Downstream

#53: I'm Living With a Criminal

September 21st, 2023 · 45 minutes

We break down the arrival of Mark Thompson as CNN's new boss. Also, there's a mega letters segment! [This episode was recorded September 7. See you in two weeks!]

#52: Defying Gravity

September 7th, 2023 · 39 minutes

Does the battle between Disney and Charter augur the end of the cable business model as we know it? Is the entertainment industry going bankrupt slowly, then all at once? It's time for an all-Sports Corner episode of Downstream!

(Downstream+ listeners also get to hear about Fox and Comcast's post-linear possibilities, and our predictions about…

#51: Cool, Man, But What Happened After?

August 25th, 2023 · 70 minutes

The CNN streaming era re-begins--and we're still trying to figure out how TV news adapts to the streaming era. Also: Netflix makes a franchise bet on Zach Snyder, but is it shooting itself in the foot? And are streaming sports rights worth the high cost?

#50: Platform Chess

August 11th, 2023 · 48 minutes

Disney alters the deal (namely the price of its streaming services)--pray they don't alter it further. But is Disney suffering from franchise fatigue, and is aggressively bunding Hulu with Disney+ the solution? Also: Jason's sad about Apple's failed college football deal.

[Downstream+ members also got to hear us discuss Paramount+ changing its …

#49: Selling Shovels

July 28th, 2023 · 74 minutes

Did Netflix lure the rest of the streaming industry into quicksand? We explore the difference between being an entertainment retailer and wholesaler. Then it's time to talk about the man, the legend, the human topic: Disney's Bob Iger.

#48: "The Bear" Is Not a Comedy

July 12th, 2023 · 28 minutes

In a tale as old as time, we try and fail to understand the Emmy Awards. Also: Breaking down Netflix's new ratings math. (Downstream+ subscribers get an extra 30 minutes about the up and coming world of free ad-supported streaming services and why Prime Video is like CBS.)

#47: My Phantom Limb

June 30th, 2023 · 66 minutes

CNN rises to the top of the conversation again, Netflix gets the ball back, Paramount sells some crown jewels, Sports Corner travels to Utah, and we answer four listener letters!

#46: The Chris Licht Conundrum

June 16th, 2023 · 23 minutes

The head of CNN is out, but the larger issue is: what's the future of TV news in the age of streaming? (Downstream+ subscribers also heard: YouTube is still top dog, the age of consolidation brings the need for better content discovery, a Bob Iger check-in, and Netflix falls into Sports Corner.)

#45: I Wasn't Surprised

June 1st, 2023 · 52 minutes

The Max launch and prioritizing tech stacks; Netflix's ad viewers and the future of ad-free streaming; and in Sports Corner the regional sports network collapse has begun. Also, we announce our own plus--Downstream+!

#44: Max Headroom Made a Fortune

May 19th, 2023 · 72 minutes

Julia's back at last, so we blast through discussing HBO Max becoming Max, Hulu going inside the Disney+ app, the WGA's "streaming strike", the NFL's Peacock playoff game, and ESPN plotting its inevitable over-the-top service.