Why Netflix is killing it, Esquire network blazes a trail, why more people are using antennas.

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CordKillers: Ep. 154 – In Bed! 
Recorded: January 24 2017
Guest: Jeff Cannata

Intro Video

• Last Week Tonight joke promo

Primary Target

• Netflix added a record 7 million new subscribers last quarter
  – Netflix announced it earned $0.15 per share in Q4 with sales of $2.48 billion. Analysts had expected earnings per share of $0.14 and revenue of $2.47 billion. Notably the company saw very strong growth in subscribers across all markets. In the US, 2 million new subscibers were added in Q4, with 5 million added internationally. This well exceeded analyst expectations of 1.38 million and 3.78 million, respectively. The company has focused on adding international content that can travel across regions to continue this growth, like the original Brazilian series 3%, as well as Japanese anime and Turkish dramas
• Netflix predicts HBO will let you binge new shows online before they air on TV
• Netflix’s global domination plans find a US fanbase
• Netflix is so big that it doesn’t need net neutrality rules anymore
• A buyer’s primer on who’s NOT subscribing to Netflix
• Netflix is killing it
  – Reed Hastings in shareholder letter cited an unconfirmed report about the BBC ““The BBC has become the first major linear network to announce plans to go binge-first with new seasons, favoring internet over linear viewers. We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC.”
  – Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos “We’re seeing as we’re adding more and more global shows that it’s rising all boats across the world,”
  -“Weakening of US net neutrality laws, should that occur, is unlikely to materially affect our domestic margins or service quality because we are now popular enough with consumers to keep our relationships with ISPs stable.”
  -“On a public policy basis, however, strong net neutrality is important to support innovation and smaller firms.”  
  – A UBS study of US non-subscribers to Netflix
  – 2/3 older than 55
  – 3/5 have HH income below US median, also small HH of 1 or 2 perople
  – Slower on technology adoption
  – The report notes that adding Netflix as part of a cable bundle is more likely to convert this group into subscribers

How to Watch

• NBCU Shutting Cable’s Esquire Network, Re-Launching As Digital
  – NBC is shutting down its Esquire Cable network, a month after DirecTV dropped it, and will relaunch it this Spring on Esquire.com. It will have all existing programs plus anticipated new shows.
  – Esquire averaged 55,000 adults 18-49 in primetime last year72 of 104 networks. Even NBC’s leverage of USA (#4) and Bravo (#23) weren’t enough to keep it going. 
• Pondering the future of niche cable in era of cord cutting
• Hulu will let you download shows ‘in a few months’
  – Hulu has extended its user profiles function to iOS and Android. Users of Hulu on the Web, Xbox and PlayStation also have access to profiles.
  – And Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins told AdWeek that you’ll have the option to download Hulu shows in a few months, once licensing issues are squared away. 

What to Watch

• Star Wars: Episode VIII Is Now Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  – The next Star Wars movie has a title. Episode VIII will be called Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
• Netflix’s The Discovery posits a dark outcome from proving the afterlife exists
  – A movie called The Discovery will come to Netflix March 31. Robert Redford plays a person who has proved the afterlife is real causing a spike in suicides. The movie also stars Jason Segel, Rooney Mara and Jesse Plemons.
• Netflix’s House of Cards will return on May 30th for its fifth season
  – House of Cards will return to Netflix on May 30 for season 5. It’s the first season without creator Beau Willimon as showrunner.
• Twitter to live-stream from red carpet for 3 more award shows
  – Twitter will partner with Dick Clark Productions to live stream the red carpet pre-show for the Country Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards. Twitter will also live stream the 7th annual Streamy Awards.
• Seinfeld’s ‘Comedians in Cars’ moves to Netflix this year
  – Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee will bring 24 new episodes to Netflix starting in late 2017 along with 59 back episodes. Previously it was the only show most people could remember when asked what kinds of things you could find on Sony’s Crackle service. Seinfeld will also film two stand-up specials.
• Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens TV Miniseries Arrives on Amazon Next Year
  – Neil Gaiman will be the showrunner of a six-part adaptation of Good Omens, a book Gaiman co-wrote with the late Terry Pratchett. Amazon is co-developing it with the BBC for air in 2018. 
• Star Trek Discovery delayed, no longer has a release date
  – James Frain has been cast as Spock’s father Sarek howeever, the series will no longer debut in May. A representative told the Hollywood Reporter, “We’ve said from the beginning it’s more important to do this right than to do it fast.” No new release date has been announced.
• The author of The Martian is writing a NASA TV pilot for CBS
  – Andy Weir, author of the Martian is working on a pilot for CBS called Mission Control that “revolves around the next generation of NASA astronauts and scientists who juggle their personal and professional lives” during a critical mission.

What We’re Watching

• Brian: Young Pope 102,103. Justified, Sherlock 403
• Tom: Laura, Justified (502) Sherlock (403) Star Trek: Voyager
• Jeff: Split, Captain Fantastic
• On the Lookout: AwesomenessTV’s “We Love You , BuzzFeedVideo’s “Broke.

