Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Sky is certainly under pressure. It is feeling the pinch with imported content as well as the cost of sports rights. That doesn't mean Sky is under threat (that's your interpretation) but it is certainly under pressure.

The takeover by Comcast is a blessing for Sky because that has enabled a considerable amount of extra content to be secured. However, if much of that has been shown already in the UK, it will still have to invest in a lot more original content to keep the punters opening their wallets.

Netflix will also suffer a loss of content, but by golly, they are certainly churning out the originals. And that is why Netflix is in a better place than Sky, content wise.

Amazon also has quite a lot of original content, albeit not as much as Netflix. However its attraction lies in the fact that they also carry a lot of new stuff on a pay per view basis. Additionally, of course, they have their retail business, which sets them apart from Sky and Netflix.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Well that view is in the eye of the beholder as Sky have some brilliant content on Sky Atlantic especially.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Just a reminder folks that the only Disney content being pulled from Sky at the moment is on their on demand service. No channels are affected, as yet.

The only other "pulling" off content that I'm aware of is the gradual reduction of BBC stuff on Netflix due to the BBC expanding the iplayer, Britbox and their deal with Discovery.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Is it you consistently portraying these issues for Sky that somehow Netflix/Amazon are apparently immune to, or at least you fail to consider the impacts.

The Premiership rights have fell in value - Sky's main competitor in the market (BT) have indicated they are not going to enter into never ending bidding wars.

Your word choice 'blessing' is quite curious. Mergers and acquisitions of companies don't happen by chance. The whole point is to extract greater value from existing assets under the one umbrella.

By golly indeed. Eye watering amounts being spent on top of an already eye watering level of debt.

Amazon's retail operation doesn't guarantee them success, or otherwise, in the pay-tv market.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

However, that, along with AWS, gives them additional revenue streams to support what they are doing...

AWS is one of Amazon's strongest revenue segments, generating 25.66 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 net sales, and in 2019 Q3, AWS delivered 71% of Amazon’s total operating income and 13% of its total revenue - Amazon’s strength is that it’s not a one-trick pony.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Looking at the Now TV website suggests that some Disney-owned films are not leaving Sky until well after Disney + launches. For example,
Captain Marvel (Streaming until 31 January 2021)
Die Hard (31 May 2021)
Dumbo (21 February 2021)
Jingle all the Way (30 April 2022)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (11 October 2021)
X-Men: First Class (2 September 2021)

However, I can see Sky being squeezed on the content front from 2022 onwards when it might have little Disney content and its new studios have not come on stream. I guess that might be filled with content from NBC Universal and Warner Media that's currently on other platforms.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Without Disney content Sky Cinema will struggle to continue in its current form that said it could easily restructure it's packages to have the basic Entertainment pack and an Entertainment + which includes movies I'm sure many would take it if the pricing was around £22 for Entertainment and £30 for Entertainment +.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Just a reminder. The Simpsons is on their on demand service.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

It's about that now - £22 for Entertainment and £32 for Entertainment and Movies.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Include Disney+ through an Ultimate On Demand sub is another option if a wholesale deal can be reached.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Old episodes, not new, yet.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

I certainly haven't said that Netflix and Amazon are immune to the moves towards the direct to customer approach. That's just you saying that. The point has been made repeatedly that Netflix is already having to give up its Disney content.

As far as the Premiership rights are concerned, Sky have already made it clear that they are not going to keep paying more in real terms for them. This, together with increasing interest being taken by the streamers, I wouldn't bank on Sky holding onto these rights forever.

Of course, the Comcast takeover of Sky was not by chance - again, who said it was? Murdoch got out while he still could on his terms.

The Amazon retail operation is an additional string to their bow that the other streamers and broadcasters do not have. Obviously, nothing is guaranteed - good decisions and good financial management are essential.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Is there a source for this? I’ve not seen anything, ever, that suggests Sky aren’t intending to keep making competitive bids for what is ultimately the jewel in the crown of UK sports rights.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Interestingly for all the money Netflix lumps into its own original movies there's only 3 out of the Top 10 Films section in the UK Today.

Clearly many prefer its third party content which will be interesting when this starts to disappear.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Spending money willy nilly is basically covering over something with a sticking plaster but one can only do that in the short term as long term has Netflix got a answer when much of its third party content it currently shows disappears behind their rivals paywalls.