Bryan Elliott

Direct to consumer... Another concept sometimes seen by rights owners as either a newly found golden goose or even worse.... a lifejacket to be used in case of emergency... a big mistake in both cases. Any D2C endeavor should be seen as a long term investment into your relationship with your fans through the power of content. It's not a quick fix in case some media rights deal didn't go through, it's not a magical recipe to extract value from data, it's not a cheap way to attack a new market, it's never a quick win to make money and it should never be build against traditional media partners but next to them or even better in some cases along with them. In a new sports media world where exclusivity doesn't command the same premium as before, in such a disrupted period where new competition can emerge at every corner and partners disapear just as quickly, it's even more important to take matter into your own hands and build a long term plan for a global platform with the proper partners on tech, commercial and distribution sides. Oh and one last thing, having your own platform shouldn't stop you from having a open minded social media strategy, it's about getting your fans where they are and maximizing your footprint, it will not cannibalize your platform.

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During a conference this week, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra stated that the business is trying to create more profitable, genre-specific streaming projects that are equivalent to Crunchyroll. Tony stated, "We would love to launch more genre-based targeted, passionate fan centered streaming services. We're really positive on that front. And that's what we're now working on. However, it will take some time for the market to stabilize." He added that Sony is not beset by legacy TV networks, in contrast to Disney and other broadcasters. When he began working for Sony, the business had 110 cable networks worldwide. However, all of those networks have since been sold, with the exception of three markets—Spain, Latin America, and India—where cable networks are continuously expanding. For licensing of content, Sony has "proposed structures where we'd get the show back after 4 years or 5 years as opposed to the much longer terms that are currently in place, but thus far, there hasn't been much development in that area." Tony said that when it comes to consolidation in the market, Sony plans to "sit back and watch what comes available to us because we're in a very stable, very comfortable position. And we think that there will be lots of businesses that pop out of these companies...we would be interested in taking on mainly in the IP area, and that's really where we'll be focused." #streamingmedia #sony #SVOD #AVOD #paytv #cordcutting

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Rich Greenfield, it's premature to call the Disney/Charter distribution deal a failure. Their "bundle" combines separate Disney products but falls woefully short of meeting consumer needs. I have yet to meet an NFL fan who only cares about the football games that air on ABC and ESPN. As compelling as the Disney programming may be, sports fans want to watch all games, irrespective of the network or streaming service. We should not view the adoption of the bespoke Disney bundle as the measure of the deal's success. The true measure is whether other legacy media companies adopt this deal template to create a comprehensive "full streaming bundle" distributed through pay-TV operators, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Max, Discovery+, Paramount+, Peacock, and Fox programming. I believe legacy companies' long-term success will largely hinge on their ability to roll out these "full streaming bundles" through pay-TV operators as quickly as possible. I explain why in the comments section of Rich's post. #Disney #WBD #Strategy

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🗣️ 2024 in audio? Let’s just say it’s been anything but quiet. Innovation shook up the status quo, challenges tested the industry's grit, and evolution became the name of the game. This was the year podcasts redefined political influence, YouTube claimed the podcast throne, and AI took its first cautious steps into content creation. If you think audio is "just audio," you’re missing the bigger picture. It’s video, it’s storytelling, it’s culture—all converging in ways we never imagined. 🚀 From scaling our ElectraCast.com Podcast Networks and emerging record labels at ElectraCastRecords.com to watching platforms like Spotify and YouTube battle for dominance, one thing is clear: audio is alive, evolving, and as unpredictable as ever. The ride is far from over, and the opportunities are endless for those willing to adapt. So, what’s next for this wild world of sound? Let’s find out. 🎧 #Podcasting #AudioInnovation #TheFutureOfSound Peter Rafelson Mark Netter Electracast Media DigiRAMP, LLC

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The mission of engaging live sports audiences = Tell the story you don’t see. I loved seeing this clip from last weeks ESPN NFL broadcast where they used VR to so tactical breakdowns on plays. Finding innovative ways to use data and rights to make the complex simple is where ‘traditional’ live analysis can maintain an edge over creators. Are there any other great live innovations introduced recently?

