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Time Warner CEO: DC Comics shows could be slow to hit Netflix and Hulu
If you're waiting to catch up on Gotham or Arrow, the wait could get even longer. Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes told analysts this week that past seasons of DC Comics television shows could be slow to arrive on Hulu and Netflix. Why? Well, the chief executive said that the company would give preference to cable customers first, making those older seasons available elsewhere several years after they air. In case you didn't know, Time Warner owns DC Comics. Bewkes explained that Time Warner is set on "delivering even more value to consumers, especially those who subscribe to the traditional bundle." Eight DC Comics shows are now on the air, including the recent addition of Supergirl on CBS.
TiVo sues Samsung before its money-making patents expire
TiVo is back in the litigation game with a new lawsuit against Samsung, according to its latest earnings report. The company has avoided such disputes since it settled with Dish Network, Verizon and other companies for over $1 billion. However, its Time Warp patent (which allows you to record one program while watching another) is what helped it win those sums, and it's set to expire in 2018. As a result, CEO Tom Rogers said that TiVo will assert its newer IP. "People know that we have quite a track record when it comes to our litigation and they also know that we don't pursue these things unless we believe there is significant damage opportunity."
It looks like the government will stop the Comcast/TWC merger
That seemingly ever-looming union between Comcast and Time-Warner Cable looks like it hit another roadblock. The Federal Communications Commission wants to put the $45 billion merger in front of an administrative law judge and issue a "hearing administration order," which The Wall Street Journal says is a pretty strong message from the government that the deal could die. Why's that? Because it's essentially Uncle Sam saying that the business move isn't good for consumers; that whole Netflix situation's still pretty fresh on everyone's mind, it'd seem. WSJ's sources say that Comcast and Time Warner could still make a case for themselves, but it may be too late.
Sling TV will have HBO before 'Game of Thrones' premieres
Add another one to the slate of Sling TV options: subscribers to the streaming TV service will be able to get HBO soon. There's no word on an exact launch date, but Sling says it will be in time for the new season of Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley, which launch on April 12th. It's not the (still Apple-exclusive for online providers) HBO Now service, it's just regular HBO, with one live channel and video on-demand access. According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal is the result of negotiations between Sling's owner Dish Network and HBO's owner Time Warner that will also keep channels like TBS, TNT and TruTV on the satellite TV network. Adding the channel to Sling's $20 per month base package with AMC, TNT, ESPN and a few others will cost subscribers an extra $15 once it's available.
Cablevision will offer HBO's standalone streaming service to its internet users
You'd think that cable companies would be the mortal enemies of internet-only TV services, but that's apparently not always the case. Cablevision has forged a deal to offer HBO Now to both its internet subscribers and those who use its Optimum WiFi access points. There's no details as to pricing or whether or not the offering will be available the moment HBO Now launches in April, but it won't be surprising if the service costs you around the $15 per month announced at Apple's March 9th event. Will other internet providers follow suit? It's hard to say. While HBO Now is potentially useful for preventing would-be cord cutters from ditching cable altogether (by letting them switch to cheaper TV packages), telecoms like Comcast and Verizon haven't been fond of online video services in the past.
HBO Go comes to PS4, unless you have Comcast
Congratulations PS4 owners / HBO Go users, your long wait is over and the app is ready for your console. It's been over a year since HBO and Sony announced it was coming to the PlayStation 3 and 4, and one day shy of a year since it arrived on PS3. That wait apparently wasn't long enough for everyone though, as Comcast is the lone provider that won't let its subscribers log in via the new app. Otherwise, system owners can download the app today and activate it online, all with plenty of time to catch up before the next season of Game of Thrones hits, or HBO opens up its non-cable subscription options. HBO and Comcast aren't entirely out of sync though, as HBO and Cinemax's live channels came to the Xfinity TV Go streaming apps today, and in other premium channel news Dish Network customers have access to Showtime Anytime.
