The Streaming Wars
Starz Explores A+E Acquisition as Linear TV Shakeout Accelerates
The Streaming Wars Staff
Sinclair’s Stake in Scripps Sets Off the Next Local-TV Knife Fight
The Streaming Wars Staff
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Control Is the New Currency
Kirby Grines
Kirby says control is the new currency in streaming, and Apple, NBCUniversal, and Fox are showing exactly what that looks like. Apple is collapsing barriers by making MLS a core Apple TV feature. NBCU is reviving NBC Sports Network to…
YouTube TV Wins Big as Disney Pushes ESPN’s Next Chapter Into the Bundle
Kirby Grines
Disney and YouTube TV have resolved a two-week carriage dispute, finalizing a multi-year deal that restores Disney’s channels and integrates ESPN Plus and the forthcoming ESPN Unlimited into YouTube TV. The agreement reflects a strategic pivot toward aggregation, positioning ESPN’s…
Basics of Streaming: Interactive Ads and the Shift to Active Viewership
The Streaming Wars Staff
Basics of Streaming breaks down how interactive advertising is reshaping monetization in the OTT space. By letting viewers choose, shop, or engage directly within streams, platforms like Amazon, Hulu, Roku, and YouTube are turning ads into active experiences that drive…
MLS Blows the Doors Open: Apple TV Makes Every Match Free to Subscribers in 2026
Kirby Grines
Apple is folding MLS Season Pass into its standard Apple TV subscription starting in 2026, making every match available at no extra cost. This shift ends the paywalled approach and puts MLS in front of a global audience as the…
Starz Q3: Loss Widens as Linear Decline Outpaces Digital Growth
The Streaming Wars Staff
Starz reported a wider Q3 loss of $52.6 million as linear subscriber declines outpaced OTT gains, pulling revenue down 8% to $320.9 million. U.S. OTT subs grew by 110,000, but total U.S. subs still fell by 130,000, showing digital traction…
Disney’s Streaming Strength Can’t Mask the Structural Cracks Exposed by Its YouTube TV Standoff
Kirby Grines
Disney ended fiscal 2025 with strong streaming gains, up 39% in DTC income and record Hulu growth, but its longest-ever blackout with YouTube TV exposed deep structural risks. The standoff underscores a bigger problem: Disney’s streaming momentum can’t offset the…
Around the Industry
Mark Rober, a Top YouTube Creator, Sets FAST Channel on Samsung TV Plus (Exclusive)
The Hollywood Reporter
More Our News
Warner Bros Expands Its Immersive Strategy With Cosm and Revives Harry Potter for a New Exhibition Era
The Streaming Wars Staff
Warner Bros is leveraging immersive experiences to rejuvenate its Harry Potter franchise, partnering with Cosm to debut a shared reality version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in dome venues starting in 2026. This move complements a theatrical re-release…
YouTube TV Wins Big as Disney Pushes ESPN’s Next Chapter Into the Bundle
Kirby Grines
Disney and YouTube TV have resolved a two-week carriage dispute, finalizing a multi-year deal that restores Disney’s channels and integrates ESPN Plus and the forthcoming ESPN Unlimited into YouTube TV. The agreement reflects a strategic pivot toward aggregation, positioning ESPN’s…
Basics of Streaming: Interactive Ads and the Shift to Active Viewership
The Streaming Wars Staff
Basics of Streaming breaks down how interactive advertising is reshaping monetization in the OTT space. By letting viewers choose, shop, or engage directly within streams, platforms like Amazon, Hulu, Roku, and YouTube are turning ads into active experiences that drive…
MLS Blows the Doors Open: Apple TV Makes Every Match Free to Subscribers in 2026
Kirby Grines
Apple is folding MLS Season Pass into its standard Apple TV subscription starting in 2026, making every match available at no extra cost. This shift ends the paywalled approach and puts MLS in front of a global audience as the…
Starz Q3: Loss Widens as Linear Decline Outpaces Digital Growth
The Streaming Wars Staff
Starz reported a wider Q3 loss of $52.6 million as linear subscriber declines outpaced OTT gains, pulling revenue down 8% to $320.9 million. U.S. OTT subs grew by 110,000, but total U.S. subs still fell by 130,000, showing digital traction…
Disney’s Streaming Strength Can’t Mask the Structural Cracks Exposed by Its YouTube TV Standoff
Kirby Grines
Disney ended fiscal 2025 with strong streaming gains, up 39% in DTC income and record Hulu growth, but its longest-ever blackout with YouTube TV exposed deep structural risks. The standoff underscores a bigger problem: Disney’s streaming momentum can’t offset the…
More News
Tencent Reports Strong Q3 Growth, Hits $27 Billion in Revenue Driven by Gaming, AI Investments
Variety
Tencent reported Q3 2025 revenue of RMB192.9 billion ($27.1 billion), up 15% year-over-year, driven by strength in gaming and AI-powered advertising. Gaming revenue surged across domestic and international markets, with hits like “Delta Force” and mobile “Valorant” fueling growth. AI…
Mark Rober, a Top YouTube Creator, Sets FAST Channel on Samsung TV Plus (Exclusive)
The Hollywood Reporter
Mark Rober is launching his own FAST channel, Mark Rober TV, on Samsung TV Plus, expanding his science-focused YouTube content into the streaming space. The move leverages Rober’s massive digital following and aligns with Samsung’s strategy to build a top-tier…
NBA Revenue Projected to Hit $14.3B During 2025-26 Season
Sportico
The NBA is projecting $14.3 billion in revenue this season, a 12% year-over-year jump, driven by its new $76 billion media rights deal with Amazon, ESPN/ABC, and NBC. Each team’s TV revenue is up nearly 40% this season, and average…
Roku Greenlights Eva Longoria’s ‘NFL Hometown Eats’ Food/Fandom Series Debuting in 2026
Media Play News
Roku is teaming up with Eva Longoria and NFL Films for a new unscripted original series, NFL Hometown Eats, set to launch in 2026. The three-part show will feature celebrity fans and NFL players exploring their team’s hometowns through food,…
Spotify to Launch Music Videos on Platform in United States
Variety
Spotify is preparing to roll out music videos in the U.S., following a beta launch in 97 global markets. The feature will let users toggle between audio and video, bringing Spotify closer to YouTube Music’s format. The launch comes on…
Tubi Sets First Slate of Digital-First Series From Creators Joey Graceffa, KevOnStage and More
TheWrap
Tubi has announced its first slate of exclusive digital-first series from popular creators like Joey Graceffa, KevOnStage, Rock Squad, and more, aiming to deepen engagement with its massive user base. The slate includes a mix of comedy, fantasy, and teen…
