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In Q1, Disney+ and Hulu had 178M paid subscribers, up from 177.3M at the end of Q4, and streaming had a $293M profit, up from a $138M loss in Q1 2024 — Entertainment giant tops Wall Street expectations on core metrics; streaming push continues — Streaming gains and a strong box office showing by …
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Disney reports Q1 revenue up 5% YoY to $24.7B, net income up 23% YoY to $2.64B, and entertainment division revenue up 9% YoY to $10.87B — Disney posted fiscal first-quarter earnings Wednesday that beat on the top and bottom lines, but revealed the beginnings of expected streaming subscriber losses at Disney+.
Discussion:
IndieWire, The Wrap, Reuters and Walt Disney


Alphabet reports YouTube Q4 ad revenue up 14% YoY to $10.47B, vs. $10.23B est., driven by the US election as both political parties almost doubled 2020 spending — YouTube, the internet's biggest streaming video platform, delivered a healthy 13.8% increase in global ad revenue …


UK news anchor Kay Burley retires from Sky News after 36 years and “over a million minutes of live TV news”; Burley was one of Sky's original presenters in 1989 — Kay Burley, one of the UK's best-known news anchors, is retiring from Sky News after 36 years.
Discussion:
Press Gazette, The Guardian, TVNewsCheck, Variety, The Mirror, Daily Mail, The Independent, Metro.co.uk, Telegraph, Sky News, Guido Fawkes, @scottygb, @gavreilly, Press Association, GB News and City A.M.


Each legal settlement with Trump by powerful media organizations weakens the freedoms they rely on, damages their credibility, and pressures other outlets — Judge Learned Hand, revered for his eloquent and consequential defense of free speech at the height of World War I, came to fear …


Sources: Sonos will release an Android-based streaming box in the coming months, priced between $200 and $400, that combines content from Netflix, Max, and more — After the most tumultuous nine months in Sonos' history, the brand is trying to find its footing again.


Fox plans to launch a subscription-based streaming service by year-end that will be priced “relatively low” and target those who don't pay for traditional TV — Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch says the SVOD will be priced “relatively low” and target viewers who do not pay for traditional TV
Discussion:
Variety, Advanced Television, @matthewkeyslive, @tvgrimreaper, @tvgrimreaper, @tvgrimreaper, @by_nathanbrown, @jbflint, @benmillermke, @jbflint, The Desk, Sherwood News, Los Angeles Times, Pocket-lint, NBC News, Australian Financial Review, Awful Announcing, Yahoo Finance, Sports Media Watch, Streaming Better, Cord Cutters News, Wall Street Journal, Adweek, CNBC and Media Play News
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Sources: OpenAI has spent months talking to Hollywood's largest studios about the potential of video generator Sora, but no deals have emerged yet — - Startup has met with Hollywood studios about commercial deals — Studios worry about business implications of new technology
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck


An interview with Twitch CEO Dan Clancy on competition with YouTube and Kick, exclusivity contracts, content moderation, Twitch's expansion plans, and more — Clancy talks competition with YouTube, content moderation, and the next phase of streaming. — Business leaders are often reluctant to speak about their competition.
Discussion:
Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, @zachbussey.bsky.social and @simonowens, more at Techmeme »


PBS-YouGov poll: 65% of Trump voters think PBS is underfunded or adequately funded; 82% of voters value PBS for its children's programming and educational tools — Amid a slew of new efforts by Republicans to revoke funding for public broadcasters, PBS has commissioned a new poll …
Discussion:
Inside Radio, Reuters, @mattmoses.bsky.social, Mediaite, Current and Baltimore Sun


Netflix hopes its expansion into live programming boosts its nascent ad business; Bernstein estimates its two NFL games generated up to $180M in US advertising — Streaming group hopes boxing, wrestling and other events can also boost nascent advertising business


Ampere predicts streamers will outspend commercial broadcasters on content for the first time in 2025, and overall content spend will rise 0.4% YoY to $248B — For the first time this year the streamers will spend more on content than commercial broadcasters.
Discussion:
Advanced Television, Broadband TV News, WORLD SCREEN, Variety, The Desk, IndieWire, TV Tech, Media Play News and TVNewsCheck


Netflix distances itself and its Oscar promotions for the film Emilia Pérez from Karla Sofía Gascón after controversy over her earlier posts on social media — The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the film's embattled best actress Oscar nominee Karla Sofía Gascón …