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LightShed’s Walter Piecyk on Decoder Podcast: How SpaceX Breaks the Wireless Oligopoly

Episode 106: May 13, 2022

    • [0:00] Don’t Worry Be Happy.
    • [2:58] Would the Twitter board take $42.00?
    • [7:55] Would you fire major executives if you actually thought Elon could walk?
    • [13:34] TTD is key to Netflix moving quickly on ads.
    • [19:44] Content spend deceleration is not a good Endeavor bear thesis.
    • [26:15] Is Google getting back into sports rights?
    • [29:51] Heavy enterprise and tech focus at Dish Analyst Day.
    • [38:14] Is an HBO Max channel store flip flop imminent?
    • [43:56] Match is to Google as Epic is to Apple.
    • [48:15] The bundle is cracking because there is no choice.
    • [54:10] Roblox beginning to embrace principles of crypto.
    • [58:35] Sorare adds actual utility to the collectible itself.
    • [1:00:33] Peloton announces a new high-priced clothes hanger.
    • [1:04:39] Crypto 101 by the Washington Nationals, presented by Terra.
    • [1:05:30] Flippity Flip Flop Fly.
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Episode 105: May 6, 2022

    • [0:00] My Money Don’t Jiggle, Jiggle, It Folds.
    • [1:06] Rich’s hair is now green.
    • [3:12] What economic model gets Twitter to Elon’s revenue goals?
    • [12:37] Xbox/Epic deal a win-win for both parties.
    • [15:27] How do brands create long term engagement in 3D interactive?
    • [27:42] Expect Netflix to slowly move into sports rights.
    • [32:12] Netflix benefits if other SVOD platforms crackdown on password sharing.
    • [34:27] A media exec finally admits that short-form mobile is eating into TV.
    • [41:55] What does a minority stake in Starz do for Roku?
    • [44:56] Is there actually a model for standalone sports in the streaming world?
    • [47:38] As investors give up on Spotify, Daniel Ek buys stock himself.
    • [49:58] FTC telegraphs their issues with ATVI/MSFT.
    • [54:11] Once you have a marketplace, you can repurpose it.
    • [56:35] Leveraging content through web3 and bobbleheads. 
    • [59:08] ESPN+ slowly dips their toe in the NFL waters.
    • [59:52] Happy Clapping Song.
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Episode 104: April 29, 2022

    • [0:00] Chameleon.
    • [2:25] Brandon thinks better with a fever.
    • [4:30] If Elon wants his Twitter deal to close, it will.
    • [14:48] Is it too late to the tvOS party for the Comcast/Charter JV?
    • [23:22] No Comcast investor believes in Peacock.
    • [27:00] Netflix needs quality control.
    • [33:01] The difference between Meta’s 1Q22 and 4Q21 calls: IR messaging.
    • [35:00] Will TikTok run into its own problems too?
    • [38:14] Evan Spiegel’s fundamentally different view of the metaverse.
    • [42:06] What are the other unnamed projects Zaslav will shutter at WBD?
    • [44:56] Do not talk about “opportunities” in linear TV.
    • [46:06] Roku now needs to spend their own money to grow ads business.
    • [51:30] Competition could drive UFC’s US rights deal significantly higher.
    • [54:10] Terrible earnings for ATVI but Blizzard has content surprises.
    • [56:17] iSpotTV financially bolstered as it zeros in on Nielsen.
    • [57:32] Disney’s content placement strategy is utterly confusing.
    • [1:01:20] Will Avatar 2 be the biggest write-off ever?
    • [1:03:20] Idioteque.
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Episode 103: April 22, 2022

    • [0:00] Tweezer Reprise.
    • [2:50] We did not expect #GoodLuckStreaming in 2022.
    • [3:10] Why is Reed Hastings giving up religion on advertising? 
    • [18:13] Zaslav’s conundrum – what do you do if streaming isn’t a panacea?
    • [21:16] Warner Bros. Discovery is too levered to deal with CNN+.
    • [25:53] Sunday Ticket to Apple would be a gamechanger.
    • [28:50] Will +play help Verizon and streamers grow?
    • [34:38] Hard to fathom that investors will want to sell Twitter at $54.20.
    • [39:49] Do Twitter’s problems stem from the answer to “What is Twitter?”?
    • [44:27] Bob Chapek’s tough year continues.
    • [47:47] Does Disney still want to be Netflix?
    • [51:00] Video game advertising can work but absolutely cannot be disruptive.
    • [51:46] Advertisers’ fears – what does Apple do next?
    • [53:53] What RSN fan doesn’t want all major sports channels too?
    • [55:45] Who buys a movie ticket with dogecoin?
    • [57:23] Tender is the Night.
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Episode 102: April 14, 2022

    • [0:00] Dayenu.
    • [2:53] Will Elon buy Twitter?
    • [12:20] Does the threat of Elon owning Twitter change the government’s view of big tech M&A?
    • [18:05] Should The New York Times be anti-Twitter? 
    • [22:58] Disney should sell Hulu to Comcast to focus on Disney+.
    • [29:29] Scott Galloway thinks AT&T still owns Warner Bros. and that they should sell HBO.
    • [33:14] Epic’s LEGO partnership could (eventually) be a threat to Roblox’s core user base.
    • [36:35] Meta’s Horizon Worlds’ fees are more creator friendly than the competition.
    • [40:25] Brands and media companies still sprinting to gain a presence on Roblox.
    • [42:02] Keep McKinsey away from media companies.
    • [47:03] F1 should send a thank you to Netflix.
    • [48:52] Do personal ratings now matter at Netflix?
    • [50:48] Freevee’s terrible name masks Amazon’s AVOD opportunity.
    • [53:33] Year-round football should scare all other sports.
    • [58:57] Is the Zaslav regime on board with a 45-day theatrical window? .
    • [1:01:37] Peloton is trying to find the sweet spot on the elasticity curve. 
    • [1:04:03] Bunny Hop.
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Episode 101: April 8, 2022

