HBO Archives » FilmTake

AT&T Loses Over $50 Billion on Half-Baked Content Distribution Ambitions

September 27, 2021 FilmTake Comments Off

After losing over $50 billion on a series of failed forays into content production and distribution, AT&T was forced to start selling stakes in its recently acquired media assets or risk weakening its monopolistic grip on telecom and internet delivery.

AT&T’s Great Media Escape Takes Shape After DirecTV and WarnerMedia Selloffs

September 5, 2021 FilmTake Comments Off

AT&T’s decision to acquire a declining DirecTV in 2015 and a bloated WarnerMedia in 2018 were massive miscalculations. Desperate to pay down its debt, in March 2021, AT&T announced it would sell a 30% stake in DirecTV.

Exclusive or Traditional Distribution?

September 29, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

The rapid expansion of OTT worldwide has profoundly changed the market, unlike any other innovation since the emergence of cable television.

Too Big To Fail

September 8, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

AT&T is desperate to sell some or all of DirecTV to pay down its $180 billion mountain of debt. According to inside sources, the satellite service is being offered at a $20 billion valuation, marking a $29 billion loss since 2015.

Streaming in Scandinavia

September 6, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

The growth of SVOD services in Scandinavia shows no signs of slowing down. Despite heavy competition from local services Netflix has gained four million subscribers.

Will Sundance Boom or Bust?

January 20, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

After a lackluster Sundance in 2018, last year was full of mega-deals, especially by Netflix and Amazon. Buyers spent over $120 million acquiring rights to some 40 films.

Apple Considers MGM Buyout

January 15, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

After the abysmal start to Apple’s new streaming service, Apple TV+, the tech company is searching for relevance with a new leader and a possible strategic acquisition.

Netflix Takes Europe

December 31, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

To gain a global content edge, Netflix has set into motion a EU production boom with plans to produce over 225 films and shows in Europe. Netflix currently controls 53% of the SVOD market in Europe.

Streaming in America

December 18, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Since first delivering DVDs to homes via the postal service, Netflix has come to dominate the SVOD market. The streamer has 67 million subscribers in North America, which takes its total to nearly 160 million worldwide.

Netflix Outspends

December 3, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

The reason for this lavishly spending spree is in response to new streaming competition by the studios and the upcoming exodus of content.

Netflix Admits Concern

November 10, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

After losing U.S. subscribers in the second quarter, for the first time since 2011, Netflix finally admitted that the arrival of new streaming services from Disney, Apple, and others would hurt subscriber growth.

Hey Big Spenders

July 15, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

To woo subscribers away from Netflix, Disney, AT&T, and Apple are spending big bucks to produce original series content.

Lionsgate Films Are Disney Bound

June 16, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Starting in 2020, films released by Lionsgate will be distributed on the Hulu streaming service, and FX, the basic-cable channel now owned by Disney after the takeover of Fox.

Hollywood Netflix Divorce

June 9, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Recently, anonymous sources have reported to multiple news outlets about the difficulty Hollywood will face in attempting to take back its content from Netflix.

AT&T Mistimes Market

June 2, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

AT&T’s decision to acquire a declining DirecTV and a sputtering Time Warner is materializing into a massive miscalculation.

Netflix Reigns in Canada

April 25, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Over 57% of Canadian households with internet access streamed Netflix sometime in 2018. Currently, Netflix Canada has around 6.5 million paying subscribers.

Hollywood Aims at Netflix

April 21, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix’s rapid subscriber growth slows in the United States at the worst possible moment.

Netflix Killer

March 27, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

The team at Apple responsible for the rollout of its new streaming service has been calling it a “Netflix Killer.”

Buyer’s Remorse

March 20, 2019 FilmTake Comments Off

Beyond maintaining AT&T’s core telecom business, the company is beset with declining DirecTV subscribers and a host of problems at Time Warner and Warner Bros.