Cordkillers 216 - That's Not Cricket (w/ Sarah Lane)

ESPN+ launches, Netflix grows like crazy, and we get Lost In Space. All this and more on Cordkillers! With special guest Sarah Lane ( http://twitter.com/sarahlane )

CordKillers: Ep. 216 - That's Not Cricket
Recorded: April 16 2018
Guest: Sarah Lane

Intro Video


Primary Target

  • Netflix programming binge pays off with subscriber surge
    - Netflix reported an increase of 7.4 million subscribers in Q1 of 2018 almost 2 million of those were in the US. Analysts expected an increase of 6.2 million. Netflix increased original programming by 85 percent from a year earlier to 483 hours, according to Cowen & Co analysts. It now has 125 million subscribers.
  • Comcast is bundling Netflix into cable packages
    - Comcast is bundling Netflix into its cable subscriptions
    - Netflix has been available on X1 boxes since 2016 and nearly 50 percent of X1 customers are "actively" using Netflix
    - 52 million Comcast customers aren't signed up to Netflix though and this may make it easier.
    - Offers will vary by market
    - Comcast may use Netflix as leverage against HBO if ATT buys Time Warner


How to Watch

  • Disney kicks off its streaming future today with ESPN+
    - ESPN launched ESPN+ Thursday, a $4.99 per month subscription service built into ESPN's redesigned app for Android, iOS, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and the web. The service promises to deliver “thousands” of hours of live soccer, boxing, golf, tennis, rugby, cricket, and college sports to subscribers, plus a live MLB and NHL game a day.


What to Watch


What We're Watching


Front Lines

  • Netflix Pulls Films From Cannes After Festival Says They Can't Win Prizes
    - Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told Variety his company would pull their films form the Cannes film festival after rules were changed to require a French theatrical release to qualify for the Palm D'or. French theaters require movies not appear elsewhere six months after release and Netflix pursues a strict policy of premiering movies on their streaming platform the same day they appear in any theaters.
  • The cheapest live TV streamer heads to Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
    - Philo, the $16 a month service that has networks from Viacom, Discovery Networks and AMC will start working on Apple TV and Fire TV this summer. Currently you can use Philo on Roku, iOS devices and casting from a Chrome browser. Philo accounts will also start working on individual network apps.
  • It looks like MoviePass just ruined its unlimited subscription service
    - MoviePass is only offering a bundle with I Heart Radio right now which gives you 4 movie tickets a month and a subscription to iHeartRadio All Access for $30.
  • Hulu discounts its HBO add-on to $5 per month
    - Hulu has reduced the price of adding HBO to $5 a month for six months. Hulu users can add HBO whether they subscribe to Hulu live or not. Hulu's new ineterface and live TV service is also now been added to 2017 and 2018 LG Smart TVs, this year's Samsung Tizen Smart TVs and Roku's 3500X Streaming Stick as well as the Roku 2.
  • cPass wants to be the European MoviePass for all entertainment
    - A service called cPass is in limited beta in London, and allows subscribers to reserve tickets for same-day showings of 2D movies for a monthly fee of £9.95. Interestingly the company says it eventually wants to expand to other events like music concerts
  • Amazon Studios stops taking amateur scripts on June 30th
    - Amazon is ending its open call for concepts and scripts as of June 30th. Amazon says it is "looking for ways to become even more efficient."


Dispatches from the Front

Hi guys,
I have a couple of thoughts for you from the last episode.

1. Thanks for reading my On The Lookout about Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and yes I also sent in the OTL for Death In Paradise a few weeks ago. I am really glad that Tom found it as enjoyable as I did.

2. The story about 3D fading at theaters is I think entirely the result of films being shot in 2d and then artificially made 3D. This results in just as effective presentation as the bad old days of Panning and Scanning wide format films to "fit" a 4:3 screen. With the exception of Avatar, which was admirably actually shot in 3D, most of the live action "3D" films look worse than the worst Viewmaster slide sets of long ago. No wonder people really don't care to waste the money for an upgrade that really isn't an upgrade at all.

3. BBC does need to worry about making too much money. I remember speaking with a rep from the US Naval Institute Press the year after Tom Clancy's Hunt for Red October came out and they mentioned that USNI asked Clancy to go to another publisher for his next books. The reason: USNI might lose their tax exempt status if they had another blockbuster, and subsequent jump in income.


Unrelated to last week, how long do you think those of us who refuse to go near the Apple ecosystem will have to wait for discs of the Foundation series to come out after the series airs that we can rent on Netflix's DVD service?

Thanks as always for the great show and interesting insights,

- Dave

 

 

 

Hey guys,
A moviepass competitor launched recently in Canada, called Sinemia

Its not an all you can eat deal like MoviePass is in the US but you can choose from 2 or 3 movies per month. for 9.99 (billed anually 10.99 no commitment) or 14.99 (27.99 no commitment)

I believe it also works slightly differently, we pick our movie in the Sinemia app and then it activates the card with the correct amount, then we can go online or to the theater and purchase the tickets however we normally would! So you could buy them ahead of time from home.

I went with the 2 movies for 10.99, just got my card in the mail (it took about 4 days) and will keep you guys posted.

- Joel
 

 

 

 

Hi, I just listened to the latest episode 215 and in Frontlines you missed a big point of the declining ticket sales of 3D movies story. The rise of Movie Pass is also killing 3D ticket sales as you can only purchase 2D tickets using the service.

- Corby



Links

2018 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers

Bryce Castillo1 Comment