Cordkillers 456 - Get Bent!+
Disney is down subscribers due to cricket, but we're more interested in what a combined Disney streamer app looks like. Plus, Fast Company decries bad user-interfaces (and so do we!), a release date for Good Omens, and Andor's Gilroy will not work the show until the strike is over. All that and more on Cordkillers!
This week on It's Spoilerin' Time: Succession (408), Ted Lasso (309), Silo (103)
Next week: Succession (409), Ted Lasso (310), Silo (104)
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CordKillers: 456 - Get Bent!+
Recorded: May 12 2023
Guest: None
Intro Video
Tex Mex Motors
Primary Target
Hulu content will be added to Disney+ to create a ‘one app experience,’ Iger says
- Disney lost streaming subscribers for the second quarter in a row, falling by 4 million across its properties to 157.8 million. Again the losses came mostly from declines in Disney Hotstar which lost its right to show Indian Premier League cricket matches. Disney CEO Bob Iger told investors Wednesday that the company plans to offer a combined Disney+ and Hulu app. Disney+ and Hulu would still be offered individually as well. Iger indicated that negotiations with Comcast to buy out its remaining minority stake in Hulu were "cordial."
Disney’s Bob Iger Reveals “Cordial” And “Constructive” Talks Have Started With Comcast About Buying Out Its Hulu Stake
- Disney CEO Bob Iger is sounding more positive about keeping Hulu. While he says everything is still possible, he described talks with Comcast about buying out its remaining stake in Hulu as cordial and constructive. A deadline in January 2024 that would allow Comcast or Disney to force the question is a likely starting point for the consolidation of other media companies.
How to Watch
From Netflix to HBO, the terrible design of streaming is ruining TV
Are Streaming Services Making Content Discovery Harder on Purpose?
- Last week, Fast Company posted an article Monday by Jesus Diaz called "From Netflix to HBO, the terrible design of streaming is ruining TV"
- Some of the complaints listed in the article include
- Terrible landing pages
- Hard to find "continue watching" (Apple and Hulu called out specifically)
- Disappointing recommendation algorithms
- Playback button failure, scrubbing imprecision
- Diaz interviewed some UX experts to get ideas why the designs are so bad.
- It appears to be down to the old tension between how a business needs its user to behave vs. how users want to behave.
- Hours watched is more important to a company than series completion
- So they make you go past new options to get to continue watching
- Hard for UX to keep up as business strategies change.
- Brian, what do you want streaming services to do most to improve your experience as a viewer?
What to Watch
Flamin’ Hot’ Trailer: Eva Longoria Tells Inspiring Origin Story of the Spicy Cheeto
- Hulu released a trailer for 'Flaming' Hot", the movie that tells the story of former Frito-Lay janitor Richard Montañez, who claims he invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The movie comes to Hulu June 9th.
Good Omens season 2 hits Prime Video in July
- Season 2 of Good Omens will premiere on Amazon Prime Video July 28th. Season one exhausted the source material, a book written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is a co-show runner through and says he worked from ideas he and Pratchett discussed for a second book.
‘Andor’ Showrunner Tony Gilroy Ceases Producing Work On Disney+ Series Amid WGA Strike
- Well the conflict of Tony Gilroy's dual role as writer and producer on Andor is over. Gilroy will no longer work on the show until the writer's strike is over. Gilroy stopped all writing activities on May 1st with the strike but had continued producing duties. After criticism from fellow writers, he stopped all activities on Andor Sunday May 7th.
NBC promises it'll be easier to watch the Olympics in 2024 on Peacock
- NBC announced its plans for broadcasting the 2024 Summer Olympics from Paris next year. To keep things simple this time, Peacock will stream every sport and event. No need to shuttle back and forth between the NBC Sports app and Peacock to figure out what's where. NBC will also broadcast 9 hours of daytime coverage live as well as recaps in prime time. The 2024 Summer Olympics begin July 26th NEXT year.
David Tennant Returns as Doctor Who in New Trailer
- During Eurovision, the BBC released a new trailer and titles for three 60th Anniversary Doctor Who specials starring David Tennant as the Doctor and Catherine Tate as Donna Noble. The specials will air this November. The titles are “The Star Beast,” “Wild Blue Yonder” and “The Giggle.”
Eyes On:
Brian: Coffee Cafe!
Tom: Eurovision
On the Lookout: Baby J
Front Lines
Netflix reportedly plans to cut spending by $300 million this year
Netflix Switches To Virtual Upfront Presentation Amid WGA Strike
- The Wall Street Journal reports that Netflix plans to cut spending by $300 million this year. That means cautioning staff to spend wisely but won't mean layoffs or hiring freezes. And Netflix switched its upfront presentation to advertiser to be virtual to avoid picketing due to the writers strike. It had originally planned an in-person presentation for May 17th.
Cord-Cutting Hits All-Time High in Q1, as U.S. Pay-TV Subscriptions Fall to Lowest Levels Since 1992
- MoffetNathanson put out its latest estimates on cord-cutting. PayTV penetration has dropped to 58.5% of US households, the lowest level since 1992. That was two years before the launch of DirecTV. 75.5 million households in the US have cable now. Down 7% on the year.
DAZN joins anti-piracy coalition to crack down on bootleg sports streams
- DAZN (Da-zone) has joined a global task force to shut down unauthorized sports streams online. The alliance includes Amazon, Apple, NBC Universal, Netflix, Disney, Sony, and Warner Bros
AMC Networks Loses 300,000 Streaming Subscribes in Q1 as U.S. Ad Sales Fall 20%
- AMC Networks reached 11.5 million streaming subscribers across its platforms, but that's down 300,000 on the year. The company still hopes to reach 20-25 million subscribers by 2025.
‘Fantasy Island’ Canceled By Fox
- Fox announced it is canceling Fantasy Island after two seasons. If you're thinking There were two seasons of a new Fantasy Island on Fox?" You're part fo the reason it's canceled.
‘And Just Like That…’: Candice Bergen & Gloria Steinem To Appear In Season 2
- Somehow "And Just Like That.." Is getting a second season on Max and Candice Bergen will return as an editor at Vogue and Gloria Steinem will appear as herself.
Starz released a trailer for season 7 of Outlander, which returns June 16th.
‘Foundation’: Season 2 Premiere Date Set, Teaser Trailer Released For Apple TV+ Sci-Fi Series
- Apple TV+ released a trailer for season 2 of Foundation, the series based on the Isaac Asimov books. It returns to Apple TV July 14th beginning a season of 10 episodes.
‘Black Mirror’ Season 6 Unveils Titles and Plot Synopses for New Episodes Starring Salma Hayek, Aaron Paul and More
- Netflix revealed the episode titles, cast members and plot descriptions for season 6 of Black Mirror, coming June 29th. 5 episodes will include appearances from Selma Hayek, Aaron Paul, Zazie Beetz and more.
Dispatches from the front
Hey guys,
What do I do if my favorite shows get delayed because of the writers strike? Go to my long list of shows I always intended to watch but never had the time. This strike could last for a year and I'd never run out of things to watch.
- Scott
Random thought of the day:
Where's the Netflix category called ""Easy to follow while looking at my phone the whole time""
- Adam
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