FCC Chairman says he may ignore Obama on net neutrality
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler has told web giants Google, Yahoo and others that he won't cave to pressure from the White House, declaring "I am an independent agency." His statement (already seized on by pundits for lack of the royal 'we') looks to be a direct response to President Obama's recent urging that the FCC declare the internet a utility. The White House came out strongly on the side of net neutrality after a leaked document showed that the FCC wanted to let internet service providers (ISPs) continue to use so-called fast lanes.
ESPN deal lets you stream live NBA games without needing TV service
ESPN has made plenty of forays into streaming video, but services like WatchESPN typically require that you already have TV service. That partly defeats the point of viewing online, don't you think? However, you might not face that limitation for much longer. According to sources for the Wall Street Journal, the NBA has signed a pact with Disney (ESPN's parent) to launch a new streaming service that doesn't demand a cable or satellite subscription -- a big deal for ESPN, which still makes most of its money from paid TV. Just how it differs from the NBA's own League Pass isn't clear, although both are focused on live regular season games. In other words, you'll still have to fire up an old-fashioned TV to watch the playoffs in real-time. Just when it arrives isn't clear, although you may not have to wait long for an announcement. If the tipsters are accurate, the NBA will announce its partnership as early as Monday. [Image credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images]
Fox withdraws its $80 billion offer to buy Time Warner
By now, it's no secret that 21st Century Fox made a multi-billion dollar pass at Time Warner, only to get unceremoniously shot down by TW's head honchos. Both companies mostly kept mum after the New York Times first broke the story, but now things have come to a head: Fox has conceded defeat and officially withdrew its $80 billion offer. Had the deal gone through, the resulting content titan would've had with enormous sway over the media world -- it would have been in control of HBO, Turner's TV channels (minus CNN, which would've been spun off), Fox's broadcast network, Fox News, and two big-name film studios. Rupert Murdoch clearly saw the benefits of a mash-up, so why back off now?
Fox tried to buy Time Warner -- and HBO -- for $80 billion
Could Fox News and CNN have the same owner? No, but close. 21 Century Fox has confirmed reports (first published by the New York Times) that it made an $80 billion bid for fellow media conglomerate Time Warner -- and was turned down, for now. Curiously, this comes just as Comcast is trying to swallow Time Warner Cable, but those two similarly-named companies are no longer directly connected. Time Warner (also no longer related to AOL, which owns this website) recently ditched its Time Inc. magazine properties, and now consists of three parts: the highly-profitable HBO, Turner and Warner Bros. According to the reports, Fox would sell CNN as part of the buyout to avoid regulatory hurdles caused by owning both large news networks, but as analyst Porter Bibb pointed out on Bloomberg TV, this would give it access to HBO, which he called "the only Netflix fighter left." [Image credit: Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO]
CNNx lets you watch only the news you care about
Since you're here, we figure you're pretty comfortable in using the internet to get your news. CNN has noticed that trend as well, and is making the jump to the next generation with CNNx. Initially available as an update for CNN's iPad app but intended for other set-top boxes and CNN.com in the future (no word on Android, iPhone or other mobile platforms, although live streaming is already widely available), it lets viewers skip through any story segments that have aired in the last 24 hours -- unfortunately that doesn't include The Daily Show's takedowns of its coverage, but you can see a screenshot of the app after the break.. That should end the frustration felt when you flip to the channel halfway through one interesting segment, and are faced with sitting through an hour of disaster-of-the-minute coverage to find out all the information. There's more than just video (live or on-demand) too, with related articles, pictures and social media just a click away. CNN is a cable channel though, so you'll need a login from a participating provider (DirecTV, Cox and Verizon FiOS right now, but it will come to all services later this year) to use the TV Everywhere service, just like HBO Go. It's not live in the app store for us to try out just yet, but it will arrive later today. For now, there is a video preview explaining what CNNx is all about -- give it a peek and see if the ability to cherry-pick interesting stories is enough to pull you back into the 24-hour cable news cycle.
