The Federal Communications Commission has moved closer to reinstating net neutrality rules. The agency adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking and opened a call for comment on classifying fixed and mobile broadband Internet service as an essential telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act. The Commission will also seek comment on proposals to ensure broadband services have effective oversight. If the proposals are adopted after public comments, the FCC will once again be charged with protecting Internet openness and competition, as well as guarding against broadband national security threats and other public safety issues. Continue reading Regulatory Fight Tees Up Over FCC Return to Net Neutrality

Netflix can chalk up another solid quarter, with Q3 revenue of $8.5 billion, up 8 percent year-over-year, with 9 million new subscribers for a total of 247 million worldwide. Netflix attributes the strong subscriber growth in part to its ongoing password-sharing crackdown. The company has now officially rolled out what it calls “paid sharing” in all regions in which it operates, reporting that there were fewer resulting cancellations than expected. Rather, it says it has largely effectuated its desired result of converting piggybacking customers into paid subscribers. Meanwhile, Netflix is raising its rates as it continues to add originals and “license titles from around the world.” Continue reading Netflix Raising Rates After Profitable Q3, Subscriber Growth

Netflix is expanding its cloud gaming test to the U.S. after initially deploying trials in Canada and the United Kingdom. The streaming game service builds on mobile gaming efforts the company began in 2021 and is now targeting games on connected TV devices and smart TVs, including Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV, and others, with mobile phones serving as game controllers. Netflix has made no secret of its intention to make games a major part of its business, and this next step is being called a bid to take on game giants Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox.
Continue reading Netflix Streaming Game Test Expanding to U.S. TVs and PCs

Sony is leveraging the power of its hardware platforms to expand its streaming efforts. What has since 2021 been known as Bravia Core is now rebranded as Sony Pictures Core and will be coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles, with access to 2,000 current and classic films available for rent or purchase. In addition to being able to order Sony Pictures content through Bravia XR TVs, users will be able to transact straight through their consoles, with access to popular films such as “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Uncharted,” “No Hard Feelings,” “Bullet Train” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” among others. Continue reading PlayStation to Offer Streaming Movies via Sony Pictures Core

Likewise, a startup discovery platform backed by Bill Gates, is launching its own free chatbot named Pix. Billed as “the world’s first personal entertainment companion,” Pix helps users find TV shows, movies, books and podcasts, drawing from 600 million consumer data points. Trained on OpenAI models, Pix uses natural-language processing to answer user questions submitted by text, email or on the web at Likewise.com. Responses are promised “within seconds,” and Pix will learn users’ preferences over time. Likewise claims to have more than six million registered users. Continue reading Likewise: Startup Backed by Bill Gates Launches Pix Chatbot

Some of the nation’s biggest streaming services have banded together to form a trade group, the Streaming Innovation Alliance, that will lobby at federal and state levels for policies that support their goals. Early members include Max, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, The Walt Disney Company, TelevisaUnivision, ViX, BET+ and the MPA. Signing on as advisors are Washington D.C. veterans Fred Upton, who headed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Mignon Clyburn, once acting chair of the FCC. The creation of the trade group comes as new online regulations loom. Continue reading Streaming Giants Form Trade Group as New Regulations Loom

Amazon Prime Video plans to introduce commercial breaks to its popular streaming service early next year, following top platforms such as Disney+, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max, which already offer ad-supported tiers. The company indicates it will run fewer ads than traditional linear TV broadcasters and broadband rivals but has yet to specify numbers. Subscribers in the U.S. who want to keep the streaming service ad-free have the option of paying an additional $2.99 per month. Amazon explained that its strategy to include ads would help it “continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” Continue reading Amazon Prime Video to Run TV Commercials Early Next Year

Amazon has developed a new virtual fan experience that includes shopping and interactive tours to tie-in with popular Prime Video series and films. The first such immersive experience is designed for fans of the Prime Video series “Gen V,” and includes a virtual tour of the show’s fictional Godolkin University, which trains aspiring superheroes, complete with a campus store brimming with actual merchandise that fans can purchase from Amazon. The programming extensions aim to offer “culturally rich environments for customers to discover, learn, experience, and consume more of their favorite stories” while shopping. Continue reading Amazon Launches Immersive Online Shopping on Prime Video

