AUGUST 13, 2017 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Is Online Streaming Services War Brewing? Vanessa Obioha Maybe, maybe not. But what is certain is that Netflix clout over the online platform is being threatened by Walt Disney’s recent move to launch two streaming platforms. The entertainment company said it will end its movie distribution agreement with Netfllix and launch two Netflix-like streaming services — one for sports and another for films and television shows. No doubt, Netflix expansion into streaming media in 2007 changed the media landscape, particularly consuming habits of audience. Traditional media found themselves grappling to keep their younger audiences glued to their electronic box instead of digital platforms. While some studios had no qualms licensing their television shows and movies to Netflix, others sought for a more aggressive approach to avoid the monotony. Studios like HBO, CBS, now have their streaming services including Amazon.com which is now setting its eyes on the television business. Disney however has continued working with Netflix to distribute its content, with over $75 billion distribution deal until now. The decision to own its streaming services is said to be influenced by the weak fiscal third-quarter earnings. It reported a profit of $2.37 billion, down 9% from a year earlier. The two platforms which will be a stand-alone subscription services will be developed by Bamtech, a streaming video company. For their services, Disney is paying $1.58 billion for a greater stake and will own 75% of Bamtech. The ESPN service, which would be available next year, is expected to feature 10,000 sporting events annually, among them Major League Baseball games and NFL, while the Disney-branded film and TV offering, set to debut in 2019, would include original content developed by Walt Disney Studios. Disney-branded product would include exclusive films and TV shows. By doing so, it is making the competition very stiff for Netflix who still source content from Disney’s productions, especially
popular franchises such as ‘Star Wars’ and ‘The Avengers’. “The launch of our direct-to-consumer services marks an entirely new strategy for the company, one that takes advantage of the incredible opportunity that changing technology provides us to leverage the strength of our great brands. No one is better positioned to lead the industry into this dynamic new era, and we’re accelerating our strategy to be at the forefront of this transformation,” Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said during a conference call with analysts. Nonetheless, it is the not the first time Disney is experimenting with its own streaming services. In 2015, it launched Disney Life in the UK, priced at £9.99 a month. The service focused on kids’ and family content from Bambi and The Jungle Book to Pixar’s Toy Story franchise, as well as modern blockbusters such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series.But Netflix will not be the only one hit by Disney’s drastic move. Other Pay-TV operators operating in sporting services have always harboured the fear of a stand-alone ESPN service because it would give some consumers more reason to ditch their TV subscriptions. It is likely that other big studios may want to take Disney’s actions as well and have their own streaming services. Despite this move, some of Disney’s franchises like Marvel will still be home to Netflix for now until it comes up with a concrete plan. While more studios are gravitating towards the digital platforms, some are closing shops. Comedy streaming service Seeso revealed that it will be shutting down after less than two years in a Facebook Post. The service was launched in 2016 by Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal, offering comedy originals, stand-up videos and library content for $3.99 a month. But despite material from popular comedy personalities including Dan Harmon and Jonah Ray, classic bits from Monty Python and next-day streams of NBC late-night programming, the subscription service never took off.
Taylor Swift Brings Out Her Claws in the Courtroom The ‘Shake it Off’ singer is not keeping her cool as she testified in court recently over the countersuit she filed against a Denver DJ who groped her in 2013 at an event. The DJ, David Mueller who was formerly a radio host at Denver radio station KYGO filed a suit against Taylor Swift in 2015, accusing her of making his employer fire him after she reported that he grabbed her buttocks during a photograph session. He further accused her of costing him his career in the entertainment industry. But the fiery singer will not have any of his sentiments. “I’m being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are a product of his decisions. Not mine,” she told the jury during a hearing. In her countersuit, she accused Mueller of battery and assault. She said that Mueller and his girlfriend at the time had been drinking because he was talking loudly and she was laughing often. The next thing she realized Mueller grabbed her buttocks. She tried to push him away but he held on and she couldn’t act violently because it was a meet-and-greet with her fans. Mueller denied and said he had merely touched her ribs but Swift maintained her position that he had grabbed her buttocks. “He did not touch my ribs. He did not touch my arm. He did not touch my hand. He grabbed my bare ass.” When asked by Mueller’s lawyer Mc Farland why the hem of her skirt does not appear to be pushed up in the front a photograph she took with Mueller, she replied, “Because my ass is located on the back of my body.” The hearing is still ongoing. Prince William, Prince Harry will feature in Princess Diana Documentary For the first time, the sons of late Princess Diana will be featured in a new documentary about her tragic death. Titled ‘Diana, 7 Days’, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry will sit down on camera to discuss the days following their mother’s death. “Part of the reason why Harry and I want to do this is because we feel we owe it to her. I think an element of it is feeling like we let her down when we were younger. We couldn’t protect her. We feel we at least owe her 20 years on to stand up for her name and remind everybody of the character and person that she was. Do our duties as sons in protecting her,” said Prince William in a statement released by NBC. The network will air a two hour examination of the tumultuous week following the death of Diana, specifically how it impacted her sons and the role they played in helping their country mourn in the aftermath. The documentary is set to air in September in commemoration of 20 year anniversary of her death. The documentary will also feature interviews with family, close friends, political figures and journalists.
FOX UNVEILS PLANS FOR NEW MUSIC REALITY SHOW In response to filling the void created by American Idol, Fox Television is planning a new singing competition series slated for next year. Titled ‘The Four’, the show begins with the finalists. Each week, four singers selected from their auditions from a panel of music experts will sing against challengers, which could include viewers, to keep their spot on the show. The panel of music experts--not yet cast--will guide the winner’s career. Rob Wade, Fox’s head of alternative programming, described ‘The Four’ as ‘Game of Thrones’ with better singing and less nudity. The series is based on an Israeli format and will have a shorter run than most singing competitions. The winner will be rewarded with a unique prize that is designed to discover and build the career of a new music star making. A premiere date has not been announced, but the series is expected to launch next year. JOHN BAILEY IS THE NEW ACADEMY PRESIDENT John Bailey, a veteran cinematographer emerged the34th president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in an unpredictable evening. He became the better candidate after actress Laura Dern declined her nomination. Her last minute withdrawal placed Bailey against casting director David Rubin in a two-person race. Bailey was first elected to the board in 1996 is famous for some of his works such as 1980’s Ordinary People, 1983’s The Big Chill and 1993’s Groundhog Day. He was re-elected in 1999, serving until 2002; he then was re-elected to the board in 2010, again in 2013 and once more in 2016. He has two more years on the board before he is forced, by term limits, to leave the board for at least one year. He will work closely with Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. WWE NETWORK IS COMING TO CHINA WWE recently signed an exclusive deal with a Chinese PPTV, Suning Sports Media to offer a subscription video-on-demand service including all live pay-per-view events. For the first time, the network will be available in the country, starting from August 18. The service will include an array of WWE content, live pay-per-view events including Wrestlemania and Summerslam. The China deal brought the number of countries with access to the WWE Network up to 180.
Arundhati Roy