Guest Commentary Archives - Page 5 of 6

Omicron Surge Impacts Movie Business With Smaller Theater Audiences

Has the recent jump in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant kept U.S. movie fans from heading to the theater? New survey data from Whip Media suggests it has. Whip Media — after surveying more than 1,200 American users of its TV Time app, a free TV and movie tracking app with more than … Continue reading “Omicron Surge Impacts Movie Business With Smaller Theater Audiences “
Content Business Now Global: What It Means for Streamers and Broadcasters

Now that entertainment is an internet delivered product, the brands that deliver it need to play by the internet’s rules. The foundation is differentiation. In the endless sea of choices available to the audience today, one burning question for every brand is how to stand out. Such that audiences find you, stay, and then invite … Continue reading “Content Business Now Global: What It Means for Streamers and Broadcasters”
CTA President: ‘CES Will and Must Go On … It’s Time We Return to Making the World Better, Rather Than Living in Fear’

We know several major companies have reduced their physical presence at CES 2022, and we understand their concerns. They want to protect their employees from COVID-19 and the risk of having to quarantine in Las Vegas. Our staff raised this issue with me, and I told employees that anyone with concerns would not be required … Continue reading “CTA President: ‘CES Will and Must Go On … It’s Time We Return to Making the World Better, Rather Than Living in Fear’”
Not So FAST: Critical Performance Data Still Lacking

FAST (free, ad-supported television) channels have been picking up steam, reaching even greater velocity over the last year as the pandemic fueled content demand. Variety VIP recently reported there were 550 FAST channels in the U.S. in July 2020; a year later, that figure surged 81% to 1,000 FAST channels. One reason for this remarkable … Continue reading “Not So FAST: Critical Performance Data Still Lacking”
Churn Is OTT’s Great Challenge of 2021; Smarter Data Is the Solution

Every click, tap, and keystroke contains valuable information about the customer on the other side of the screen. Multiply those interactions by the 200 million streaming subscribers in the United States, and the result is a trove of data on how Americans are consuming, and abandoning, content. Media executives are turning to that data to … Continue reading “Churn Is OTT’s Great Challenge of 2021; Smarter Data Is the Solution”
Niche Streamers Need to Innovate, Pivot, Consolidate to Compete with ‘Must Have’ Services

We are entering a new phase of hyper-competitive digital distribution that will make 2021 a critical year with massive growth for some, while many others will fight for survival. The primary factor driving this explosive period is well known, as the Hollywood studios have made a bold and dramatic commitment to the SVOD distribution business … Continue reading “Niche Streamers Need to Innovate, Pivot, Consolidate to Compete with ‘Must Have’ Services”
PlayStation 5 Review: New Console Takes Gaming to Next Level, But Good Luck Finding One

Sony’s PlayStation 5 was officially released to retail on Nov. 12 at $499 (with physical disc capability) and $399 (digital only) — and it’s been in short supply ever since. As far back as September, TechSpot reported that retailers had sold out of their pre-order allotments in less than 24 hours, and predicted the video … Continue reading “PlayStation 5 Review: New Console Takes Gaming to Next Level, But Good Luck Finding One”
It’s Time to Streamline Streaming Services

Last Sunday evening, we played Twister with our daughter after she complained, “I’m bored and there’s nothing on TV.” Are you kidding me? We have Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime, Apple TV +, Hulu, Pluto, Tubi and Peacock streaming to us here in Silicon Valley; and you can’t find anything? You’re not trying! But we … Continue reading “It’s Time to Streamline Streaming Services”
Top Five Reasons Movie Studios Are Pushing Lucrative Streaming Debuts

Like so many industries laid low by COVID-19, the movie business has absorbed its share of blows over the past nine months. Public health mandates closed the doors of most theaters across the country and shut down film productions. Then, even in areas where theaters and film sets have since begun to open up again, … Continue reading “Top Five Reasons Movie Studios Are Pushing Lucrative Streaming Debuts”
Seeing Is Believing With 4K Disc — Even for Millennials

Despite the fact I have spent virtually all of my career in the home entertainment industry, my millennial son has never owned a DVD or Blu-ray player — and is proud of it. This is not necessarily surprising since he is focused primarily on conveniently accessing content on computers, media players, personal devices and cord-cutting … Continue reading “Seeing Is Believing With 4K Disc — Even for Millennials”