Freely, the free UK streaming service broadcasters collectively launched in April, has gained a foothold on smart TVs that run Amazon’s Fire TV OS. Backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, Freely combines free live linear channels with on-demand content in an ad-supported streaming environment. Since those broadcasters must, by government charter, offer “programming beneficial to the public interest,” there has been concern around keeping them relevant and accessible in the streaming era. The deal between Freely and a tech giant with a popular OS is seen as a big win. Continue reading Amazon Fire TVs to Carry Freely Streaming in the UK This Fall

Reuters and CNN are among the global news services that will be charging those who want access to their digital content beyond a free quota. Reuters plans to add $1 per week pricing in the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe in the weeks ahead, while CNN is beginning to ask visitors for $4 a month or $30 per year. Vox Media’s popular tech publication The Verge is also said to be considering subscription fees. The outlets are pursuing digital monetization strategies as ad-supported models are increasingly challenging for those who aren’t Google, Meta or Amazon. Continue reading CNN, Reuters Roll Out Consumer Subscriptions and Paywalls

Amazon will become the newest member of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), a move that is likely to have significant ramifications as the e-commerce giant throws its weight behind the global entertainment trade and lobbying organization. As the parent of both the Prime Video streaming service and MGM Studios, as well as the force behind Amazon Web Services, the company has clout across both entertainment and technology at a level that is unparalleled among MPA principals. At $2 trillion, it becomes the largest MPA member by market cap. Netflix, which joined in 2019, is capped at $300 billion. Continue reading Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video Latest to Join the MPA

Dolby Labs has introduced cloud-based solutions to support clients with real-time, interactive streaming capabilities. The announcement, made from IBC 2024 in Amsterdam, follows Dolby’s July acquisition of streaming tools provider THEO Technologies, which services top sports, media and entertainment companies worldwide. Dolby and THEO promise streaming that is “more interactive, personalized, and delivered with extremely low latency.” Dolby will also offer a new capability, THEOads, providing an advertising environment “that is optimized for the dynamic nature of live content.” Continue reading Dolby to Expand Its Cloud-Based Live Streaming with THEO

A new study by Roku and National Research Group found that streaming may be a more effective marketing tool for theatrical exhibition than social media or television. According to the research, 44 percent of what the survey categorizes as “moviegoing streamers” claim a trailer on a streaming service would increase their interest in seeing a film in a theater while 43 percent indicate the same of trailers on social media. These numbers slightly edged out the 41 percent who say ads on broadcast or cable TV would encourage them to visit a theater. However, it’s worth noting that the survey also suggests 72 percent pay more attention to TV commercials than ads on social platforms. Continue reading Roku and NRG Study Finds Streaming Benefits Theater-Going

Senza is a connected TV app that parent Synamedia says can “transform the economics of reaching viewers” by offloading streaming controls from set-top boxes and dongles to the cloud. Synamedia claims Senza can reduce streaming costs by up to 90 percent while maintaining content security. The platform can be used to deliver to home TV screens as well as offsite locations such as bars, hotels and stadiums. “Senza moves the user experience from devices — such as connected TVs and streaming sticks — into the cloud and offers an HTML5 interface to quickly launch free, low-cost or premium services,” according to the company. Continue reading Synamedia Reimagines TV Streaming with New Cloud Device

TikTok has published an internal research study indicating the movie viewing habits of its users, and how advertisers can use the TikTok Spotlight movie marketing tool released last month. The promotional vehicle was designed to help TikTok users discover films, as well as influence their viewing choices and drive audiences to theaters. TikTok’s research found that 47 percent of TikTok users say that while on TikTok they discovered a new movie coming to theaters, and were “inspired to take action, including 36 percent purchasing a ticket,” which they can facilitate in-app through Spotlight. Continue reading Film Promotion Tool TikTok Spotlight Shares Audience Insight

After teasing a big screen interface for months, social media company X has released the beta version of its new TV app called X TV, designed to provide “a massive leap forward in transforming X into a video-first platform,” while looking to compete with industry leaders such as Google’s YouTube. Importantly, the new presentation provides X with video-specific play for ad partners, which the Elon Musk-owned company has been attempting to lure back after loosened content moderation standards sent many fleeing. X CEO Linda Yaccarino said the X TV app is debuting ad-free, but reports indicate the company will introduce ad options in the future. Continue reading X Launches a Beta Version of Its Video Offering on App Stores

