The Walt Disney Company’s revenue rose to $91.4 billion for its fiscal year 2024, which ended September 28, a 2.8 percent increase from 2023. For the fourth quarter, revenue rose 6 percent to $22.6 billion, in line with analysts’ expectations. Company-wide, net profit climbed 74 percent in Q4, to $460 million, thanks largely to the strength of the streaming and theatrical film units. Improvements in the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ businesses marked the streaming sector’s second consecutive quarterly profit. Net profit for the year was a tick under $5 billion, up a whopping 111 percent from 2023. The results sent Disney shares up 6.2 percent on Thursday. Continue reading Disney Ends Fiscal Q4 Strong Thanks to Movies and Streaming

Amazon has launched a new Fire TV Stick HD, supplanting the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite as its entry level television device. Priced at $34.99 the black stick plugs into the HDMI port at the back or side of most TVs. A micro USB cable and power plug are included. The Fire TV Stick HD streams at up to 1080p HD and also supports HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+ and HLG. While the new device does not feature support for Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos, its HDMI port will support Dolby-encoded audio. The platform streamlines access to all major streaming services, which of course require independent subscriptions. Continue reading Amazon’s Entry Level Fire Stick HD Adds Alexa Voice Control

Streaming media giant Netflix continues to post strong revenue growth, with a 15 percent increase to $9.83 billion in Q3, year-over-year. Net income hit $2.36 billion, a 41 percent increase over the same period last year, though the company is forecasting a Q4 dip, to $1.85 billion. Operating margin was up 30 percent (versus 22 percent during the same period last year). Ad-tier memberships increased by 35 percent for the quarter. Overall, global streaming paid subscriptions are up 14.4 percent in the third quarter, for a total of 282.72 million. Continue reading Netflix Q3 Is ‘Most Profitable’ Quarter Ever, Up by 41 Percent

Ahead of next week’s scheduled “Made by Google” event, which is expected to promote the company’s next generation of Pixel hardware and AI tools, Google is already unveiling new products, including a fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat with Matter support, and the anticipated 4K HDR Google TV Streamer — a $99.99 set-top box and successor to the Chromecast. The new entertainment hub — shipping September 24 — reportedly provides significantly better performance; integration with Google Home, Thread and Matter for improved connectivity across devices; and new Gemini AI functionality. Continue reading Gemini-Driven 4K Google TV Streamer Replaces Chromecast

Streaming rose to 40.3 percent in June, setting a record as it nudged past the previous single-category high point of 40.1, set by cable in June 2021. The percentage marks the highest share of TV ever reported in the three years since Nielsen debuted its monthly measurement report The Gauge. Google’s YouTube and Fox’s Tubi both claimed personal bests, respectively hitting 9.9 and 2.0 percent of TV viewing. Four streaming platforms achieved double-digit usage growth: Disney+ (+14.8 percent), Tubi (+14.7 percent), Netflix (+11.8 percent) and Max (+11.0 percent) — each with 20 percent or more of that growth attributable to younger viewers. Continue reading Nielsen: Streaming Reps 40 Percent Share of June TV Viewing

Verizon is offering a year of Netflix Premium at no charge to Verizon Mobile and Home Internet customers who buy an annual subscription to Peacock Premium through its content subscription hub +play. That’s a $275 value (at $22.95 per month) in exchange for a $79.95 Peacock plan, according to the telecom company, which rebranded last month, launching a host of promotional plans in the lead-up to its 2025 silver jubilee. The offer, which started last week, ends August 31. The Peacock push dovetails with parent company NBCUniversal’s presentation of the 2024 Paris Olympics. NBC Sports coverage of the Olympics will include streaming on Peacock. Continue reading Verizon Offering Free Netflix Premium with Peacock Purchase

Verizon has restyled its logo and is making a more concerted push for a slice of the home market with the launch of a myHome bundle that pitches savings for those combining home Internet, live TV, streaming, and connected home services like cloud storage. Modeled after the company’s myPlan mobile package, myHome is available to new and existing Verizon customers who can choose among Fios, 5G Home or LTE Home Internet for prices starting at $35 per month. Subscribers can add streaming for $10 per platform and opt for a live-TV package of either Fios TV (where available) or YouTube TV. Continue reading Verizon Revamps Its Logo, Adds Discounted Streaming Deals

