The Streaming Wars
Fubo’s First Post-Merger Quarter: Subscriber Decline, ESPN Deal, and Ad Tech Shift
The Streaming Wars Staff
The Endless Game Isn’t Endless for Players
Kirby Grines
Paramount+ Quietly Reenters the Unscripted Game as Damla Dogan Comes On Board
The Streaming Wars Staff
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Spotify’s Group Chats Lock the Listening Loop Inside the App
The Streaming Wars Staff
Spotify just launched group chats, but this isn’t about going social. It’s a calculated move to keep listening, sharing, and conversation in one place, and it could quietly reshape how users stick with the app. The feature doesn’t scream for…
Disney’s NFL Stake Changes the Game but Raises Questions
The Streaming Wars Staff
Disney finalized its acquisition of NFL Media in exchange for a 10 percent stake in ESPN, giving the NFL ownership in a key broadcast partner. Bob Iger declined to comment on how this changes ESPN’s rights position or editorial independence.…
Amazon Overtakes DAZN at the Top of Global Sports Rights Spending. Why it Matters
The Streaming Wars Staff
Amazon is set to overtake DAZN as the top global spender on sports rights in 2026, driven by its strategic use of live sports to stabilize churn, bolster ad inventory, and reinforce Prime subscriptions. Unlike DAZN, which relied heavily on…
Apple Sees Strong Q1 Results, Warns of Impact from Rising Memory Costs
The Streaming Wars Staff
Apple reported record Q1 results, with revenue up 16 percent to $143.8 billion and EPS hitting $2.84, driven by record iPhone sales and a strong rebound in China. However, shares fell after management warned that global memory chip shortages will…
Basics of Streaming: Why Streaming Revenue Is A Portfolio, Not A Product
The Streaming Wars Staff
Basics of Streaming breaks down why streaming platforms must manage revenue like a portfolio instead of chasing a single model. SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, and licensing each serve different audience behaviors and market needs, and combining them provides flexibility, stability, and…
Generative AI Gets Headlines. Generative Questions Change Companies
Kirby Grines
AI transformation in media isn't flashy generative content, but generative questions that collapse the gap between intent and insight. By enabling anyone to ask natural-language queries and receive trustworthy answers, AI shifts power away from gatekeepers and towards decision-makers.
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Peacock Was Supposed to Be Profitable by 2024. Instead, It’s Still Bleeding Cash
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Peacock missed its 2024 breakeven target, posting a $552 million Q4 loss despite reaching 44 million paid subscribers. NBCUniversal’s original pitch, that advertising, sports, and bundling would drive profitable scale, failed to materialize, with costs outpacing revenue and key assumptions…
Nielsen’s 2025 Streaming Rankings Highlight Final Seasons, Iconic Creators, and Record Growth
The Streaming Wars Staff
Nielsen’s 2025 streaming rankings crowned Stranger Things and Squid Game as the year’s most-watched originals, with Netflix claiming five of the top ten shows. Seth MacFarlane was named the first-ever Streaming Icon of the Year, logging over 60 billion viewing…
Paramount+ Plans a Major Short-Form Video Push, Leaked Internal Docs Show
The Streaming Wars Staff
Paramount+ is considering launching a short-form video feed, internally dubbed Project Eagle, aimed at boosting daily app engagement. The strategy includes a personalized, mobile-first clip experience and could eventually incorporate user-generated content.
Netflix’s Live Bet Is Starting to Look Like Infrastructure
Kirby Grines
Skyscraper Live drew 6.2 million global views across live and short-term on-demand. The stream ran smoothly using the same systems supporting Netflix’s NFL, boxing, and WWE events, marking a shift from experimentation to reliable operations. Live is no longer a…
MLS Brings Prediction Markets Into Its Core Fan Experience With Polymarket
Kirby Grines
Major League Soccer has signed a multi-year partnership with Polymarket to integrate prediction markets directly into its fan experience. This move embeds real-time, data-driven fan sentiment and probability markets into MLS's digital platforms, shifting prediction markets from the periphery to…
UFC 324 Delivers Paramount+ Its Biggest Exclusive Live Event Ever
The Streaming Wars Staff
UFC 324 became the most watched exclusive live event in Paramount+ history, pulling in an average live streaming audience of 4.96 million. The January 24 event drew 7.18 million global households and peaked at 5.93 million concurrent streams. It also…
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HBO Max Inks Prime Video Deals for Germany, Italy Rollout
The Hollywood Reporter
HBO Max has launched in Germany, Italy, and five other European markets, expanding through new carriage deals with Amazon Prime Video and local bundling partners. The move ends legacy Sky restrictions and sets the stage for a U.K./Ireland launch in…
Spotify digs in on podcasts with new Hollywood studios
LA Times
Spotify has opened a new video-first podcast studio in Hollywood’s Sycamore media district, marking its second LA location and expanding its investment in video podcasting. The 11,000-square-foot facility will support creators in the Spotify Partner Program, including The Ringer and…
HBO Max subscriber sues Netflix to halt merger
LA Times
Netflix is facing a lawsuit from an HBO Max subscriber seeking to block its proposed $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s entertainment assets, alleging the merger would harm competition and lead to higher subscription prices. The plaintiff argues the…
FIFA hopes official TikTok broadcasts will bring “relatable perspectives” to World Cup coverage
Tubefilter
FIFA has named TikTok its official "Preferred Platform" for the 2026 World Cup, marking the first time a social media platform has received such a designation. The deal includes live match footage, press conferences, training updates, and creator-led content, aiming…
Peacock Adds Personalized Feeds, Interactive Features for NBA, Winter Olympics
TV Technology
NBCUniversal is expanding Peacock’s interactive sports streaming features for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and NBA All-Star Weekend. New mobile-optimized experiences—Rinkside Live for hockey and figure skating, and Courtside Live for basketball—will let users toggle between curated camera angles…
Parts of Disney+ Will Soon Look Like Your TikTok Feed
Vulture
Disney+ is planning to launch a vertical, TikTok-style video feed later this year, aiming to increase daily user engagement through short-form content. The feed may include episode clips, social content, and AI-generated videos, possibly integrating elements from its ESPN “Verts”…
Industry Insights
The Endless Game Isn’t Endless for Players Kirby Grines
From the Archives: Stage 32 and the Limits of Building a Social Network for Hollywood The Streaming Wars Staff
