Cameron Saless

Do not miss my latest article in OTTVerse on the the global growth of sports viewing on FAST/AVOD and how the consumption of sports content has undergone significant transformation!

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Comcast says they are using high-bitrate HEVC compression to offer "Enhanced 4K" on the Xfinity X1 platform, premiering for the Paris Olympics and available on USA Network. The enhanced video supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos at the "highest bitrate," but Comcast would not disclose the max bitrate being delivered. The company says the Enhanced 4K playback is delivered with ultra-low latency "only seconds behind all the live action unfolding in Paris." Comcast said they are comparing their latency against "other streaming services" and that their testing showed it was "comparable to OTA." I can't access Comcast, where I live, so I can't see it, but I'm happy to hear from others in the comments section when they get to see it. #streamingmedia #comcast #codecs #HEVC #4K

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Discovery is the worst thing that could have happened to Warner Brothers. Discovery went massively into debt to merge Warner Brothers away from AT&T. WBD's merger debt was $46 billion. They cut that down by about $15 Billion by sacrificing things across the Warner Brothers, WB Pictures, HBO, and Warner Animation slates. They didn't seem to cut much from Discovery. Now WB is mulling the sale of all or part of WBIE (aka WB Games). This is damn sad. I used to use WB as the example of the one Hollywood studio that got game dev and publishing consistently right. Back in the day, WB bought IP, assets, and studios from Midway including Surreal, Snowblind, Monolith, and NetherRealm along with venerable Midway & Atari IP & franchises. Key IP included Mortal Kombat, Rampage, Spy Hunter, NBA Jam, Cruis'n, NFL Blitz, Defender, Joust, Robotron: 2084, Gauntlet and the Rush series. WB grew smartly with internal development and publishing. WB published a range of titles across genres, sizes, and monetization for PC, Console, Handheld, and Mobile. WB was consistent. Now WBIE/ WB Games appears to just be an asset for WBD to unload to reduce debt. And this could be in whole or in part. Sigh. What a waste. ----- GameDeveloper: "Report: WB Discovery looking to sell off games, other divisions to prevent total breakup. Game franchises like DC and Mortal Kombat may once again be up for sale as Warner Bros. Discovery tries to make some money." (Justin Carter) (Aug 6, 2024) Warner Bros. Discovery's dire financial straits may lead to it selling off various "smaller assets" as a means to avoid a complete "nuclear option" corporate breakup. Financial Times, senior management like CEO David Zaslav are considering selling off its video game division. That side of the business includes original franchises WBD acquired (Mortal Kombat) and long-running transmedia brands (DC, Harry Potter). Since merging with Discovery in 2022, WBD has repeatedly affirmed its desire to stick around in video games, particularly live-service. It saw a big success in 2023 with Hogwarts Legacy, followed by the modest MultiVersus and disappointing Suicide Squad in 2024. According to the outlet, selling its games may be the one sale WBD could make without triggering complications, both legally and content-wise. The company recently lost out on media rights for NBA games and is re-rebranding its Max originals back to HBO. Notably, this is the second time this decade that WB Games has been up for potential sale. Back in 2020, when Warner Bros. was still owned by AT&T, parties like Microsoft and Take-Two were interested in buying the interactive division. At the time, a potential deal would've been valued for as much as $4 billion. If WB Games were to be sold off now, it's unclear for how much, given the performance of its aforementioned 2023 and 2024 games, along with Monolith's incoming Wonder Woman title." GameDeveloper: https://lnkd.in/gXuYt6Cq #gameindustry #wbd #wbie #wbgames #warnerbros

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SiriusXM reported its Q1 earnings this morning, and the headlines are justifiably focused on its loss of subscribers (nearly 500k). Like all radio, its subscription business is highly vulnerable with the move to digital audio, especially in cars. But a bright spot? If you paid attention to Spotify's earnings, you wouldn't be surprised: "off-platform revenue." For SXM, this includes Pandora and podcast revenue, which saw a 7% revenue increase. During their investor call, they signaled the growth for podcasts, explicitly saying, "Podcasting revenue saw a 22% year-over-year lift in the quarter, while programmatic podcast revenue increased 12% sequentially and 97% year over year." I'd love to see SXM break out the podcast numbers even further, but if you look at what they do provide, it's easy to conclude that podcast revenue is growing much faster than other segments. For example, Pandora continues to bleed users (64k paid subs in Q1 alone), so podcast revenue seems to be the tide lifting all "off-platform" boats. When asked about their podcast initiatives, Scott Greenstein said, "One is, you know, the podcast thing and industry is really still in the second or third inning, so it's evolving." He is 100% right. SXM also signaled that it will continue to license more podcast content and is not closing the book on exclusive content. One more fun nugget: On today's call, podcasts were mentioned 30 times. Pandora was only mentioned ten times, SmartLess nine times, and Howard Stern... zero point zero. Where do you think their priorities are moving forward? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eRQTM2Kq ---- I'm the CEO and founder of DWNLOAD Media, a fund focused on acquiring majority stakes in podcast companies. With continued audience and revenue growth, podcasting continues to be the most under-valued medium, making it time to invest in audio. If you're interested in investing in the podcast space, DM me! #podcasting #audio #siriusxm #sxm #earnings #investor #investing #podcasts

