Clarity on ESPN's streaming future. But will it go international?
There has obviously movement of traditional TV services embracing streaming media over the past 20 or so years, with momentum accelerating in the past five or so. In the US, there are still two big heavyweights that have been firmly wedded to the traditional cable TV experience: CNN and ESPN.
Yeah, sure, both have digital products and availability (CNN has streaming via Max, while there’s the ESPN+ streaming service giving ESPN a toe to dip in the digital waters), but in the US if you are engaging with either brand, both are still very much the domain of cable TV.
That is ready to change this year.
CNN has been developing a digital product for the past year and a half under CEO Mark Thompson. More details will be announced tomorrow when Warner Bros Discovery holds its upfront presentation. We know today that it’ll launch in Q3 of this year. But, well, watch this space for information tomorrow.
(According to Axios, part of the announcement will include a paid weather app).
What we have more detail on is ESPN’s digital product. It will be branded as ESPN. It will cost $29.99 per month (or an annual $299.99 deal), and there will be the ability to bundle it with Disney+ and Hulu for five bucks a month more.
That price is locked in for the first 12 months.
Programming wise, subscribers will get all of the sports and other shows available on ESPN with some additions. As per THR:
The company also said that Rich Eisen would return to the company, bringing his Rich Eisen Show to both Disney+ and ESPN. Beyond that, ESPN confirmed that it will include ESPN’s full suite of live sports and studio shows, with the company also set to unveil other partners in the coming months.
Other programing news will likely come ahead of the fall launch, though Pitaro teased a few other priorities for the company: A desire to cut deals with leagues for regional sports networks, which the company could offer as an upsell, and finding ways to utilize AI in the tech stack.
The pre-existing ESPN+ will rebrand to ESPN Select and continue to be offered as a seperate product.
That’s all fine and is mostly what folks expected from the service. But, I have a question: Will the ESPN app stay US-only, or will there be efforts to take it international? I suspect the answer to that is currently being decided in Australia.
In Australia, Disney+ recently got an “upgrade” to include ESPN sports. It’s the only territory in the world to have it. At least so far. It seems like a trial service, but what engagement it is trying to measure remains a mystery.
My assumption is that Disney are using the Australian market as a trial balloon for the NFL as it considers whether it should chase a future with Netflix or stick with Disney going forward. After all, it is clear that the NFL have international expansion plans and the only way they get there is with global access to their games on a leading platform. Can Disney offer the same scale Netflix has?
All eyes are now on CNN to see exactly what it announces tomorrow.
News Desk
With the full trailer for the Superman film released on Wednesday in the US (Thursday here in Australia…), I’m not sure it is all that wise in this attention economy for Marvel to be releasing the trailer for upcoming TV show Ironheart on the same day.
The Legally Blonde prequel series Elle will debut on Prime Video in the US Summer, which is far sooner than I expected. Read: Deadline
Netflix enabled programmatic guaranteed buying capabilities for Australian media buyers this week. Story by way of me at Mumbrella.
96 year-old Bruce Gordon has increased his voting stake in Nine Entertainment Co to 19.98%, which has him just under the 20% needed to trigger a takeover. Read: Mumbrella
Krysten Ritter will return as Jessica Jones in Daredevil: Born Again for season 2. Read: Deadline
Homestead: The Series has been renewed for a second season by Angel Studios. Read: THR
It isn’t clear whether Doctor Odyssey is returning for a second season. Read: The AV Club
The Glen Powell show Chad Powers will debut on Hulu Sept 30. Read: Deadline
Letterboxd is launching a curated online movie rental store. Read: The Verge
A Cocomelon movie will debut in cinemas in 2027. Read: The Verge
Sean Penn has come out in defence of Woody Allen, saying that he would happily work with him again. Allen is best remembered for writing and directing Prime Video series Crisis in Six Scenes. Read: Variety
I’m not a big fan generally of posting promotional photos of upcoming TV shows (TV is a video medium… give me promotional video). But, I am curious about the look and feel of the upcoming Alien: Earth TV show. See the photos: Deadline
Speaking of Alien: Earth, it will debut on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally on August 12. Also, The Bear returns to Hulu for season 4 with ten episodes on June 25. And the new Sterlin Harjo show The Lowdown starring Ethan Hawke debuts on Hulu September 23 with an international Disney+ release date still TBA. Read: thefutoncritic
A live Andor Q&A with Diego Luna and Tony Gilroy was staged on YouTube about a few hours ago to promote the season finale streaming later today. It included drop-in appearances by Andor cast members.
The CW network has acquired the U.S. broadcast rights to the first two seasons of Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent. Read: Variety
In the bid for an Emmy, here’s a feature story on the challenges of editing Etoille across two countries and languages. Read: Deadline
Emmy award-winning sitcom writer Steve Pepoon (ALF, The Simpsons, It’s Garry Shandlings Show) has died aged 68. Read: THR
Prime Video has ordered a spin-off TV series from the Creed film franchise, Delphi. Read: THR
Jude Law & Andrew Garfield will star in Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy (presumably as the titular characters and neither as one of the tigers) for Apple TV+. Read: Variety
Prime Video has announced a third season of Fallout ahead of the season two launch, which has been brought forward to December. Read: Dark Horizons
Two more seasons of Beast Games have been given the greenlight at Prime Video. Read: thefutoncritic
Prime Video has announced a Barbershop TV show, starring Jermaine Fowler. Read: thefutoncritic
Nearly a quarter of top execs in the UK TV industry went to private schools. I would assume the numbers are greater here in Australia, but it would be interesting to see some research there. Read: Deadline
Trailer Park
9-1-1 Nashville debuts on the US ABC in the US fall.
Kim Kardashian debuts in Hulu series All’s Fair in the US fall.
A team of female divorce attorneys leave a male-dominated firm to open their own powerhouse practice. Fierce, brilliant, and emotionally complicated, they navigate high-stakes breakups, scandalous secrets, and shifting allegiances - both in the courtroom and within their own ranks. In a world where money talks and love is a battleground, these women don't just play the game - they change it.
The series stars Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka with Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close.
Oh What Fun debuts Dec 3 on Prime Video. The Michael Showalter Christmas film stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloë Grace Moretz, Dominic Sessa, Felicity Jones, Denis Leary, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria, Joan Chen, and more.
Oh. What. Fun. centers on Claire Clauster (Pfeiffer), who is known for her over-the-top efforts in putting together her family’s perfect holiday celebration. But this year promises to be different when she goes missing and decides to have her own adventure that doesn’t involve coordinating the chaotic festivities.
Kings of Jo’Burg returns for season 3 on Netflix June 13.
K.O. debuts on Netflix June 6.
A former fighter must find the missing son of an opponent he accidentally killed years ago, taking on a brutally violent crime gang in Marseille.
Nicholas Cage stars in Spider-Noir, coming to Prime Video next year.
That’s the newsletter for today.
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