Fastweb model under strain
Q1 2006 results show strong subscriber growth due to an enlarged LLU footprint and to promotions
Recent reports
Bundesliga auction suspended: DAZN steps up ambitions
24 April 2024The German football league has suspended its media rights auction after protests by DAZN over the award of the top package.
DAZN surprised the market by aiming to become the Bundesliga’s primary broadcaster.
The situation in Germany reveals the contradictory impulses weighing on leagues at rights auctions.
AI, press and licensing: Deals for the chosen few
22 April 2024Big news publishers are pursuing licensing deals with AI companies, chiefly OpenAI. Not all publishers will see a substantial return; while some news may be important for training AI models, not all publisher content will be.
Litigation is a threat point when negotiations stall (see the New York Times), but the copyright status of Large Language Models (LLMs) is uncertain. In the UK, there has been no government intervention (on copyright or otherwise) that could facilitate licensing.
Publishers’ bargaining position is strongest when it comes to up-to-date material that could be important in powering some AI consumer products. They should seek deals to support their journalism, while bearing in mind the risk that new products may get between them and their readers.
Netflix Q1 2024: Revenues grow as reporting contracts
19 April 2024Netflix's Q1 revenue was up 15% YoY (to $9.4 billion) bolstered by firm global subscriber growth and the continued momentum of 'paid sharing'. Operating margin is forecast to be 25% across this year (up from 21% in 2023)—approaching the realms of legacy linear media—but transparency will be diluted as the company stops reporting subscribers and ARPU
UK subscriptions and overall engagement are mostly flat; growth by older viewers is masking declines by the young
Even with the strikes driving viewing towards UK content, licensed programming remains a relatively minor factor in Netflix’s library