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‘Warnamount’ Merger Talk Confounds Investors And Industry: “Why Would Any Company Try To Catch A Falling Knife?” (deadline.com)

submitted 11 months ago by ValueSubtracted@startrek.website to c/quarks@startrek.website

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[–] ValueSubtracted@startrek.website 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

While the business has reckoned with more seismic deals in recent years, among them Disney-Fox and AT&T-Time Warner, this time the reality seems to be dawning that bigger is not always better. Streaming platforms swim in red ink and legacy media assets (mainly linear TV) are eroding. Yes, Zaslav has hinted at opportunities to be had, but WBD was not really considered a buyer given its oft-stated focus on reducing its enormous debt. It’s not clear how trying to swallow a company with hefty debt of its own solves any problems.

[–] LeylaLove@hexbear.net 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Before I say anything, I am against the merger. However as far as streaming goes, having a monopoly on content makes a streaming platform inherently better. WBD isn't betting on being the most successful streaming platform, it's betting on every other streaming platform that can't compete with Zaslav buying everything.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)

The best tv and movie streaming platform in history, Netflix circa mid-2010s, had no monopoly on content whatsoever. All these studios trying to monopolize their content onto their own streaming services has only made streaming worse.

[–] ValueSubtracted@startrek.website 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

One could argue that Netflix fired the first shot when they opened their own studio. I think everyone shares the blame for the current hellscape.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 1 points 11 months ago

Absolutely. I wasn't saying Netflix was at any point morally right, and the rise of the Netflix original was definitely part of the beginning of the end of paid legal streaming being a good experience for the viewer.

[–] LeylaLove@hexbear.net 0 points 11 months ago

the only streamers were Netflix and Hulu? When anything you wanted to stream was on one or the other? Otherwise known as a duopoly. It's like how the PC gaming marketplace was objectively at it's best when Steam had a monopoly on selling games. Having everything in one place is better.

Streaming will get better, everything else will get worse as the monopolies get to full power again.