Hanoi Police in conjunction with global anti-piracy group Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) has closed down what is being called the largest pirate streaming operation in the world. The takedown of the notorious Fmovies and other active piracy sites involved the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations unit and the U.S. Department of Justice International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program working with Vietnamese authorities. In 2023, Fmovies was ranked by Similarweb as the world’s 11th most popular website in the TV, Movies & Streaming category. Continue reading Authorities Shutter Notorious Vietnamese Piracy Site Fmovies

Tidal — the music streaming service owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block payment processing company — is launching a royalty-tracking toolkit for songwriters. The new feature lets authors organize disparate publisher information in one place. “Songwriters juggle a mix of collection societies, publishing platforms, royalty management services, streaming services, and single-purpose apps to manage their royalties, careers, and catalog,” explains the company, which claims to be the first platform to serve songwriters “throughout the full writing career cycle.” Tidal has partnered with performing rights organization AllTrack to handle the backend. Continue reading Tidal, AllTrack Team to Provide Songwriter Royalty Snapshots

Music streaming service SoundCloud has added a digital merch outpost, the SoundCloud Store, where select artists who have signed up for the paid Next Pro tier can design exclusive merchandise for their fans — “with minimal effort — letting them focus on their craft while driving meaningful revenue beyond streaming.” The items will be manufactured by SoundCloud, which is launching what it calls “the first edition” of the SoundCloud Store in the U.S., Canada and European Union. Only artists that own 100 percent of their merchandise rights are invited to apply to participate. Continue reading SoundCloud Helping Artists to Design for New Merch Stores

Popular video platform Max and food delivery service DoorDash are the latest promotional pairing as streamers vie for new subscribers in an increasingly crowded field. Warner Bros. Discovery has teamed with DoorDash to offer DashPass Annual Plan customers a Max with Ads subscription at no additional cost. It is DoorDash’s first available DashPass member benefit that extends beyond the DoorDash platform. The DashPass Annual Plan membership costs $96 per year, while the Max with Ads tier runs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The new promotion starts this week. Continue reading DoorDash Teams with WBD for a DashPass and Max Bundle

Streaming giant Netflix is partnering with CBS Sports to produce its two Christmas Day football games — the streamer’s first NFL excursion in its three-year deal. The one-year CBS agreement is for production services only, and does not cover on-air talent. Netflix is still exploring its talent options. CBS Sports announcers Tony Romo and Jim Nantz are reportedly under consideration, although Netflix is said to also be pondering a move that would allow it to create an on-camera team that would allow it to put its own stamp on the talent and the games. Paramount Global’s CBS will receive a production fee and promotional spots in the streamed games. Continue reading CBS Sports to Produce Two Christmas NFL Games for Netflix

YouTube is testing an integration with parent company Google’s Gemini AI. Called Brainstorm with Gemini, it invites creators to ideate with video, titles and thumbnails. The limited test makes the feature available to a handful of creators whose feedback will be used in strategizing how and whether to introduce the feature more broadly. In May, YouTube began testing another AI tool, renaming its “Research” tab “Inspiration.” The Inspiration tool provides topics that its algorithm detects a creator’s audience might find interested, supplying an outline and talking points. Brainstorm is similar but supports Google’s AI branding. Continue reading YouTube Invites Content Creators to ‘Brainstorm with Gemini’

TikTok is widely launching its promotional discovery feature, TikTok Spotlight, which lets marketers tap into its vaunted “For You” feed. Movie studios, TV networks and streamers are invited to promote their products adjacent to For You feed content identified as having related interest. “TikTok Spotlight identifies applicable TikToks on our platform and attributes an anchor link” that “drives audiences to a dedicated landing page where they can discover more details,” like synopsis, cast, and user-generated content. Users can link to streaming platforms, digital storefronts or theater ticket sales “directly from the landing page.” Continue reading TikTok Spotlight Offers Studios, Networks New Marketing Tool