board member since November 2008.

    Dreamworks Animation founder and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said, "Nathan has served on our board for nearly ten years during which time his unique perspective and wise counsel has been invaluable – he will truly be missed. Likewise, Richard has played a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of our business and I am incredibly grateful for his contributions over the years.
     
    "Looking ahead, I am beyond excited at the prospect of welcoming Lucian and Jason to our Board. They are true superstars in their respective fields – Jason revolutionized how we consume content and Lucian is one of the most innovative forces in the music industry. The addition of their expertise to our already incredibly strong board will help take the company to new heights as we continue to grow our brand."

  • Andy Forssell is Hulu acting CEO

    Andy Forssell is Hulu acting CEO

    MUMBAI: Jason Kilar who stepped down as Hulu CEO has announced that Andy Forssell will be stepping up to lead Hulu as acting CEO.

    Hulu is a site and an OTT subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, TBS, and other networks and studios. It is co-owned by NBC, Fox and Disney.

    In a blog post Kilar wrote, “Andy has been a critical senior executive and has been here from the start of this great adventure. Andy exemplifies the Hulu culture and has been central to Hulu‘s journey, helping to grow this company from two content partners and no revenue to over 450 content partners and approximately $700 million revenue in 2012.

    “In his role, Andy has built strong relationships with many of our Board members. Andy has the Board‘s strong support in leading the team during this important time.”

    Kilar added that Disney and News Corp are currently finalising their forward-looking plans with Hulu, and the senior team has been working closely with them in that process. Once the plans are finalised, a permanent decision will be made regarding the CEO position.

    “As I mentioned to you all at the beginning of this year, Hulu‘s focus remains on delivering a fantastic 2013 for customers and shareholders. Hulu is well on its way, with new records being set in Q1 across both revenue and subscriber additions. The unwavering focus on delighting Hulu‘s customers is clearly showing up in the outputs of the business.”