Full stream ahead: how SVoD services are changing to meet consumer demand | Hannah Walsh

Hannah Walsh looks for evidence that SVoD platforms are using their wealth of user data to develop content driven by subscribers’ preferences.

Pay TV Forum 2018, 30-31 July 2018, São Paulo, Brazil

At Brazil's leading TV conference, Guy Bisson will present  on the future of traditional pay TV worldwide and in Latin America and provide insight on the sustainability of the SVoD business model in the increasingly competitive subscription market.

NBCU's hayu to launch on NOW TV | TVBEurope

"NBCUniversal's reality-TV streaming service hayu will launch on Sky's NOW TV in 2018. The move is part of a new long-term deal which will make NBCU content available to Sky customers in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria."

Netflix shares plunge as subscriber growth rate stalls | BBC News

"Netflix said it added 5.2 million subscribers in the three months to the end of June, the same number it did during the period last year. The streaming service had forecast growth of 6.2 million."

SVOD subs overtake pay TV in the UK, Ofcom reports | TBI Vision

"Subscriptions to OTT TV services Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Now TV have overtaken traditional pay TV services in the UK, according to figures compiled by media and telecom regulator Ofcom."

Vodafone Spain says no to football TV rights | Advanced Television

"The company estimates that the cost of all pay-TV football rights will amount to €1.34 billion this year, so each customer would need to pay €50 to not incur losses. “We do not think that there is a demand to pay €50 for football, Vicente added."

Mediaset strikes deal with DAZN to bring Serie A to premium subscribers | Digital TV Europe

"Mediaset has struck a deal with Perform Group, operator of the DAZN sports streaming service, to provide access to the service as part of its Premium Calcio offering for a reduced overall price of €19.90 a month."

Iflix passes 15 million subscribers | Digital TV Europe

"On the content front, the subscription video-on-demand service launched a live football joint venture with Football Malaysia in January, which the company said resulted in an 80% boost in activations following the announcement."

Amazon might bring its Fire TV Edition smart TVs to the UK | The Verge

"Amazon currently offers its Fire TV Sticks in the UK, but the TV (if it actually comes to market) would mark the first time that the company would offer a full smart TV experience in the UK. "

Netflix Agrees With Atresmedia Preferential Access to Spanish TV Dramas | Variety

"In early July, Atresmedia announced it will cut the running time of all its new series from 70 to 50 minutes per episode to make them more attractive to international TV services."

Telia puts pressure on Telenor with $2.6 billion Norwegian expansion | Reuters

"Swedish telecom operator Telia has agreed to buy TDC's Norwegian business in a $2.6 billion deal that adds broadband and TV to its mobile services in Norway and puts pressure on market leader Telenor ."

Vivendi closes Studio+, €48m losses | Advanced Television

"The news comes just a couple weeks after Canal+ announced it was closing down its SVoD service Canalplay after the number of subscribers dropped to 200,000."

AMC Premiere Launches on YouTube TV | Multichannel News

"YouTube TV is the second major television provider to roll out AMC Premiere in cooperation with AMC, following an initial launch on Comcast last summer, said the network."

CBS & RTL Belgium sign multi-year content deal | TBI Vision

"Included in the agreement will be CBS’ new series FBI, Charmed and A Million Little Things from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment."

Richard Broughton talks about the Netflix nosedive [Video] | CNBC

"Richard Broughton, Research director at Ampere Analysis, talks about Netflix's subscriber disappointment and what's next for the streaming service"

Netflix might be testing more expensive plans for a good reason | BGR

"Ampere says that if global markets will follow the same trajectory as the US, Netflix might have to spend up to 20% of its costs on marketing in the future."

Analysis: Netflix spends $100 to get each US sub | Advanced Television

"In contrast, Netflix’s cost of adding international subscribers has remained relatively flat at $40-$45 for each new customer it adds."

How growing domestic marketing costs could create problems for Netflix | Silicon Republic

"According to Ampere Analysis, between 2014 and 2015, Netflix spent $0.3bn per year on domestic marketing, while 2017 saw a spend of $0.6bn in the same area."

Netflix’s cost of adding new customers has ‘rocketed’ | TBI Vision

"“With declining domestic growth rates and spiralling acquisition costs, Netflix faces a very real set of challenges if it is to continue to command such a strong position,” said Ampere Analysis research director, Richard Broughton."