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Manufactured controversy puts Netflix's future at Cannes in doubt
This year, Netflix original movies will be shown at Cannes Film Festival for the very first time. Yet, thanks to pressure from the French government, 2017 could also be the last time we see Netflix original films at the event. In France, the law dictates that movies which enjoy theatrical releases can't be shown on streaming services until three years later. Due to these strict regulations, Cannes exhibitors strongly opposed the inclusion of this year's Netflix entries Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories, demanding that they at least be shown nationwide across French theaters. While exhibitors calls for Netflix's entries to be removed from the competition were dismissed by the festival, the organizers have now caved under pressure.
Netflix HDR arrives on Android, but only for the LG G6
Netflix isn't content to simply stream movies in high dynamic range to your compatible TV -- it's taking the experience mobile, too. As 9to5Google notes, any device with an HDR-capable screen will support the new feature, but the only phone with an HDR display that Dolby has approved -- for its Dolby Vision tech -- is the LG G6. It's very possible that your shiny new Galaxy S8 from Samsung will get the blessing in the future as well.
Netflix renews controversial '13 Reasons Why' for second season
Netflix's 13 Reasons Why has drawn plenty of attention, and not necessarily for good reasons. Critics, mental health experts and politicians have attacked it for its portrayals of suicide, bullying and sexual assault. However, Netflix is apparently willing to push forward -- the streaming service has renewed 13 Reasons Why for a second season. It's too early for a release date or plot, but the new episodes will be venturing into uncharted territory given that the first run ends where the original novel does.
Netflix gives controversial '13 Reasons Why' series more viewer warnings
There's not a more controversial series on TV right now than 13 Reasons Why, the Netflix original which centers around bullying, rape and youth suicide. While the show has been rated for mature audiences (TV-MA) since its debut on March 31st, Netflix has been criticized for only placing graphic content warnings on a few episodes, namely those that contained sexual abuse and suicide scenes. But, amid backlash from mental health organizations and even lawmakers in some countries, the streaming service is adding more content warnings to its series.
DC is launching its own streaming service with a show TNT killed
DC Entertainment is getting into the streaming space with help from Warner Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter. What's more, the company's own service is said to be launching with a Titans live-action show, as well as the third season of Young Justice. If you recall, a pilot for Titans, which centers around characters like Dick Grayson (aka Robin), Arrow, Flash and Supergirl, had been in the works at TNT before the network decided to kill that project unexpectedly. But now it looks like you'll have a chance to watch it come 2018, when DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. are rumored to be introducing the product.
Sling TV's Cloud DVR records your guilty pleasures on Apple TV
Two weeks after Sling TV rolled out its Cloud DVR feature to Android and Roku users, the streaming service is now doing the same for people who own an Apple TV. "First Look," which was introduced last November, lets Sling TV subscribers get 50 hours of DVR storage by paying an extra $5 per month. Any recorded TV shows or movies can be watched across different devices, regardless of platform, and they never expire from an active account. It's great for those of you who decided to cut the cord completely, since features like this have traditionally required a pay-TV subscription or some sort of third-party hardware.
Facebook predicts where you'll look to improve 360 video
When you stream a regular video, it's tough enough to get high-quality visuals to your screen without sacrificing viewing quality. Now imagine the even higher difficulty of streaming a 360-degree video. You don't know where your viewer might be looking at any given time. That's where Facebook's new view prediction systems come in.
Murders, suicides and rapes: Facebook's major video problem
A nationwide manhunt for Steve Stephens, the 37-year-old from Cleveland who uploaded a video to Facebook of himself shooting an elderly stranger in the head, came to an end today. Stephens committed suicide after a brief car chase with state police in Erie, Pennsylvania. His crime, which took place this past Sunday, sparked outrage not only because of the violence itself, but also the way Facebook handled the situation. It took the social network over two hours to take the video down, although it claims this was because it wasn't flagged immediately by other users. Facebook says Stephens' actions weren't reported until he used the Live feature to stream his murder confession, about an hour and 45 minutes after the shooting video was uploaded. His account has since been suspended.
Netflix will premiere movies at Cannes for the first time
After years of ignoring streaming services, Cannes is finally recognizing both Netflix and Amazon's original work. With several Amazon funded-movies debuting at last year's event, Cannes' 2017 programme reveals that Netflix original movies will also finally be joining the festival. Netflix will be premiering The Meyerowitz Stories at the festival, starring Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller. It will also be debuting Okja for the first time, Netflix's new Korean-directed monster movie featuring Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal. Amazon movies will be featured for a second year, with Wonderstuck and You Were Never Really Here getting first screenings.
Amazon orders two seasons of 'Gilmore Girls' creator's next show
Netflix may be the frontrunner in the race between online video channels to produce original content, but Amazon is trying hard to close the gap. It has just commissioned two seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which is written and directed by Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. The series follows the titular character, a 1958 New York City woman, as she "discovers a previously unknown talent" as a standup comic that takes her from her perfect, wholesome life to... "a spot on Johnny Carson's couch."
YouTube TV needs more channels, but it gets the basics right
YouTube TV launched earlier this week, bringing another option to the quickly growing online TV subscription space. It's basically the cord-cutting dream; being able to watch shows, news or sports as they happen instead of waiting for your favorite sitcom to show up on Hulu the next day. Of course, YouTube TV and its competitors (which include Sony's PlayStation Vue, Sling TV and DirecTV Now) all have their flaws. There isn't a perfect option out there yet, but after spending the better part of the week watching YouTube TV I can say it definitely has some things going for it over the competition -- but it's also pretty clearly a service in its infancy.
YouTube's live TV service is here
Google announced YouTube TV at the end of February, and now the live TV streaming service is ready to launch. It's available today on your phone and computer in five markets: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia. If you hadn't heard yet, the $35 monthly service offers live streams from all four major broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC) and a host of other networks like ESPN, FX, the CW and many others. All told, YouTube TV is launching with 39 stations, but 10 more (including AMC, IFC and BBC America) will arrive soon.
AT&T is giving free HBO to some unlimited wireless customers
AT&T has another offer in its pocket to get customers signing up for its new unlimited data plans: free HBO. If you sign up for one of AT&T's "unlimited plus" plans, the carrier will give you HBO access, either through the HBO Go app or adding it on to your existing cable plan. If you're currently paying for HBO through either AT&T Uverse, DirecTV or the DirecTV Now streaming TV service, you'll now get access to the channel at no charge.
Netflix's overly simplified thumb ratings are here
The rumors are true: Netflix is dropping its star-based rating system in favor of "Thumbs," a new way for you to vote up (like) or down (don't like) on movies and TV shows that show up on your feed. As Variety reported earlier this month, the streaming service began testing this feature in 2016, but only with a small number of subscribers. Starting today though, Netflix will start rolling it out to all users on its site, mobile apps, gaming consoles, set-top boxes and smart TVs.
Offline Netflix belatedly hits Windows 10 PCs
Android and iOS users have been able to download content from Netflix since late last year, but the service's Windows apps conspicuously lacked the feature. Well, that's starting to change. Windows Central reports that the Netflix app for Windows 10 PCs now has the ability to download certain titles for offline watching — just hit up the Windows Store and get that update going.
Facebook Live makes the overdue jump to desktop
Facebook users have been able to broadcast live videos for over a year now. It's been mobile-exclusive since it was introduced, but Facebook has been working on bringing the feature to other platforms. Last year, the company revealed that it was rolling out live video to select desktop users. Now, starting today, all computer-bound Facebook users have access to the feature, the company said in a blog post.
Amazon nabs 'Moonlight' streaming exclusive
Competition between Amazon Prime Video and Netflix remains fierce. At the moment, both streaming platforms are doing whatever they can to gain an edge. Netflix is scooping up premium content like Dave Chappelle stand-up specials and an unfinished Orson Welles film. Meanwhile, Amazon made a move today to bring the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight to Prime Video starting May 21st.
Twitch desktop app aims to make streaming more social
Twitch has long been more than just a video game streaming platform. In fact, it's starting to morph into a full-fledged, gamer-centric social network and marketplace. Just a few days ago, the company unveiled Pulse, which added a Facebook-like feed featuring posts from streamers and viewers. This spring, Twitch will also introduce the ability for users to buy and download the games being played by their favorite streamers directly on the page. Today, the gaming platform announced these and other features are also coming to the new Twitch Desktop App, which launches on March 16th.
YouTube TV is Google's live TV service
After many months of rumors, YouTube has officially announced its entry into streaming live TV. YouTube TV will let you access live and recorded content from major networks, both the big broadcast players as well as some options typically found on cable. All of this will be coupled alongside YouTube's existing content, and it'll work on nearly any screen that YouTube is available on. The new service will be available later this spring to customers in the US for $35 a month with no contract; that lets up to six users access content whenever they want.
California bill doesn't want Netflix to be taxed like a utility
Proposed legislation in California aims to prohibit video-streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu and YouTube, from being taxed as utilities by local municipalities. The AB 252 bill, called the Streaming Tax Relief of Entertainment And Movies (STREAM) Act of 2017, was introduced by assembly member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas to "safeguard high tech innovation" in his state. This comes after the city of Pasadena had previously worked to introduce a nine percent Utility User Tax for streaming services, although those plans from 2008 didn't pan out.