Comcast's merger with Time Warner Cable goes in front of the Senate on March 26th
by02.25.2014
The final word on Comcast's merger with Time Warner Cable may be in the hands of the FCC and Justice Department, but that's not stopping other governmental bodies from weighing in. On March 26th, the Senate Judiciary Committee plans to examine the deal's effects on the average consumer -- specifically focusing on its impact on market competition and TV and internet pricing. "The merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable touches on important policy questions bout how Americans access these valuable services," Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy wrote in a statement. "It also presents a critical moment to discuss net neutrality principals that have allowed the internet to remain an open marketplace for ideas." Although the hearing probably won't affect the merger directly, it's possible the discussion could lead to legislative changes further down the road.
Netflix's internet provider claims Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner are causing streaming bottlenecks (update)
In the ongoing he said/she said saga surrounding Netflix streaming potentially being throttled, we've got a new, potentially volatile piece of information: The CEO of the company that provides Netflix's bandwidth (Cogent) straight up says that Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner are causing the issues. "Every internet user is suffering today in their ability to access all the applications, content and other users across the internet," Cogent CEO Dave Schaeffer told Ars Technica in a recent interview. Due to the consumer-based ISPs (Comcast, etc.) demanding money from Cogent for an already existing, free (though mutually beneficial) relationship, and Cogent refusing to pay, streaming internet (and all other bandwidth, for that matter) has suffered. Specifically, he claims, Verizon (and others) refuse to upgrade the equipment that handles ISP traffic across the country. "Once a port hits about 85 percent throughput, you're going to begin to start to drop packets. Clearly when a port is at 120 or 130 percent, the packet loss is material," he told Ars, in reference to the existing ports being overused. We'd advise taking his claims with a grain of salt: Verizon's demanding money that he doesn't want to give, and he's using the public forum to negotiate -- that much is clear, regardless of the streaming situation. That said, he's far from the first to make the claim of traffic issues surrounding Netflix streaming. For what it's worth, Verizon contests the claims: "It is categorically false that we are doing anything to adversely impact Netflix traffic to benefit Redbox." Meanwhile, those of us simply trying to marathon House of Cards' second season are left screaming at our TVs. Update: Muddying the waters further, Gigaom points out a post by App.net cofounder Bryan Berg which he says shows Netflix's content servers connecting directly to Comcast at the San Jose Equinix datacenter. The site's corroborated his claim with industry sources,one of whom called the connection a recent development. Neither Netflix or Comcast has responded to comment on the story, but if you're suddenly seeing Frank Underwood's evil exploits more clearly, there's a reason why.
Time Warner reveals how much money HBO makes, and why it's not splitting from cable yet
Wondering why you still need a cable TV package to subscribe to HBO in the US? Because HBO is making truckloads of cash keeping things the way they are -- even though that might not last forever. Its parent company Time Warner (which spun off Time Warner Cable in 2009) announced financial results for the year, and for the first time in years, it included some details about HBO's business. HBO alone pulled in $1.3 billion in the last three months of 2013, and $4.9 billion for the entire year. Netflix's numbers are actually pretty close, as the streaming company posted sales of $1.18 billion for the quarter and $4.3 billion for the year, despite having fewer customers than HBO worldwide. The real difference right now is in how much money each keeps in profits after costs for things like original content (House of Cards and Game of Thrones aren't made for free) are accounted for. HBO's operating profit in Q4 is $414 million, and $1.7 billion for the year, but Netflix's Q4 profit came in at $82 million, and for its efforts it made $228 million all year. According to Variety, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said on the earnings call that HBO and Cinemax added about 2 million customers last year, while Netflix grew by 6 million, and added more than 2 million customers just in Q4. If that difference in growth is making Bewkes sweat, then he's not showing it publicly, saying "HBO is in a league of its own" and pointing to stats that show viewers with HBO and Netflix actually view more of both. The "Albanian Army" is expected to continue its European expansion in 2014 and has already sealed up exclusives for streaming content in the next few years, we'll wait and see if that changes the landscape significantly.