With Netflix ceasing DVD rent-by-mail operations as of September 29, a market opportunity has been identified by Seattle, Washington-based independent Scarecrow Video, which wants to step into the role vacated by the streaming giant. Described as the largest remaining video retailer in the U.S., Scarecrow began experimenting with a rent-by-mail program in 2019, offering DVDs and Blu-ray Discs delivered to mailboxes across the country. While rare titles are excepted from the rent-by-mail program, and applications to participate in the program must be individually approved, Scarecrow has proclaimed the program a success. Continue reading Indie Video Store Tries to Fill Netflix DVD-by-Mail Rental Role

Free video streaming service Crackle has become one of the first third-party publishers to support Amazon Interactive Video Ads. The integration via the Crackle Connex sales arm will let consumers learn more about a product or add a product to their Amazon shopping cart directly from the screen during an ad break. Crackle parent company Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is expected to add Amazon ads to its Chicken Soup for the Soul and Redbox VOD apps in the future. The agreement also allows Amazon Fire TV customers to watch free movies and TV shows via Redbox. Continue reading Crackle Using Amazon Tech to Test Interactive Shopping Ads

Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform Max will soon introduce 24/7 live news from CNN as part of an open beta in the U.S. that will experiment with new features and content while seeking feedback from subscribers. CNN Max plans to launch on September 27 with programming from CNN US, CNN International and original programming produced for Max. News programming and original series will be available across all Max packages, which includes Max With Ads, Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate Ad-Free. The beta test will be evaluated and fine-tuned “before being rolled out more broadly,” according to WBD. Continue reading Max Will Offer CNN News Content for Its Streaming Audience

Linear TV viewership fell below 50 percent for the first time in July, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge, which tracks total broadcast, cable and streaming consumption via television. Among total TV viewership, broadcast and cable accrued record low shares of 20 percent and 29.6 percent, respectively, representing a linear television total of 49.6 percent. Combined, it still topped TV set streaming viewership, at 38.7 percent, a 2.9 percent increase from June and that month’s streaming record-high share. YouTube (not including YouTube TV) was again the top streamer with a 9.2 percent TV share, up 5.6 percent versus June. Continue reading Linear TV Viewership Dips Below 50 Percent for the First Time

Netflix continues to expand its game ecosystem. The company released a TV game controller for iOS devices earlier this month and has just begun beta testing its game streaming on TVs in Canada and the UK, with plans to begin tests for computer play in the coming weeks. Participating in the tests are partner devices including Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and Walmart Onn, with plans for more manufacturers to be added on an ongoing basis. Continue reading Netflix Beta Tests Its Game Streaming on TVs and Computers

Netflix is updating its mobile user interface to consolidate watch activity in one place. Rolling out for iOS now and Android in August, My Netflix is the new hub for watchlists, downloads and views in progress. The “one stop shop” also collects My List items, notifications, trailers and other content with which users have interacted, including TV shows or movies that have been validated with a subscriber’s thumbs-up. My Netflix replaces the Downloads section globally, and the streamer says the more users interact with it the more customized it will become. Continue reading UI Update ‘My Netflix’ Aims to Streamline Mobile Experience

Streaming accounted for 37.7 percent of overall U.S. TV usage in June, a record share for the digital format. Cable TV accounted for 30.6 percent and broadcast 20.8 percent, according to Nielsen’s monthly snapshot The Gauge. TV viewing was up 2.2 percent in June, the first monthly increase since January. The uptick was principally attributed to young viewers and the summer break. Notably, TV consumption among the 2-11 and 12-17 age groups was up 16.3 percent and 24.1 percent, respectively, compared with May. Alternative viewing options — including streaming and video gaming — accounted for 90 percent among those groups. Continue reading Nielsen: June Marks a New All-Time Record for TV Streaming