As we near the close of 2020, we wonder what the new year might bring to the entertainment and media industry. During these complicated 12 months, we have seen an apparent acceleration of the trends that had been in the works since the early 2010s. In 2021, that transformation of the market will only speed […]
Tech companies under the microscope
Last week, the US House Judiciary Committee published the report on tech companies’ monopoly in the digital space that we had been expecting since the summer. The report argues in favor of reducing tech companies’ power and reexamining the way antitrust laws are understood. However, it does not show a way forward on how to […]
Antitrust measures for the 21st century
On Wednesday July 29, the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google were summoned to a hearing with the House antitrust committee. It turned out to be one of the most critical antitrust events since the 90s Microsoft case. One thing is clear—U.S. politics are finally waking up on the antitrust front after three decades […]
Subscriptions Flood Movie Theater Chains
We’ve heard it a thousand times—movie theaters, very much like books, are done. With their humongous fixed costs and their conservative outlook, they are just not ready to survive the online streaming era. That general assertion is true—streaming platforms, available for anyone with a laptop or a TV set, are releasing world-class pictures. But, although […]
Scroll: no ads for a self-care journalism style
Last week we saw the birth of Scroll, a new and unique online platform aiming to serve both readers and publishers. The subscription-based service provides an Internet experience free of ads and pop-ups for readers, while paying member publications a portion of their subscription revenue. For the past couple of years, the advertising model has […]
Spotify, the podcasting powerhouse
Before January comes to an end, we must still say a word about the podcasting industry and its current striking player—Spotify. Distributing third party content will not get the company very far, and since in music is very hard for Spotify to develop original content, podcasts are the best alternative that match their streaming and […]
Disney+ and the value of knowing your customer
On Nov. 12, a new streaming platform entered the market, aiming to dethrone the incumbent—Disney+ is ready to take on Netflix. Since 2015, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger had been planning the launch of the company’s over-the-top service. For a time, the $236 billion empire had been licensing its content to Netflix, but in the streaming […]
Quibi, the new streaming platform for mobile devices
That smartphone usage is growing is a fact; that we want to stream 10-minute episodes anytime anywhere is a hypothesis. Quibi, a Hollywood-based streaming company, wants to prove the hypothesis is true. With high-quality content and a hefty budget, Quibi aims to produce 10-minute episodes of film and shows for smartphones. The idea sounds very […]