Xbox 360 Time Warner Cable app finally gets video-on-demand
It's been a long wait for Xbox 360-faithful wanting Time Warner Cable video-on-demand through their console, but the feature has finally arrived with some 5,000 promised titles (there's good news for Roku users too, where TWC TV has added VOD to go along with that new YouTube app). If you somehow still aren't entertained, well maybe chatting with other TWC customers via the app's messaging feature will do the trick. This seems a tad redundant when the 360's native messaging client is a few button presses away, but we dig having another way to spoil the latest New Girl for our pals.
WSJ: Sony looking to launch online cable competitor, in talks with Viacom, Disney
Sony's reportedly made some headway on a solution that may well convince a number of subscribers to cut their cable cords once and for all. According to The Wall Street Journal's usual gang of anonymous sources, the electronics giant is in talks with several high profile media organizations to help populate an internet-based service that will stream channels and offer up on-demand content. The offering, which Sony is apparently looking to launch by the end of the year, would be the realization of some long time aspirations. Viacom is apparently at top of the list of potential partners, as the home of channels like MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. That deal is said to be in the preliminary agreement stage, news that comes a few weeks after Viacom inked a deal with Twitter. According to the WSJ, Sony's also been holding meetings with a number of other content providers like Disney, Time Warner and CBS. All parties involved have, naturally, refused to comment.
Bloomberg: Time Warner Cable still in talks to buy stake in Hulu
Hulu may have put the kibosh on auctioning itself off wholesale, but it looks like some money may still be changing hands. Citing three people familiar with the situation, Bloomberg reports that Time Warner Cable is still participating in talks to purchase a stake in the streaming firm. According to the same trio of sources, TWC was previously interested in nabbing a 25 percent claim in the outfit, and an agreement could be reached within two weeks. Hulu could soon have extra cash in its coffers from the cable giant, in addition to the $750 million its owners just vowed to pour into it, but it's entirely possible this deal could fizzle out too.
Time Warner Cable taps into Starz Play and Encore Play
Many subscribers of Starz and Encore have known the joy of free, on-demand movies for some time now, but customers of Time Warner Cable are more likely accustomed to another feeling -- one of exclusion. Fortunately, that all changes today, as Time Warner now provides access to Starz Play and Encore Play. The services are free to subscribers of the pay channels, and are accessible both over the web and via apps for Android and iOS. As it stands, Starz Play offers access to 400 titles (including 300 movies), while Encore Play offers somewhere in the neighborhood of 900 titles, 300 of which are movies. Signing into Starz Play and Encore Play is simply a matter of plugging in your Time Warner Cable ID, which is used for authentication with the Play system. Naturally, the latest announcement serves as a nice complement to TWC TV, and could also prove itself a worthwhile Plan B for times when Netflix is on the fritz.
Time Warner updates browser version of TWC TV to allow for out-of-home viewing
For Time Warner Cable subscribers, sly on-the-job TV-watching is about to get easier (don't lie, we know you do it). Starting today, the browser version of TWC TV will offer on-demand and live content from any internet connection, in a move that mirrors the company's mobile app upgrade back in April. Previously, Time Warner Cable customers were restricted to using TWCTV.com inside their homes, but the shackles are now somewhat looser. There are still a few limits: only 26 networks with on-demand programming will be accessible outside the subscriber's home, with up to 11 live channels offering streaming content. It's fairly modest compared to in-home use, which includes as many as 4,000 on-demand titles and 300 live TV channels. But if the restrictions don't bother you and you desperately need to catch up on your favorite shows during your lunch break, you can register your account at the link below.
Time Warner to begin live-streaming TNT and TBS channels starting this summer
Oh, how the times are a-changin'. Hot on the heels of ABC revealing its plans to start streaming live TV in some areas, Time Warner's now let it be known that it will be taking a similar route with its own TNT and TBS networks. According to the Los Angeles Times, Steve Koonin, head honcho of Turner Entertainment Networks, confirmed these online services are due to kick off this summer and will allow interested streamers to watch content "anytime, anywhere, on multiple devices." Just don't go thinking you can join the cord-cutting crowd, as you'll still need a proper cable subscription to enjoy TBS or TNT on the interwebs.
