Cordkillers 278 - AT&TVWXYZ (w/ Shannon Morse)
Locast is being sued, AT&T is rebranding DirecTV Now, and HBO Max orders a series based on "Circe." All this and more on Cordkillers! With special guest Shannon Morse.
This week on It's Spoilerin' Time: Preacher (401-402), Hobbs & Shaw, Extras (201).
Next week: Preacher (403) and Extras (202).
CordKillers: 278 - AT&TVWXYZ
Recorded: August 5 2019
Guest: Shannon Morse
Intro Video
I'm proud of that dance
Primary Target
Major Broadcasters Sue TV Streaming Nonprofit Locast
- Locast is a free, donation-supported internet service operating in 14 cities in the US that streams local broadcast stations over the internet in their home markets. It is operated by Sports Fans Coalition NY, a non-profit operation taking advantage of a 1976 law that allows non-profits to retransmit broadcast signals as long as it did not receive any “direct or indirect commercial advantage.” After operating for a year and a half, ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC have jointly filed a lawsuit against Locast. The suit alleges that Locast has admitted it is used to help authorized services negotiate lower carriage fees with broadcasters. The suit also alleges Locast is securing commercial advantages in the form of nationwide app distribution and collection of viewer data. And the suit alleges that AT&T and Dish are commercial beneficiaries. AT&T has donated money to Locast and includes the app on DirecTV and U-verse set-top boxes. Locast founder David Goodfriend used to work for Dish.
How to Watch
AT&T Killing Off ‘DirecTV Now’ Name as It Launches AT&T TV Streaming Service
- AT&T announced that later this summer it will change the name of its DirecTV Now streaming TV service to AT&T TV Now. Current DirecTV Now subscribers will need to re-accept terms of service and re-login when this happens. The company will also launch a new TV streaming service called AT&T TV which will use a thin client set-top box. Both AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now will be accessible from the same mobile and connected TV apps.
What to Watch
Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’ Trailer Teams Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci
- Netflix released a trailer for The Irishman, directed by Marin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro as Frank Sheeran and Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa. The story spans several decades and Scorsese used digital effects and makeup to de-age the actors. The film also stars Joe Pesci as Russell Bufalino, Harvey Keitel, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin and Ray Romano. It's debut in theaters and on Netflix has not been announced but it will premiere at the New York Film Festival which opens September 27.
Halo' TV series has its Cortana ahead of early 2021 premiere
- Showtime announced Natascha McElhone (Californication) will star as Dr. Catherine Halsey and the Cortana AI in the Halo TV series. Bokeem Woodbine (Mike Milligan in Fargo) as Soren-066. Indian actress Shabana Azmi will play Office of Naval Intelligence head Admiral Margaret Parangosky.The series is scheduled to premiere in Q1 2021.
Stephen King writing a new ending for TV version of THE STAND
- Stephen King is writing a new ending to the CBS All Access series based on The Stand coming in late 2020. The new ending will expand not he fate of key characters. It's not known if this is a wholly new ending. King wrote an alternate ending to the book The Stand as well.
'The Man Who Fell to Earth' will get a TV remake on CBS All Access
- CBS All Access has ordered a series based on the movie The Man Who Fell to Earth. The series will be executive produced and written by Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet and directed by Kurtzman.
HBO Max Orders Greek Mythology Drama ‘Circe’ From Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa
- HBO Max has ordered an 8-episode series based on Madeline Miller's book Circe. The book tells the story and relationship of Odysseus and the goddess Circe from Circe's perspective.
Amazon is turning indie superhero movie 'Fast Color' into a series
- Deadline reports Amazon has approved Viola Davis's JuVee Productions to turn the movie Fast Color into a series for Prime Video. The movie tells the story of three generations of black women with super powers.
Final Season of ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Proves a Big Hit in France
- Parrot Analytics estimates the 7th and final season of Orange is the New Black saw a 26% increase in France making it the most popular-non-English market or the show and third most popular overall behind the US and UK. It grew 17% in the US by comparison.
‘Doctor Who’ to Stream Exclusively on HBO Max
- HBO Max signed a deal with the BBC to be the exclusive home of to the 11 seasons fo the new era of Doctor Who starting in 2020. HBO Max also gets The Office UK, Top Gear, Luther and The Honorable Woman. Future seasons of Doctor Who will move to HBO Max after they have aired.
Netflix announced a fourth and final season of 13 Reasons Why ahead of the launch of season 3 which premieres August 23.
Netflix has not renewed the OA for a third season.
Eyes On
Brian: Preacher, Extras, Andrew Mayne: Ghost Diver
Tom: Goblin (Guardian the Lonely and Great God)
Shannon: Handmaids Tale s3, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars
On the Lookout: Miss Sherlock
Front Lines
Netflix Makes Binge-Watching A Contractual Manner With New Partner Form
- Netflix published a co-watching contract for couples binge-watching shows together. The rules are:
- I won’t fall asleep
- I won’t get distracted by my phone causing the other person to rewind because I missed something;
- I won’t continue watching a show without the other person present;
- I won’t talk whilst the show is on;
- In the event that I come across a spoiler, I won’t share it with the other person.
Netflix tests tracking your ‘physical activity’ to improve video quality
- Security researcher BetoOnSecurity noticed that the Netflix app on Android requested access to his physical activity data. Netflix told The Next Web that "This was part of a test to see how we can improve video playback quality when a member is on the go." Not all Netflix accounts are in the test and Netflix doesn't have any rollout plans at this time. Android Q has added an activity recognition permission to Android Q to let developers know if you're in motion when you're using an app. That could be used to help figure out the best way to buffer video so it doesn't skip.
CBS, Viacom Reach Tentative Management Structure for Combined Company
- CBS and Viacom reportedly agreed on an executive structure for a possible merger. Viacom CEO Bob Bakish would be CEO of the combined company and CBS CEO Joe Ianniello would oversee all CBS-branded assets. National Amusements is the controlling investor in both companies and Shari Redstone has been pursuing a merger of the companies. The two companies were separated in 2006 by National Amusements' Sumner Redstone.
CW Seed Will Add Live, Linear Channel In The Fall With PeopleTV As Launch Partner
- CW Seed, a kind of incubator streaming channel for CW shows, will add a live ad-supported streaming channel to the app. PeopleTV, which makes content from brands like People magazine and Entertainment Weekly, will partner on content for the new offering. Seed represents about 20% of total digital viewing and ad revenue for the CW with a median age of 28 and 50-50 gender split.
Lionsgate Opens China Theme Park; Lime Pictures Options ‘Keeping Mum’
- Lionsgate opened Lionsgate Entertainment World in Hengqiin, China, the studio's first Asian theme park. It includes attractions based on the Hunger Games, Twilight, Divergent as well as Now You See Me, Gods Of Egypt and Escape Plan which are successful in China. Lionsgate Movie World is due to open in Korea in 2022.
Hulu & Bleecker Street Partner On Exclusive SVOD Deal
- Hulu has signed a deal with film distributor Bleecker Street for streaming rights to all upcoming releases plus other movies like Hotel Mumbai, Teen Spirit and The Art of Self Defense among others.
Dispatches from the Front
Hey guys, I was listening to your most recent episode about all the streaming services coming and all the subscribers that some of the services like DirecTV now have lost, and it got me wondering: Why do cable companies offer discount rate locks for contracts but streaming services do not? For example, when I signed up for U-verse it was two years at a discounted monthly rate but I was locked in for 2 years. But I did not mind because I knew I was going to keep it for at least that long anyway. But I'm not seeing Netflix or Hulu or CBS all access etc offering any kind of package that says "hey we are $12/month cancel anytime but if you pay for a year or two years or even three years the monthly rate is $8/month." Don't get me wrong, I love, and often utilize, the ability to start and stop various services (CBS All Access being a perfect example because I only subscribe when Star trek Discovery has new episodes) but was just wondering why nobody offers something like this in order to keep subscribers longer. Love the show!
- Adam
One reason that sling tv can keep their rates down is that they don't carry many local networks. This keeps carriage fees down. But they have a great option called AIrTV which provides all the locals via your own single antenna for a one time cost. It works great and the locals appear right a long side your other channels in the guide. Plus it has my pbs channels and the side channels. No more ugly antenna in the room if you hook it up in your spare room on the second floor."
- Mark
Links