Comcast’s NBCUniversal is set to spin off Versant, comprising its linear cable networks excluding Bravo; Lionsgate has just completed its separation from Starz; investor excitement for a Warner Bros. Discovery spin-off of its Global Linear Networks is building by the day. Plus many speculate Skydance, if it can close its Paramount merger (still remains an…
Skydance announced its merger/takeover of Paramount on July 7, 2024. The transaction has all necessary approvals to close immediately, except the FCC. While everyone on both sides of the transaction remains confident the deal will ultimately close, we are increasingly concerned the deal could collapse as Paramount is paralyzed by legal fears surrounding the pending…
Charter’s acquisition of Cox represents a strategic win at both a financial and operational level. The deal was struck at a discount to Charter’s trading multiple, and the synergy potential likely exceeds the $500 million figure disclosed. In a stagnant cable market, scale is everything, particularly when it comes to bundling broadband and video services.…
Yesterday, ESPN announced (link) that its decade-in-the-making direct-to-consumer streaming service, aptly named ESPN, would cost $30/month, or $36/month if bundled with Disney+ and Hulu (with a first-year bundled discount bringing it to $30/month). At a $30 standalone price point, the risk of cannibalizing the legacy multichannel bundle seems quite low, especially when you consider that…
EchoStar is facing new risks to its valuable spectrum holdings after receiving a letter from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr that outlined three issues. The most concerning part of the letter was Carr’s directive to “investigate EchoStar’s compliance with its buildout milestones.” If the FCC concludes that requirements weren’t met, the licenses could automatically expire and…
AppLovin is the most controversial and debated stock within our coverage universe, which is clearly reflected in both its meteoric rise and volatility over the past year. AppLovin management has worked to openly correct/refute the bear stories tied to its Axon 2.0 technology (link) and has begun to highlight success stories as it expands from…
I used to joke that Aurora CEO Chris Urmson would follow the company’s first driver-out truck in a chase car, flanked by a convoy of employees. Instead, he opted to ride in the back seat of the massive Class 8 truck itself, experiencing the historic journey firsthand. This milestone is a massive company achievement and…
Waymo and Toyota announced a preliminary agreement that was very light on details but loaded with opportunity for private ownership of autonomous vehicles. This is a massive milestone and pivot in Waymo’s lengthy and leading path to autonomy. It’s also another example of how competition drives innovation. The Autonomy Market is heating up and the wins and…
Following Netflix’s Q1 2025 earnings last week, Puck News’ Matt Belloni interviewed LightShed’s Rich Greenfield. We discussed LightShed’s view that time spent is the most important factor in “winning” the streaming wars, where Netflix’s next 100 million subscribers will come from, upside in Netflix subscription and advertising ARPU, the challenge ESPN flagship faces in migrating…
Yesterday, Disney CEO Bob Iger was interviewed by ESPN CEO Jimmy Pitaro at the SBJ World Congress of Sports 2025 Conference in Nashville. The most interesting part was that Iger showed up to the event in the first place to talk about the future of ESPN. Iger’s boldest comment was that the fall 2025 launch…
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