Disney is getting most of Fox. What does that mean for Hulu? T-mobile gets into the TV game. 

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CordKillers: Ep. 200 – M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y-M-O-U-S-E
Recorded: December 18 2017
Guest: None

Intro Video

• Proposal by Netflix

Primary Target

• It’s official: Disney is acquiring Fox’s film and TV divisions for $52.4 billion
  – Disney announced its agreement o acquire most of 20th Century Fox including its movie studios, regional sports networks, cable channels and production arms. A new company called Fox will spin out on its own containing Fox broadcasting stations, national sports and Fox News. Disney will assume controlling ownership of Hulu with minority stakes owned by Comcast and Time Warner. Disney expects the acquisition to take 12-18 months to close.
• Disney to buy part of 21st Century Fox for $52 billion
• Disney will own controlling stake in Hulu
• Disney Fox deal means a big bet on local TV sports
• What does Disney’s acquisition of Fox mean for the MCU? 

How to Watch

• T-Mobile to launch TV service in 2018, challenging cable and satellite giants with purchase of Layer3 TV
  – Back in the US, T-Mobile says it will acquire Layer3 TV, a Denver, Colo.-based television technology company, and plans to launch its own TV service in 2018 as part of its latest “Uncarrier” initiative. In a video announcement, T-Mobile CEO John Legere says he’ll compete with cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Frontier and Fox. This follows T-Mobile’s “Binge On” initiative for unlimited mobile video streaming, and its incorporation of Netflix subscriptions into its T-Mobile One family plans.
• What is Layer3 TV and why is T-Mobile buying it?

What to Watch

• Bloomberg has launched its 24/7 News channel on Twitter
• NBC will stream ‘Sunday Night Football’ to your phone in 2018
  – NBC has the right to stream Sunday Night Football games to smartphones starting in 2018. You’ll have to authenticate somehow.
• Apple orders TV series from Battlestar Galactica creator
  – Deadline reports Apple has ordered a space drama from Ronald D. Moore. The series is reportedly based on the idea that the Cold War space race never ended. Apple has not announced release dates for any of its new scripted series.
• NBC is adapting UK tech support sitcom ‘The IT Crowd’
  – NBC is making its third attempt to adapt the IT Crowd for the US. UK IT crowd creator Graham Lineham will write and produce.
• ALTERED CARBON “amberlit” for Season 2
  – Netflix has ordered prep work to begin on season 2 of Altered Carbon before season one has been released which is scheduled for February. Prep work means Netflix ordered scripts, booked studio space and invoked holding clauses in actor contracts but these can all be cancelled.
• Netflix may run Watergate series developed by George Clooney
  – Hollywood Reporter and Variety report George Clooney and Bridge of Spies writer Matt Charman are working on Watergate, an eight-episode miniseries for Netflix.
• Netflix announced on Facebook that Season 2 of The Punisher is coming.
• She-Ra, Princess of Power, Is Making a Comeback on Netflix
  – Among the many collaborations between Dreamworks and Netflix scheduled for 2018, is a revival of She-Ra Princess of Power. Noelle Stevenson co-creator of Lumberjanes will be show runner. There will also be more Trolls shows, a Boss baby show and an adaptation of Captain Underpants.

What We’re Watching

• Brian: The Last Jedi, Mr Robot 310, Deadwood 103, all of Handmaid’s Tale
• Tom: All The Money in The World, Mr. Robot (310), The Last Jedi
• On the Lookout: Long Shot

Front Lines

• Amazon to start selling Apple TV and Google Chromecast
  – Amazon said Thursday it will resume selling Apple TV and two versions of the Apple TV 4K, the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra. Amazon removed the devices from its store in late 2015.
• Redbox returns to internet video with On Demand service
  – Redbox On Demand is launching offering movies and TV shows for purchase and rent. You can stream them or download for offline viewing. You can get it on Android, iOS, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and smart TVs from LG and Samsung.
• Samsung and Amazon will start streaming HDR10+ content tomorrow
  – Samsung began streaming Amazon videos in HDR 10+ on its smart TVs, the first time HDR10+ has been available from a streaming service. HDR10+ features Dynamic Tone Mapping, which allows brightness levels to shift depending on whether the particular scene is brightly lit or dark, based on the dynamic metadata attached to a video. It’s the 5th HDR standard. It’s licensed through a partnership of Samsung, 20th Century Fox, and Panasonic.
• Hulu adds its ‘My Stuff’ watchlist and picture-in-picture mode to its web app
  – Hulu added a picture-in-picture mode, improved search and a user-controlled watch list to its Hulu Live TV service. The features are being tested on the web at beta.hulu.com.
• YouTube TV is available in 34 new markets
  – YouTube TV expanded to 34 new metro areas for a grand total of 83 in there US. The new locations include New Orleans, Green Bay, Tucson, Tulsa, San Diego and San Antonio among others.

Dispatches from the Front
THE ULTIMATE CORD CUTTING CHALLENGE: My 77 year old Dad.

Hi CordKillers,
My dad has lately been chafing at the almost $300 he pays to his local cable company for internet, cable, and phone. He’s very interested in cutting the cord, but I don’t think he could deal with the complexity of choosing a streaming box, a few streaming services, and wiring up all the TVs in the house for streaming boxes.

I’m happy to serve as the family IT dept and get them all set up, but I have very little faith that they’ll remember how to use it when I leave.
If you were going to design a cord-killing strategy for a couple senior citizens accustomed to cable, what would you choose?

Thanks
– Ted

 

I’m at Star Wars and there’s a commercial for the fantasy film movie League it’s fantasy football meets movies aka the movie draft

– Stephen

 

 

 

Illegal or Unethical, Or Neither

Let’s say that I subscribe to premium channel X.

Let’s also say that I have a rooted streaming device, and this device has software to stream anything I want. Channel X has a show every week which I like. Some weeks I can’t watch at the time it is broadcast. I am a little impatient, and don’t want to wait for several days for the show to be “On Demand”. I opt to use my streaming device as if it were a cloud DVR. I have paid for the privilege of watching this show, I am basically just time shifting. Thoughts?

Thanks,
– Chris

 

 

PSA: Movie pass charged me a monthly charge and a yearly charge this month. Reddit has some people saying that they signed up for yearly and were only billed monthly. I suggest everyone check their billing statements.

– Sean

Links

2017 Winter Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers