Advanced Television

Disney Plus

Research: 55% US broadband homes own smart TV

Parks Associates reports that 55 per cent of US broadband households own a smart TV, pushing this device to be the default platform for streaming content. “Rapid changes in the market over the past two years, combined with continually shifting customer preferences, have forced service and device suppliers to adjust and adapt on an almost […]

February 11, 2022

Disney+ adds another 11.8m subs

Disney+ has continued to defy expectations with the SVoD service adding 11.8 million subscribers in the last quarter of 2021, taking the total to 129.8 million globally. Disney CEO Bob Chapek predicted the service will have 230 million to 260 million subscribers by 2024. Overall, the company’s revenues increased by 34 per cent year-on-year to […]

February 10, 2022By Nik Roseveare

French creatives slam SVoD investment rules

French authors association SACD, along with producers’ bodies USPA and AnimFrance, have asked France’s Conseil d’État (Council of State) to scrap the conventions signed by US SVoD platforms Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ with regulatory body Arcom (formerly the CSA) in December 2021. The SACD and its allies also wrote to Arcom requesting the withdrawal […]

February 10, 2022From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris

Disney resurrects Futurama

Disney+ and 20th Television Animation have confirmed the return of animated sci-fi comedy, Futurama, from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. A new season will comprise of 20 new episodes and go into production this month, with a premiere date TBC in 2023. The show’s returning voice cast includes stars Billy West, […]

February 10, 2022By Nik Roseveare

Obi-Wan Kenobi debuts in May on Disney+

Obi-Wan Kenobi, the new limited series from Lucasfilm, will debut exclusively on Disney+ on May 27th. Two episodes will be available at launch. The six episode series sees Ewan McGregor reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master, whilst Hayden Christensen will also return as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. Both actors last portrayed the […]

February 10, 2022By Nik Roseveare

Whip Media France Survey: 76% say Netflix is the one service to keep

Whip Media, a leading data provider to the world’s largest entertainment companies, surveyed nearly 3,000 consumers in France to understand consumer sentiment surrounding paid streaming in the market. The key findings include: French survey respondents subscribe to an average of 2.7 paid subscription services. Netflix remains the indispensable SVoD to a majority of French respondents […]

February 9, 2022

Report: Disney+ will struggle to sustain breakneck growth

The pandemic provided a significant boost to Disney’s video streaming platform, as it quickly surpassed the 100 million subscriber mark less than 18 months after its launch. However, with the platform recently experiencing a slowdown, adding just 2.1 million subscribers in Q4 2021, investors will now be watching for signs of this continuing in Disney’s […]

February 9, 2022

The Kardashians, The Dropout exclusively on Disney+

Disney has announced that Original limited series The Dropout and a brand new series of The Kardashians will both premiere exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service. The Dropout will premiere with three episodes on March 3rd on Disney+, with new episodes streaming weekly. From Executive Producer Elizabeth Meriwether, The Dropout is the story of Elizabeth […]

February 8, 2022By Nik Roseveare

Denmark to levy streaming tax

Denmark is to levy a tax on streaming services in order to help fund home-grown TV and film output. The tax will be “up to 5 per cent” according to local reports. However, the OTT players – including Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max – will be required to reveal their company algorithms which determine which […]

February 4, 2022By Chris Forrester

More Than Robots coming to SXSW, Disney+

Disney has announced that More Than Robots, an original documentary directed by Community star Gillian Jacobs, presented by Supper Club and Disney+ and made in partnership with FIRST, will premiere at the SXSW (South by Southwest) Film Festival on March 14th. Then, on March 18th, the documentary will stream exclusively on Disney+. More Than Robots […]

February 3, 2022By Nik Roseveare