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Global on-demand audio streams surged by 15.1% to a staggering 2.3 trillion in the first half of 2024, marking a significant uptick in the music streaming industry. Within this total, U.S. streams accounted for 665.8 billion, showcasing an 8% year-over-year increase. Interestingly, the U.S. streams represent less than 30% of the worldwide total, signaling accelerated growth in international markets. This rapid expansion is not only reshaping the industry but also driving music content IP revenue upwards. #MusicStreaming #MusicIndustryGrowth

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Another big licensing deal in podcasting! In addition to selling the audio podcast inventory, Amazon will distribute video episodes and translate them for global distribution. These types of deals show how effective podcasting can be in proving IP. Once you have a hit, you need to figure out your 360-degree strategy for global audiences, live events, merchandise, etc. Q3 just started, and we'll still see a couple more of these before the end of the year, as predicted in the DWNLOAD Media Report. https://lnkd.in/efJVZXEE

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In the rapidly changing world of digital broadcasting, content creators and broadcasters are constantly on the lookout for monetization models that work. While YouTube has been a game-changer for individual creators looking to monetize their content, its limitations become apparent when it comes to TV programs and movies. This is due to the fact that YouTube's platform is predominantly focused on user-generated content. To learn more about the differences between YouTube's monetization model and professional CTV platforms, check out this informative article: https://lnkd.in/en8ew-c9 #DigitalBroadcasting #MonetizationModels #YouTubeVsCTV

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There is a lot of focus on Ai and captioning. However, what's more important is scalability and simple deployment of caption insertion. Affordability with no limits. Specially for larger projects like sports tournaments and events with multiple concurrent channels running daily. SyncWords platform is the answer.

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The stage was set at the NAB Show 2024. Hundreds of products battled for supremacy in the ever-evolving streaming video arena. Tensions were high as the industry's elite judging panel meticulously evaluated each offering. Then, a true champion emerged from the fray. Vimond's VIA App Builder captivated the experts with a perfect fusion of power and elegance. Features that dazzled: - Lightning-fast development capabilities that make deploying streaming services across devices a mere formality. - An interface so intuitive even a novice could wield its might. - Unparalleled content management that monetises like never before. In an epic clash of innovation, the VIA App Builder reigned supreme – conquering the "Next TV" category to seize the coveted Best of Show honour. A thousand competitors stood in awe. This was more than just an award. It was a statement of Vimond's unwavering commitment to streamlining video streaming for the modern era. An undisputed mark of quality that will shatter industry conventions. The victory horn has sounded. All others have been put on notice. Brace yourselves for the VIA App Builder's continued dominance, as it leads content creators to a new era of broadcast supremacy. https://lnkd.in/gssvefKG

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It's NOT. But what this really is about is a call-to-action and reaction to the industry earthquakes of the past year or so. One thing's clear: It's never going to be same again. And to be honest, things will probably be worse for a while longer before they get better - if they even do get better. But we have to change. We have to adapt. That's just the way it is, folks. #animation #cartoons #cartoonnetwork https://lnkd.in/gn3T-9fP

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STREAMING BUNDLES: Is the cable box making a comeback!? Subscriber churn remains an issue for SVOD services – 42% of US streaming subscribers report that they “'regularly subscribe, cancel and resubscribe,” according to Ampere’s Media Consumer survey covering 1Q24. But bundling streaming services can have a significant impact on mitigating the issue. Ampere cites Disney subscribers as an example: Consumers who had previously churned and then returned to take the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle are 59% less likely to churn within 12 months than those who take Disney+ alone, based on 1Q23 sign-ups. Ampere also found that US resubscribers skew younger (aged 18-44), are more likely to be in family households, and are typically avid media consumers. And with that wide media diet, the cohort is 40% more likely than average to exhibit signs of subscription fatigue and 21% more likely to desire unified access to content across different services. Which makes bundles, Ampere concludes, a key strategy in subscriber retention. The cable box is making a comeback! This time, it's on your mobile device$!

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Streamline Your AdTech Stack - It's Time to Simplify! 💡 Targeting the right audience has never been more complex. Media companies need innovative solutions to bridge gaps in audience knowledge, but the temptation to add layers of tech to meet new ad formats and privacy regulations can be costly and complex. Covatic’s on-device technology provides a simple, cost-efficient, and highly effective solution with no need for cookies, IDs, or tracking. Find out how you can streamline your approach while still delivering results in my piece on overcoming signal-loss. ⬇ Learn more about Covatic’s technology here ▶ https://lnkd.in/ek8TaFvu #Marketing #Advertising #DataPrivacy #Innovation #AdTech #Media #Publishing #Marketing #Cookieless

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Some additional information on how CKE Restaurants, Inc. and PMG are leveraging video-level contextual data via the IRIS_ID to target their CTV campaigns and drive actual bottom funnel conversion results! 📈 35% increase in incremental foot traffic 📈 152% increase in incremental sales lift Reach out to us if your a brand looking to increase the performance of your CTV campaigns or if you’re a publisher looking to increase your yield. IRIS.TV #ctv #data #performanceadvertising #contextual Digiday

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🎉 Exciting news regarding #CMCD 🎉 Apple's native AVPlayer framework now officially supports CMCD, which makes the Common Media Client Data standard immediately available for all iPhones, iPads, AppleTVs, etc. This is a major step in CMCD. In the past, many argued that CMCD does not provide full coverage of playback metrics across all platforms. With Apple joining the list, these days are over. CMCD is now available within web-based applications, on Android, RDK devices, Roku sticks, and.... all Apple devices 🍎 And the best: CMCD v2 is expected to be finalized by the end of this year 🚀 https://lnkd.in/dtEzxTPJ

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