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Last night’s Simpsons NFL Altcast wasn’t just a brilliant immersive experience—it was a masterclass in world-building. Two iconic IPs came together to create something that transcends the traditional broadcast model. I talk a lot about the opportunities of altcasts and creating communities around live content, and this was a perfect example. When you think more broadly, here’s some real food for thought: 1)Something for everyone: Altcasts have the power to create live experiences that cater to much broader audiences. In this case (and others like it), the focus is clearly on driving higher retention and engagement among younger viewers. But looking ahead, I see a future where you can choose to watch alongside a variety of creators or immerse yourself in niche interactive experiences—like a feed purely focused on fantasy sports. 2)World-building through live: The integration of Simpsons IP—from detailed elements in the broadcast to GameDay graphics—was seamless. While not every stream will feature the world’s most famous cartoon family, it highlights the potential for live content to become more intentional with storytelling, lore, and world-building. 3) Borrowing communities: By connecting these dots, you don’t just entertain existing audiences—you pull entirely new ones into the fold, enhancing both reach and loyalty. The potential here is staggering—not just for sports, but for all live entertainment. The next generation of content won’t be defined by the rights you hold, but by the worlds you create.

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The Fox Corporation has always been a very intriguing topic of conversation for me in entertainment because of the press and the stigmatism around the company. In an article written by Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter goes into explaining the revenue boost that the Fox Corporation has experienced this election cycle due to the paid political advertisements on their national and local networks. According to Weprin, “Fox reported revenues of $3.56 billion, up 11 percent from a year earlier, including advertising revenues of more than $1.3 billion, also up 11 percent.”  This is promising news for Fox, and the rest of the linear television companies, because political ads have proven to provide a valuable source of revenue, offsetting the industry-wide shift to streaming platforms. While the streaming epidemic is still upon us, political ads have provided linear television companies with a temporary but reliable revenue source this election cycle. The election cycle keeps linear television alive and relevant, but it also distinguishes the priority of cable news networks to cover current events such as elections or breaking news over streaming platforms which rely more on libraries and intellectual property (IP) from the parent companies that operate them. Another factor that could point to the revenue generated for Fox Corp. during this year's election cycle is the brand and political ideology the company has crafted for itself. Since the inception of Fox News, the network has always been a one-stop-shop for conservative news drawing in large numbers of viewers who are dedicated to the GOP. This aspect, coupled with a candidate such as Mr. Donald Trump, and a politically divided nation, draws in even more viewers to their broadcast throughout the months leading up to the election and weeks after.  Overall. I believe that this is a big win for linear television because of the neglect that it has received from the lack of faith that media conglomerates have in their networks and the push to move to digital. This article provides a temporary solution for the problems facing the linear television business providing a significant revenue boost to company bottom lines while also showing the importance of linear television during political campaigns and election cycles. I am interested to see if other nationwide events have the same effect that this election cycle has had on the traditional television model.  Esquire Group Inc. https://lnkd.in/eWp4EPQG

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If you’re in the music industry you need to know about streaming 2.0 and what UMG is pushing for. Will these features be negotiated across the board or will only majors have access?

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Nielsen's The Gauge for September is out! Prime Video surged to a record 3.6% share, driven by the NFL and Rings of Power. Disney+ hit an all-time high of 2.5%, supported by Hulu content and hits like Bluey (and possibly Inside Out 2). YouTube and Netflix maintained their leading positions at 10.6% and 7.9%, unchanged from August. Surprisingly, Netflix didn't see growth despite a strong release lineup (See Streamonomics 10/2/24: owlandco.com/insights) (Reminder: The Gauge only measures TV sets in the US, while Netflix's reported Viewing Figures are global and include all devices) Stay updated on the latest industry shifts: 📊📺 #ViewershipTrends #StreamingPlatforms

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Spotify is making moves in podcasting by allowing non-hosted podcasters to upload videos directly to the platform. This new feature simplifies the workflow for creators and makes video content more accessible than ever. 🎥 The platform’s statistics show that more than 170 million users watch video podcasts, with a 40% year-over-year increase in monthly active users watching video podcasts. This demonstrates that video content engages a large audience, which can lead to increased retention and more robust user interaction on the platform. 📈 By focusing on video podcasts, Spotify differentiates itself from other audio-only podcast platforms, positioning itself as a leader in multimedia content. This strategic move can attract more creators and listeners, expanding its market share. #Spotify #VideoContent #DigitalMedia #ContentCreation #Innovation #Streaming

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Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios’ latest move into live news coverage, including streaming the night of the upcoming presidential #election, is another significant blow to traditional broadcasters, who are already struggling to retain viewers. Many have shifted to on-demand and streaming platforms, leaving broadcasters fighting to stay relevant. Streaming services, which once focused solely on on-demand #entertainment, are increasingly expanding into live programming, such as sports and now breaking news. Prime Video's election coverage could mark the first significant foray into live news programming by a major standalone streaming platform, primarily known for films, scripted originals, and reality shows. By integrating live news, #PrimeVideo is positioning itself to compete directly with broadcasters in a domain historically dominated by cable networks during pivotal events like elections. This shift underscores the broader trend of streaming platforms evolving into full-service #media ecosystems. With live content becoming a key differentiator, it is becoming harder to see how traditional broadcasters will maintain their foothold in this space. As more viewers demand dynamic, flexible viewing experiences, live programming offers streaming platforms an edge, helping drive subscriber engagement and retention. It's likely that other major digital platforms will follow suit in the near future, further accelerating the shift away from traditional broadcasting models. In essence, this move is both a strategic evolution and a glimpse into a future where streaming platforms dominate not only on-demand entertainment but also real-time events, marking a potential endgame for traditional broadcasters and cable. https://lnkd.in/gD9y9pVE #LITrendingTopics #StreamingWars

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YouTube Killed the TV Star For years, I’ve been telling you YouTube is the biggest TELEVISION network on TV - and one with an unparalleled advanced TV audience advertising machine. https://lnkd.in/eAykCjRa I’ve been warning y’all in the TV business that your TRUE competition now is NOT each other, but rather Google’s CTV Death Star. Seems Google liked that pitch, and turned it into their #Upfront presentation: “Other media companies unveil new TV shows coming to their services. YouTube used the stage to boast about its massive reach and engagement relative to traditional TV. YouTube‘s message to Madison Avenue: The video giant isn’t traditional TV. It’s bigger (with literally billions of viewers) and better at targeting relevant audiences.” https://lnkd.in/e_G-pZXy This week I dissected Nielsen’s new look Gauge, which breaks down TV viewing by publisher - across all platforms. https://lnkd.in/gaBZ3KfC With this analysis (my version below) YouTube comes in second for total monthly viewing. But, note, it takes ALL of The Walt Disney Company & Disney Streaming combined (ABC, ESPN, Disney+, Hulu) to best The Tube. It took ALL of NBCUniversal (NBC, Bravo, USA, Telemundo, MSNBC, Peacock), all of Paramount (Pluto TV, Paramount+, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, et al), and all of Disco Bros (TBS, TBT, MAX) to LOSE to YouTube. YouTube’s one, simple, massive app is by far the number one channel… ON TV. It’s the first stop on CTVs for most TV viewers under 35 and, everyday, more and more audiences over 36 too. And, crucially, they are better at video advertising than every other TV platform in the game - catering equally well to massive budgets from P&G and local pocketbook budgets from Mom & Pop Shops. Many in the TV ad biz will obsess this week over Netflix’s fancy shmancy Upfront and their Christmas NFL games. But Netflix’s total viewing (see below) is FAR off the competitive set - ESPECIALLY considering only 7% of their viewing is on the ad tier where viewers can (get this) see ads. (Kinda important in the Upfront.) But YouTube also had the NFL - and the NBA - at their presentation. More importantly, on their Upfront stage, YouTube represented the fastest growing segment of entertainment - The Creator Economy. While other TV platforms trotted out traditional Hollywood celebs to talk about a new wave of TV shows, YouTube brought out the biggest stars in the world that you’ve never heard of - Haley Kalil, Cleo Abram, Kinigra Deon, Ryan Trahan, Taty Cokley, Sydney Morgan, Zach King, Valkyrae. These new TV stars don’t just make shows, they command communities - in ways that limited series and procedural dramas never will. TV is not changing. It changed. Years ago. You may have missed it. But don’t worry, I’m sure there’s a video on YouTube about it, so you catch up.