Comcast broadband and TV customers will be able to subscribe to a streaming bundle that includes Netflix, Apple TV+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts announced this week at the 2024 MoffettNathanson Media, Internet and Communications Conference in New York. The package, called StreamSaver, will “come at a vastly reduced price to anything in the market today,” Roberts said, though he did not share pricing. Roberts’ plan comes a week after Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled plans to bundle Max, Disney+ and Hulu starting this summer, with pricing to be announced. Continue reading Comcast StreamSaver to Bundle Peacock, Netflix, Apple TV+

Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced that a new triple-play streaming bundle that includes popular services Disney+, Hulu and Max will launch this summer in the U.S. with both ad-supported and ad-free plans. “On the heels of the very successful launch of Hulu on Disney+, this new bundle with Max will offer subscribers even more choice and value,” said Joe Earley, president of direct to consumer for Disney Entertainment. While no specific pricing has been revealed, the release promises that “additional details regarding the bundle offer will be shared in the coming months.” Continue reading Disney+, Hulu, Max: Streaming Bundle Coming This Summer

The Walt Disney Company announced revenue of $23.5 billion for the quarter ending December 31, essentially consistent year-over-year, while net income was up 49 percent to $1.91 billion year-over-year. CEO Bob Iger amplified plans to bring the company “to a period of sustained growth.” Following news that ESPN plans to partner on a new sports streaming platform, Iger disclosed a $1.5 billion investment in “Fortnite” creator Epic Games that will see the companies “collaborate on an all-new games and entertainment universe.” He also revealed Disney+ will exclusively stream Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” concert film. Continue reading Disney Announces Gaming and Sports Part of Growth Strategy

FOX, Warner Bros. Discovery and The Walt Disney Company through its subsidiary ESPN are finalizing plans to form a new, multi-league sports streaming service expected to launch this fall. The direct-to-consumer offering would be made available via a new app and subscriptions could also be bundled with existing services like Disney+, Hulu and Max. The media companies launching the joint venture — who will each have one-third ownership of the new platform — have yet to announce a name or pricing model, but said content will be “from all the major professional sports leagues and college sports.” Continue reading Disney, FOX, WBD Finalizing a New Sports Streaming Venture

Hulu has revised its Terms of Service in an effort to ban password sharing amongst friends and family members outside of a subscriber’s primary personal residence. Hulu has been announcing via email that subscribers will have until March 14 to comply. According to the revised Terms of Service: “If we determine, in our sole discretion, that you have violated this Agreement, we may limit or terminate access to the Service and/or take any other steps as permitted by this Agreement.” The move by Hulu follows what has been reported as a successful crackdown on password sharing by Netflix in addition to a record number of subscribers in the fourth quarter. Continue reading Hulu Is Joining Netflix in Cracking Down on Password Sharing

Apple’s Vision Pro launches February 2 with pre-orders starting today. The mixed reality headset will have more than 150 3D movies available at launch, including content from Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, as well as “immersive originals,” Apple says. While the company is positioning the $3,500 headset as “the ultimate entertainment device,” touting mind-blowing specs and a transformative experience, gaming currently drives an estimated 30 percent of immersive hardware revenue and non-gaming entertainment accounts for only 8 to 13 percent. Apple’s announcement focuses more on TV, movies, and sports than the Apple Arcade game hub. Continue reading Apple Pushes Immersive Entertainment for Vision Pro Headset

LG Electronics’ CineBeam Qube projector weighs just 3.28 pounds, measures 5.3 x 3.1 inches, and doubles as a “stylish art object.” It packs a big picture punch, projecting in 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) for images measuring up to 120 inches. Its RGB laser light source delivers pictures the company says are sharp and clear, boasting a 450,000:1 contrast ratio and DCI-P3 color gamut coverage of up to 154 percent. The CineBeam Qube boasts an old-timey rotator handle reminiscent of crank projectors of yore. It’s also a home entertainment center, running on the LG webOS 6.0 platform, with access to streaming services including Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and YouTube. Continue reading CES: LG Unveils New Compact CineBeam Qube 4K Projector

In the parade of attention-grabbing items queueing up for CES 2024, LG Labs’ “retro-futuristic concept speaker” is generating early buzz. The DukeBox combines old-timey vacuum tubes with a transparent OLED display that can be used to view programing or provide ambient imagery (of, say, a crackling fireplace that lets the tubes ghost through thanks to the OLED’s adjustable transparency). Also showcasing at the CES LG Labs zone: a biped robot equipped with AI, the Gram Fold 17-inch foldable OLED laptop and the CineBeam Qube 4K projector that displays up to 120-inch images. Continue reading LG DukeBox Speaker Touts Vacuum Tubes and OLED Display