Quote:
Originally Posted by Quoth
I apologise for misrepresenting Netflix. I guess I'm way behind the times.
However my main point is that Viacom-CBS is flogging off something with a long term future for a gamble in a very competitive market that needs very very deep pockets.
I hope someone "sensible" buys S&S and there is still a Big 5 and not 4.
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No apologies needed.
It's a very fluid business.
Think ebooks circa 2009-2010, when tradpubs realized there was big mobey in ebooks.
And then discovered ebooks threatened the economics of print.
Substitute ebooks for streaming and print for cable.
Cable is losing customers by the million and looking to make up the lost revenue from internet service. Just as 5G wireless and low latency satellite is starting to come online.
Smaller cable companies are alrrady getting out of live TV.
Bigger changes to come.
As for the S&S sale the main issue is price.
ViacomCBS may be overvaluing S&S if they expect to get $1.5B.
(Recent reports say they tried to sell STAR TREK but the ask was way out of line with its current degraded value.)
Somebody will eventually buy S&S. Lagardere most likely. News corp another suspect. Maybe a smaller international publisher from China or India.
Or maybe nobody.
They're just "exploring" after all.