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Good-Bye Streaming Wars, Hello Retail Wars A lot of people are asking the question: why is Saks buying Neiman Marcus? They are old retail brands. But, to be honest, they are two of the bigger brands on LTK in affiliate marketing and the audience that follow those brands have huge purchase power. Gen X, Millennials, and potentially even older Gen Z have an affinity for the brands. As online commerce takes over the retail world, the tech companies are beginning to stake their claim. Amazon bought MGM for the IP library, and I believe they are part of the Saks/Neiman's deal for the same reason. Retail IP that aggregates high end brands.  One of our clients, Anna Daly, drove $30K worth of sales for Saks on LTK through 18K clicks. That's a pretty solid number for one of the brands that she pushes on LTK whose platform has over 40M active consumers.  Having said that, Ash & Em drove $334K worth of commerce across their Amazon shopping in the same time period. Now, with further incentives given to them for Saks and Neimans, that would be very big for Amazon as they begin to aggregate the buyers through their Affiliate sales program. What happened with Tech companies buying up studios, might be happening with retail. Look at how Amazon uses Whole Foods for returns. That also brings foot traffic to Whole Foods. I'm sure you will soon be able to do Amazon returns to Saks and Neimans.  More foot traffic and more upsells while there.  Retail sales driven through LTK creators making content is over $4.1B.  I wonder if LTK will begin targeting to acquire some retail brands to make them exclusive on their platform or overall deals with some top performing creators, much like Netflix made deals with big show runners like Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes for content.  While we still don't know how Amazon will strategize with the two retail IP's, will there be a race to acquire retail brands or make exclusive deals with strong affiliate marketers on these shopping networks? I believe this is just the beginning. Thoughts? #influencermarketing #creatoreconomy #onlineretail

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I read this interesting article on whether Netflix or Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios was the biggest streamer. From a subscriber standpoint Netflix reported that it had 269.6 million global subscribers at the end of March 2024, as reported in its April Q1 2024 earnings. Amazon Prime Video does not disclose subscriber numbers, but mentioned in a CEO’s letter to shareholders that it had had “over 200 million” subscribers as of April 2024. An argument can be made that Amazon Prime subscribers do so for the shipping benefit but at the end of the day being a Prime member gets you the entertainment for free. I opted for the $50 per year ad-free which I think is still a great value …I think I made it back just off of watching Fallout commercial free. The next area I wanted to look at is revenue. Amazon’s reportsthat its subscription services alone brought in $10.48 billion in Q1 of 2024. In Netflix’s latest earnings, revenue came in at $9.37 billion for Q1 2024. I think going forward people are may not see the stealth that Amazon has employed in mechandising. After I binged Fallout I went to Amazon to see what kind items I could buy from the show. The number of t-shirts and other Fallout products rivaled what I’d see of the movies came from The Walt Disney Company. It’s kind of sad watching the studios trying to keep their heads above the debt waters. Like most movie fans I want to see Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery thrive but unless interest rates go down it’s going to be tough. https://lnkd.in/gr9Em55M

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