Inside The Stream

Comcast’s decision to split off NBCU highlights the company’s many strategic missteps with streaming video.

In a surprise move, Fox is acquiring Roku for $22 billion. Is it a good deal, bad deal, or something in between? We discuss from all angles.

Vionlabs’ Founder Arash Pendari explains how AI-enhanced metadata boosts the value of video assets, fits into business workflows, and improves viewer engagement.

Two horror movies from YouTubers are beating out Disney at the box office. TV OS’s are gaining importance. And Congress is scrutinizing the NFL’s media rights deals.

Netflix has added another big podcast to its roster, YouTube enhances AI disclosures, Roku revamps its home screen, Xfinity offers YouTube TV, and the FCC faces challenges with vMVPDs and NextGenTV.  You can find a transcript of this podcast here.

New research from Omdia, Hub, and Antenna underscores the growing importance of advertising in streaming, across FASTs and premium SVOD.

New Disney CEO D’Amaro intends to turn Disney+ into a central hub for Disney fans to engage with all the company’s content and experiences, complete with interactivity. ParamountSkydance has a far less expansive view of Paramount+.

YouTube’s Q1 ad revenue approached $10 billion, up 11%, with subscriptions also growing strongly. And Howdy hit 1 million subscribers, as Roku flexes its distribution muscles.

Netflix reported more steady growth in Q1 as it transitions to maturity. But from advertising to gaming, and live sports to video podcasts, Netflix is staying opportunistic.

Roku now reaches 100 million households, but is far from owning the US market. New Hub data shows Roku and Amazon’s growing role in SVOD aggregation and the messy world of over-the-air TV.

Wurl’s GM of EMEA, Keith Bedford, joins us this week, explaining why FASTs have a big opportunity in streaming sports and some of the early success stories.

Netflix has the largest price gap between ad-free and ad-supported tiers as it also seeks more sports. Ampere forecasts global streaming revenue will exceed $200 billion in 2030.

New Deloitte data highlights the popularity of ad tiers, CTV commerce gets a boost from Walmart and Vizio, the Disney-OpenAI deal is over, and Netflix streams MLB’s opening game.

New Hub data show that ad-supported viewing is gaining acceptance, especially among younger viewers, with sports leading the charge. And creators match premium shows on TV. HP launches a FAST for PCs. 

YouTube is now the world’s biggest media company, eclipsing Disney, according to MoffettNathanson. And how to solve the problem of navigating streaming sports.

Paramount Skydance plans to eventually combine its streaming platforms with WBD’s. Is this the right strategy?  Combining CNN and CBS News, and reliance on linear TV, are also challenges.

New Antenna data highlights how SVOD is maturing and how bundling is critical. Nielsen’s data reveal potential TV audience shifts due to the just-announced WBD-Paramount Skydance deal.

Apple expands live US F1 race reach with IMAX. New UK data shows YouTube’s role in TV content discovery as Stephen Colbert taps YouTube, avoiding FCC oversight. And NextGen TV struggles.

Will YouTube TV’s skinnier programming bundles attract new subscribers? AMC Networks reaches a streaming revenue milestone. And was the Super Bowl a hit for Peacock?

The NFL is now part owner of ESPN. Fubo and Hulu+Live have combined. YouTube’s 2025 revenue hit $60 billion, with two-thirds coming from ads. And Peacock’s losses jumped up. [UPDATE: Fubo asked me to correct the net loss numbers I quoted and clarified that ad revenue from Hulu+Live is transferred to Fubo. Here are their numbers: - Reported Net Loss of $19.1 million, compared to $38.6 million - Pro Forma Net Loss of $46.4 million, compared to $130.4 million]

Netflix’s solid 2025 is marred by engagement and WBD questions. The BBC is making YouTube shows, Sony hands its TV business to TCL, and Amazon sets another NFL record.

In the UK, one viewing metric has YouTube edging out the BBC. Meanwhile, global ad tier usage continues to grow, driven by Netflix, and Peacock is losing key Versant programming.

Welcome to 2026. Versant, the Comcast spinoff, has seen its value plummet. TV OEMs are pursuing AI. NFL games set a streaming record in 2025, and Hulu is being sunsetted.

YouTube will stream the Oscars starting in 2029, Google has stumbled with its Movies Anywhere approach, Netflix is partnering for video podcasts, and the WBD saga continues.

Disney has taken the bold and risky step of licensing the use of 200 characters to OpenAI’s Sora. Meanwhile, who’s going to win the raging battle for Warner Bros. Discovery?

Will MS Now’s plan to transform itself from a cable news network into a streaming and community hub work? Amazon has engagement issues. And microdramas are surging.

Canela Media’s global president, Phillipe Guelton, describes how the company is tapping AI for content creation, user experience, and monetization.

Field & Stream and Outdoor America have joined forces to launch Field & Stream TV, a new FAST offering. Company executives join us to explain their strategy.

Fubo posted its Q3 results and integration plans with Disney, Netflix introduced a new ad metric called Monthly Active Viewers and Gracenote’s data reveals streaming’s value.

In earnings news this week, Tubi has turned profitable, YouTube notched another $10 billion quarter in US ad revenue, and Peacock’s subscriber count is stuck in neutral. 

Netflix reported Q3 results this week, saying 2025 ad revenue will double and engagement is rising, but by how much? And is the NBA a ticket to Peacock’s success or a poison pill?

How effective is a specific title at acquiring, retaining, and engaging viewers? Antenna’s CEO, Jonathan Carson, explains how his firm’s new Subscriber Views delivers the answers.

Netflix looks poised to equalize average revenue per member between ad and ad-free viewers. The Trade Desk scored a win with DirecTV for its Ventura TV OS, as did Fubo with ESPN.

New data from Wurl reveals renewed growth in viewership for FAST channels. But monetization challenges remain, particularly for those outside the top tier.

Disney is raising the monthly price of its streaming services by up to 20%. Following prior increases, subscriber retention rates stayed strong. Will they this time, too?

Antennas says ESPN and Fox One gained 1 million paid subscribers in their first 10 days - is that a lot, or not? YouTube has paid creators $100 billion in 4 years, and Amazon keeps innovating.

YouTube scored a record 17 million global viewers for its Chiefs-Chargers livestream, Bending Spoons is buying Vimeo for $1.4 billion, and can MTV be resuscitated?

Can The Trade Desk’s Ventura upend the TV OS market? We discuss the key takeaways from our recent interview with Ventura SVP Matthew Henick and the TV OS's potential industry impact.

The Trade Desk’s SVP of the Ventura TV Operating System, Matthew Henick, joins us for a deep dive into Ventura’s competitive positioning and advantages, key challenges, and goals.

Streaming sports continues to boom with Paramount+’s $7.7B deal for UFC rights. A new bundle of ESPN and Fox One recalls Venu Sports. And are Micro Dramas Quibi 2.0?

Disney’s emerging NFL partnership and new global role for Hulu are big strategic shifts in its direct-to-consumer business. Will they bring the growth and engagement Disney needs?

YouTube’s ad revenue growth continues, with relaxed profanity rules poised to push it higher. Can FASTs capitalize on creators’ success for their gain? And HGTV and Peacock have their own challenges.

Comcast is launching a streaming app store ten years too late. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is considering buying CNBC, NBCU is launching a sports channel, and linear ads still dominate.

Google TV's intrusive home screen ads highlight how deeply ads are embedded in the connected TV experience. Have TV OS providers become too aggressive in monetizing viewers?

Disney and Hearst have put A+E Global Media up for sale in the latest cable TV divestment; Netflix is still the consumers’ top brand, HBO Max is back, and Apple may pick up F1.

Roku’s Senior Director, global ad platform partnerships and biz dev, Miles Fisher, joins us for a deep dive into how Roku’s new Amazon Ads partnership will drive CTV’s full funnel future.

Nielsen’s The Gauge shows TV streaming time beat broadcast plus cable TV for the first time in May 2025. We discuss why and how Fox’s Tubi is helping drive the trend.

Warner Bros. Discovery is splitting into two companies, reversing much of its corporate, product, and streaming strategies. We dissect what went wrong and how it got that way.

More data this week on YouTube’s move to the big screen. Ad attention metrics are spread throughout the day. Cable TV networks are downsizing and more.

SVOD library composition and effectiveness are revealed in new Nielsen and Gracenote data. YouTube’s dominance on TV grows, and Google’s startling genAI tools.