Front Lines

• 15% of U.S. broadband households have antenna-only TV service
  – A Parks Associates study found 15 percent of US broadband households get TV from an antenna the 5th straight quarter of growth. Pay TV subscriptions dropped to 81%, making three straight years of declines.   
• DirecTV Now got 200,000 subscribers in its first month
  – In an SEC financial filing AT&T stated the the DirecTV Now streaming service added more than 200,000 paying subscribers in its first month.
• AirTV is shipping to customers without its biggest feature (updated)
  – Dish’s AirTV boxes are shipping but without the promised integration of over the air channels into the Sling TV interface. A separate button gives access to over the air channels. The boxes on display at CES were running beta software apparently and a software update to bring the integrated guide to everyone should roll out next month. 
• Roku’s new app can replace its remote, help you find something to watch
  – Roku updated its Android and iOS apps, moving navigation to the bottom of the app and showing you a list of channels you have installed in the main screen when you first launch the app. A new section called What’s On makes recommendations. The remote screen also now more closely resembkles the physical Roku remote. 
• Shambling corpse of 3D TV finally falls down dead
  – LG and Sony will stop adding support for 3D TV to their television sets in 2017. Samsung dropped support from models in 2016 and Vizio in 2013. 
• Netflix Joins Apple’s TV App, Sort Of
  – The Apple TV app (which is on iOS and Apple TV the device) now supports non-original Netflix shows. Netflix originals can still only be accessed from the Netflix app.

Dispatches from the Front

Hi Tom/Brian – I just wanted to share the results of an experiment I was conducting to see if I could start using Amazon Prime video more than I was because I mostly forgot it was there.

Well TLDR; No. Their UX on both Roku and the Web is still terrible. When I stop watching the UHD version of the Grand Tour on the Roku and try to continue on the laptop it doesn’t continue from where I left on the Roku. Because Amazon tracks the UHD and the HD versions separately. Seriously!!! Also I rented 3 movies during their 99 cent rental offer and couldn’t find them on any screen. I had to search for them movies and then it showed that I had rented them. Also the UX is terrible to figure out which are paid and which are free on Prime.

When I discussed this with a few colleagues and friends, I found I wasn’t the only one struggling. So I guess amazon which is so brilliant in shopping UX needs a lot of work on the streaming part. I love a lot of the work they are doing but definitely need to ramp up the UX. For now I am back to itunes and Google Play for renting. But I assume Apple will run into this when they plan on launching their streaming service.

Thanks,
– Josh

 

 

 

Hey guys,

I love the show and I am a Patreon contributor. I have a question. What apps would you recommend that show where to stream a movie or tv show?

Thanks again for the show. I cut cable October 2015 and I haven’t missed it. My wife was the reason I didn’t do it sooner but she was tried of Comcast issues and agreed to try. We agreed to cut cable for a month without actually dropping the cable. We disconnected the TVs and hooked up an OTA antenna. After two weeks my wife said she didn’t miss cable and we dropped Comcast.

We use Netflix, Acorn TV and Tablo with the antenna. We use a combination of Apple TVs and Roku on 4 TVs. I like Apple better and my wife prefers Roku. I use SideReel to track my shows at Tom’s recommendation. We have used Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and Dirrectv Now. Of the three, I like PS Vue the best but I will try Hulu’s new service we it comes out.

Sincerely,
– Elvin

• Justwatch.com

 

Hello wonderful employees!

I meant to write in some time ago about this subject, but just never got around to it.

The reason that Amazon didn’t release Grand Tour all at once is because they’re still filming!
This screen grab is from E! following the production team of GT around the Hollywood Hills, Wednesday, January 18, as they film elements for what’s possibly the season finale on February 3rd. According to WikiPedia, “it was announced that the final studio filming location will be Dubai in December 2016.[25].”

So there’s your answer, they’re still not done! However, they’re going straight into filming series two, so maybe that would be release Netflix-style.

Love the show, gents. Keep up the great work!

 

 

 

Thanks for recommending Movies With Mikey I love his review style, and his review of The Force Awakens changed my mind about the movie. When I saw it all I could see was all the fan service BS like “oh look it’s Death Star 3.0 this time it’s bigger”. Mikey revealed done of the underlying plot that I totally missed.
Love the show
Your boss
– Matt

 

Hey guys,

Heard your positive sounding coverage of the Anime Strike launch on Amazon. Always cool to see the anime streaming services get a little Cordkiller love. Wanted to drop you a line and hip you to some details about that service you may not be aware of. You’re right, anime fans tend to be a pretty passionate bunch, but we’ll get back to that later.

99% of the offerings on Anime Strike is content that’s readily available through other channels. There’s really nothing particularly special about most of the content it offers other than their “curation.” No doubt some of it was previously available on Amazon Prime.

But there is *one* thing that is special.

There is a programming block on Fuji TV called Noitamina (animation spelled backwards). Every broadcast season, it airs one weekly half-hour episode show. The content on that block is aimed at an older audience, and an audience that might not be your standard issue “anime fan.” Think drama, not Dragonball. And the content that airs on Noitamina, while not infallible, is generally considered to be a cut above by a lot of anime fans. Many folks will check out any show that airs on that block, even if it doesn’t appear to be their cup of tea. “Noitamina show” is a phrase that people recognize.

And Amazon signed a deal with Fuji TV to be the exclusive streaming distributer of simulcast content that airs on that block a few seasons back.

So essentially, Anime Strike is merely Amazon holding a single show, of well-regarded content, hostage for five dollars a month, every season. On TOP of an Amazon Prime membership. Compare that to the seven dollars a month for a Crunchroll membership – where you can watch literally *everything else* that is simulcasting (plus a large library of things you *can’t* see other places).

There is no value add to Anime Strike. It’s a very old-media, consumer-hostile, balkanization maneuver.

Y’all are correct – anime fans are a pretty passionate bunch. Moreover, they’re pretty savvy about streaming services too. And the naked cynicism of what Amazon is doing with that service is readily apparent. I assure you, Anime Strike enjoys absolutely no good will in western anime fandom. People are going to continue paying Crunchyroll (a company that enjoys a *great deal* of consumer good will) their seven dollars a month, and torrent the single Noitaminia show. That’s what’s going to happen.

That isn’t intended to be justifications for piracy, just pointing out the reality and economics of the situation.

Cheers guys,

– Monte

Links

2016 Winter Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers