Think Broadband: BT wants to evolve customers to be EE customers

Story from Think Broadband:

News of changes for BT consumer customers is a bit confusing as even though the news emerged a couple of days ago there is little concrete detail. It seems that the reality is that the news item published on bt.com is setting a direction that is going to play out over a number of years, rather than happening immediately.

Channel 4 Takeover - BBC News: Netflix and Disney+ among streamers facing tighter regulation in UK

Story from BBC News:

Streaming services are set to be regulated by Ofcom for the first time, under government proposals that also reiterate plans to privatise Channel 4.

Channel 4 Takeover - Advanced Television: Broadcasting white paper: Industry reaction

Story from Advanced Television: 

In addition to early comment on the publication of the government’s proposals from ITV and the chair of the DCMS committee, a range of broadcasters and bodies have issued their initial reactions.

TVB Europe: BBC iPlayer reports best-ever quarter

Story from TVB Europe: 

Dramas including The Responder, Peaky Blinders, David Attenborough’s The Green Planet and the return of The Apprentice helped drive BBC iPlayer to its best-ever quarter, with programmes streamed 1.83 billion times between January and March.

Channel 4 Takeover - TVB Europe: Channel 4 scores England’s men’s football games

Story from TVB Europe:

In another major shake-up for the UK's football right market, Channel 4 has won the broadcast rights to a number of the England men’s team’s forthcoming matches.

Channel 4 Takeover - TVB Europe: New figures reveal viewers don’t want a privatised Channel 4

Story from TVB Europe: 

Over 96 per cent of the 55,737 organisations and individuals who responded to the UK government’s consultation on the future of Channel 4 said they did not support the privatisation of the broadcaster.

Channel 4 Takeover - TVB Europe: UK government sets out plans for TV industry’s future

Story from TVB Europe:

The UK government has published a white paper detailing its plans for the future of the TV industry, including the privatisation of Channel 4 and regulation for the global streaming services.

Channel 4 Takeover - BBC News: S4C praises plans for new rules for streaming services

Story from BBC News:

Viewers will be able to find Welsh programmes on-demand more easily under plans for a shake-up of broadcasting rules, S4C has said.

Hollywood Reporter; Hollywood CEO Pay: The Year of the Nine-Figure Club

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Many Hollywood CEOs saw their paydays increase in 2021, but a few — Endeavor mogul Ari Emanuel, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Amazon chief Andy Jassy — ended up in rarefied air by joining the nine-figure club.

TVB Europe: Viaplay wins UK rights to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland men’s football matches

Story from TVB Europe:

Viaplay’s new UK streaming service has snatched up the rights to at least 40 matches featuring the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish men’s national football teams.

Hollywood Reporter: David Zaslav Buys $1M in Warner Bros. Discovery Shares

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is doubling down on his faith in the newly merged media conglomerate.

Deadline: WarnerMedia Employees Asked To Return To Office On Short Notice By Warner Bros. Discovery

Story from Deadline:

The new Warner Bros. Discovery leadership is starting to unify its policies across the two parts of the company. I hear that Adria Alpert Romm, chief people and culture officer, sent an email Tuesday morning to WarnerMedia employees about the implementation of a new hybrid work schedule.

TVB Europe: Virgin Media gets into streaming

Story from TVB Europe: 

Virgin Media is getting into streaming with the launch of Stream, a new service which combines TV channels with on-demand apps, streaming subscriptions and must watch films.

Channel 4 Takeover - TVB Europe: Snap chairman joins Channel 4’s board

Story from TVB Europe: 

Michael Lynton, chairman of Snap Inc, is joining Channel 4’s board as a non-executive director, Ofcom has announced.

Channel 4 Takeover - Media Guardian: Tory MPs attack plans to privatise Channel 4

Story from Media Guardian: 

Conservative MPs have queued up to criticise plans to privatise Channel 4, raising doubts over whether the government has the parliamentary support required to sell the channel.

Digital TV Europe: Churn high at HBO, but Warner Bros. Discovery bullish on streaming prospects

Story from Digital TV Europe:

Warner Bros. Discovery has shed some light on the newly-merged company’s imminent plans for its streaming business.

Hollywood Reporter: Discovery Hit 24M Streaming Subscribers at End of March Before WarnerMedia Merger

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Before its merger with WarnerMedia that created new entertainment powerhouse Warner Bros. Discovery earlier in April, Discovery, led by CEO David Zaslav, reached 24 million streaming subscribers worldwide to its direct-to-consumer services, including Discovery+, as of the end March.

Variety: David Zaslav Says ‘No Way’ to Radical Changes to Theatrical Exhibition Window

Story from Variety:

David Zaslav has spent a lot time in the past year studying the movie business. Now that he’s taken the reins of Warner Bros. Discovery, he’s less and less inclined “to really collapse the entire motion picture business on streaming.”

Variety: David Zaslav Vows Warner Bros. Discovery ‘Will Not Overspend to Drive Subscriber Growth’

Story from Variety: 

In the wake of big content spender Netflix’s shocking Q1 subscriber loss, David Zaslav made a point to say Warner Bros. Discovery “will not overspend to drive subscriber growth” during Discovery’s first-quarter earnings call Tuesday.

Variety: Streaming Buoys Q1 Profit for Warner Bros Discovery, Despite Cable Declines

Story from Variety:

Warner Bros. Discovery said profit rose in the first quarter despite declines in traditional TV audiences, as revenue from advertising and distribution increased thanks in part to the company’s streaming initiatives.