    • [0:00] Game of Thrones – Main Title.
    • [1:39] Where’s Walt’s Yellowstone swag?
    • [3:55] WarnerMedia’s Red Wedding.
    • [10:58] Advertising on Netflix?
    • [15:52] Elon and Twitter.
    • [26:10] Music is core to Roblox’s strategy.
    • [28:52] Roblox’s continued product improvements will increase engagement and user growth.
    • [31:10] Dish Analyst Day.
    • [33:21] WrestleMania weekend success.
    • [38:36] Disney should buy WWE.
    • [46:35] Disney finally begins tying Disney+ to the overall company.
    • [48:23] Fubo needs to raise capital, not price.
    • [51:13] Meta should be massively overpaying creators on Reels.
    • [55:03] Another departure at SoftBank.
    • [57:01] Thumbs up for WeCrashed. Thumbs down for Super Pumped.
    • [57:14] Chaise Longue.
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Episode 100: April 1, 2022

    • [0:00] Shock The Monkey.
    • [1:00] The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air.
    • [1:57] Rich’s experience at the House of Mouse.
    • [8:02] Apple is completely committed to the content business.
    • [15:06] Mad Dog Russo sums up the issues with Friday Night Baseball.
    • [23:01] Zuckerberg’s public TikTok fears are real, not strategic.
    • [32:39] Update on T-Mobile/Dish saga.
    • [33:50] Is there differentiation in wireless?
    • [36:00] The NFL should leverage their mobile rights to learn DTC.
    • [39:27] Twitter continues to improve the product and grow engagement.
    • [42:07] Don’t throw the SPAC out with the bathwater.
    • [44:15] Las Vegas is quickly becoming a sports destination.
    • [45:13] #GoodluckTMOArena.
    • [48:41] Microsoft is fully committed to subscription gaming, Sony is not.
    • [51:46] GTA+ is not a deviation from Strauss Zelnick’s subscription views.
    • [54:50] A levered Nielsen loses leverage.
    • [56:47] Who has Fanatics not signed a deal with?
    • [58:04] Is Caesars’ NY market share actually sticky?
    • [59:40] Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.
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Episode 99: March 25, 2022

    • [0:00] 99.
    • [0:50] The elephant in The Mouse’s room.
    • [7:01] A Roku television?
    • [12:15] YouTube building on its big screen momentum.
    • [15:42] Does Apple care about Spotify’s new deal with Google?
    • [19:38] Is Instagram winning back share from TikTok?
    • [23:10] Pricing power in an inflationary market.
    • [28:53] Uber Eats via a NYC taxi is gross.
    • [31:30] Nielsen is making a mistake by not selling.
    • [33:35] Monetizing esports is proving to be very hard.
    • [36:00] Netflix’s gaming strategy: buy not build.
    • [37:55] Will Apple be your future wireless service provider?
    • [41:44] Snap’s R&D and mind control.
    • [44:12] SVODs need passion and tonnage.
    • [47:32] Sports announcers don’t drive ratings.
    • [52:12] Can live betting flourish?
    • [53:09] 99 Luftballons.
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Episode 98: March 18, 2022

    • [0:00] Rebellion (Lies).
    • [2:20] Can you have a dollar sign in a domain name?
    • [4:03] Jake Paul calls out LightShed. Is he right about UFC fighter comp?
    • [11:11] Netflix has levers to pull to re-accelerate sub growth.
    • [19:23] Walt is frustrated with Comcast’s focus on business model over the consumer.
    • [25:31] Expect Jim Dolan even more involved in MSGE as the Sphere moves from construction phase to growth.
    • [29:08] Will Apple win in AR, pushing VR to the side?
    • [33:30] Pent up concert demand outweighs inflationary pressures.
    • [36:14] The FTC never had a case against Amazon/MGM.
    • [41:10] What’s the ROI on big naming rights deals like Spotify/Barcelona
    • [44:28] New ownership for CryptoPunks doesn’t mean great content will follow.
    • [49:15] NFT ownership is currently about community as much as broader utilities.
    • [50:27] AMC buys gold. Where are the creditors?
    • [52:30] Reminder: Clubhouse (allegedly) turned down a $4bn bid.
    • [55:04] Wake up.
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Episode 97: March 11, 2022

    • [0:00] Maria También.
    • [1:25] We should have skipped the Sixers’ game.
    • [3:50] Apple needs Sunday Ticket, not MLB rights.
    • [9:11] Apple TV+’s high churn is unsurprising.
    • [15:03] Comcast and NBCU should be separate companies.
    • [17:40] Is the future of TV ad-supported weekly releases?
    • [18:47] Netflix’s two key differentiators: scale and ad-free.
    • [22:58] Does Disney’s likely exit from IPL signal a shift in broader sports strategy? 
    • [26:32] Breaking down Rutledge’s claims.
    • [36:18] Samsung is not going to give up on its OS.
    • [39:05] Russian impact is largely immaterial to media companies.
    • [41:09] Dynamic movie ticket pricing brings more questions than answers.
    • [45:39] Whose family plan are you on?
    • [47:17] Jason Robins needs to stop tweeting and execute.
    • [49:07] Yellowstone Theme.
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