ClassicTube
04-22-2019, 10:38 PM
There's much discussion and confusion in the "MeTV QTR2 2019 Schedule" thread, and I thought I would just go ahead and start a new thread for Summer 2019; adding a little information on how many things will be changing across the entire space of diginets, OTT TV, etc.
The Dick Van Dyke Show announcement has confused a lot of people questioning whether other changes are coming to the schedule. Yes! The QTR3 summer schedule is approximately 3 weeks away. No announcements are ready though, so stay tuned.
Just a few thoughts about changing schedules on the diginets, including MeTV. Sorry if this is lengthy, but everything is being turned upside down.
There are massive changes taking place in licensing of the classic shows. Once an afterthought, these shows have proven their worth as winners with varying experiments with OTT providers, as well as carriers of the diginets, and are now treated very seriously as viable 24/7 products.
Brace yourself for major changes across the spectrum of diginets and OTT providers (Sling, PSVue, Philo, etc.). The biggest changes are coming due to the Time Warner merger with AT&T (read: AT&T takeover of all TimeWarner assets and all things owned by). Honestly, approval was, in my opinion, a travesty - but that's for another day. The many, many shows now under AT&T-run WarnerMedia are being used to harm any and all AT&T competitors, doing exactly what they promised not to do. From killing off Filmstruck, to weaponizing their HBO ownership in blatant disregard of the merger approval conditions, to slowly killing off DirectTV NOW in favor of the little known WatchTV (both owned by AT&T). How this all ties together is too long to get into here. But the above is driving many changes.
You will see, especially for the next year or so, changes from the traditional scheduling by quarter, to scheduling based on when some shows are available due to contracts ending and how long they can shelf before air date. Almost all of this is thanks, again, to AT&T and the all-new WarnerMedia. So this post isn't just wayyyy too long, I will just point you to do some simple research on what television product Time Warner (WM) owns. Not just the many subsidiaries, I am talking about content they own from all of their subsidiary assets. Put that together with the new ownership being a major provider themselves of delivery and AT&T is now in a position to play serious hardball - and they are. Just another example: keeping Turner content away from competitors of DirectTVNow and WatchTV, or licensing it at such ridiculous cost that it ups the costs for these other OTT streaming companies, which, of course, means rate hikes for consumers.
Long story short - MeTV summer 2019 schedule coming along in about 3 weeks. Major changes coming to licensing classic content across the board. The AT&T takeover of Time Warner will have major repercussions on most everything regarding licensing, diginets and OTT providers. One big bottom-line takeaway: have patience with MeTV, Antenna TV, Retro, Cozi, etc. They all are having to deal with WarnerMediaAT&T which is almost like David and Goliath with these networks. But, big guns are firing back, too. Long story I have provided, but hope it helps as you question going forward whether there is method to the madness.
The Dick Van Dyke Show announcement has confused a lot of people questioning whether other changes are coming to the schedule. Yes! The QTR3 summer schedule is approximately 3 weeks away. No announcements are ready though, so stay tuned.
Just a few thoughts about changing schedules on the diginets, including MeTV. Sorry if this is lengthy, but everything is being turned upside down.
There are massive changes taking place in licensing of the classic shows. Once an afterthought, these shows have proven their worth as winners with varying experiments with OTT providers, as well as carriers of the diginets, and are now treated very seriously as viable 24/7 products.
Brace yourself for major changes across the spectrum of diginets and OTT providers (Sling, PSVue, Philo, etc.). The biggest changes are coming due to the Time Warner merger with AT&T (read: AT&T takeover of all TimeWarner assets and all things owned by). Honestly, approval was, in my opinion, a travesty - but that's for another day. The many, many shows now under AT&T-run WarnerMedia are being used to harm any and all AT&T competitors, doing exactly what they promised not to do. From killing off Filmstruck, to weaponizing their HBO ownership in blatant disregard of the merger approval conditions, to slowly killing off DirectTV NOW in favor of the little known WatchTV (both owned by AT&T). How this all ties together is too long to get into here. But the above is driving many changes.
You will see, especially for the next year or so, changes from the traditional scheduling by quarter, to scheduling based on when some shows are available due to contracts ending and how long they can shelf before air date. Almost all of this is thanks, again, to AT&T and the all-new WarnerMedia. So this post isn't just wayyyy too long, I will just point you to do some simple research on what television product Time Warner (WM) owns. Not just the many subsidiaries, I am talking about content they own from all of their subsidiary assets. Put that together with the new ownership being a major provider themselves of delivery and AT&T is now in a position to play serious hardball - and they are. Just another example: keeping Turner content away from competitors of DirectTVNow and WatchTV, or licensing it at such ridiculous cost that it ups the costs for these other OTT streaming companies, which, of course, means rate hikes for consumers.
Long story short - MeTV summer 2019 schedule coming along in about 3 weeks. Major changes coming to licensing classic content across the board. The AT&T takeover of Time Warner will have major repercussions on most everything regarding licensing, diginets and OTT providers. One big bottom-line takeaway: have patience with MeTV, Antenna TV, Retro, Cozi, etc. They all are having to deal with WarnerMediaAT&T which is almost like David and Goliath with these networks. But, big guns are firing back, too. Long story I have provided, but hope it helps as you question going forward whether there is method to the madness.