"online video" articles

In 2020, Disney+ unveiled a three-pronged hybrid strategy that includes theatrically exclusive films, simultaneous releases in theaters and on transactional services, and streaming exclusives. Disney unveiled the transactional “Premier Access” tier on Disney+ with Mulan in September 2020, which required subscribers to pay an additional $30 fee in addition to their monthly recurring charges that already cost $7 per month. While the July release of Jungle Cruise was intended...

While Amazon Prime Video consistently ranks as a leading global OTT service, Amazon Studios hasn’t yet developed a deep roster of original movies and TV shows like its rivals Disney+ and HBO Max. Prime Video users primarily access library titles from other content providers and make use of the service’s aggregation functions. While acclaimed original programming such as the Oscar-nominated Manchester by the Sea and Emmy-winning Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were popular, Prime Video...

AT&T’s efforts to expand beyond its telecommunication arm to become an entertainment media conglomerate has mostly been a failing prospect. AT&T hoped to enter the pay-TV market with the purchase of DIRECTV in 2015 but was offset by the rise of streaming media. AT&T attempted to cut losses and drop its traditional pay-TV offerings when it sold a 30% stake of the DIRECTV, AT&T TV, and U-Verse businesses to private equity firm TPG in February. AT&T now looks to...

There is a booming market for OTT services that spotlight niche genre interests and feature rare content not widely available. Services like Shudder, Arrow, Shout! Factory, and Screambox have all seen significant growth by catering to genre fans with programming tailored to their interests. Swedish home video label Klub Super 8 will launch the global subscription OTT service Cultpix in summer 2021. The service will feature over 400 cult classic and vintage films and television...

Parks Associates is hosting the next Future of Video: OTT, Pay TV, and Digital Media Conference on May 5 discussing Beyond the Theater and New Windowing Strategies. Event sponsors include: Everise, Deltatre, Brightcove, Bitmovin, and Metrological.  Prior to 2020, the traditional content windowing process for new theatrical releases had remained relatively the same for decades upon decades. Movie theaters were the primary channel for first-run movie titles and the...

In a year unlike any other, CES 2021 similarly proceeded unlike any CES before it, with the virtual event bringing the show to arguably its broadest audience yet. One aspect of the show that remained similar to previous years was the high-profile prominence of the latest and greatest television announcements from CE industry leaders. In contrast to years past however, CES 2021 saw the traditional TV market leaders redoubling their efforts to differentiate their sets in the face of...

As we head towards the new year, it’s a good point to look back at how the connected TV market has changed during the course of 2020. We’ve seen accelerations in the adoption of streaming video products, particularly connected TV devices such as smart TVs and streaming media players. In early 2020, retailers sold out of their existing stock as strong consumer demand ran up against factory shutdowns and delays in shipping. In the third quarter of 2020, production and shipping returned,...

The COVID-19 crisis and months of shelter-in-place/lockdown orders have changed operations for all businesses, especially small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which have had to adjust to reduced budgets and broad-scale shifts to work from home. The move to a remote workforce means deploying new software, like voice and video conferencing, to keep employees working at home productively. In fact, video conferencing services are now more common among SMBs than landline telephone...