Max (formerly HBO Max)

Television Streaming
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Please no!

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“Gibbons added that WBD has adopted a “flexible and diverse” strategy with its launch plans for Max. “Our goal is to reach the fan base and find a route to market for the fan base,” Gibbons said, saying where it makes sense to work with a local partner, as is the case with Japan, the company will continue to do so”

Do we have confirmation that a local partnership won’t happen? Maybe not with Foxtel, but another local media company?

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We don’t. I think a partnership with someone is still possible

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Good news, I am not in the running for the CEO of nine.

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I’d imagine the most likely outcome is that Max will be available in two ways: as a stand alone product like Stan or Prime, or through Foxtel for those who have it - a bit like the arrangements Netflix and Paramount+ have with Sky in the UK.

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I wouldn’t be surprised if the partnership did happen but personally, I doubt we will see Max on Foxtel boxes at the launch date. If it does happen it will be the end of the year.

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Does Max partner with Apple or Prime in other markets the way that Paramount or AMC+ do, or is it chiefly more of a standalone streamer?

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In the US they seem to partner with anyone who’s willing to pay. Probably a legacy of AT&Ts business plan and HBO Go/Now being included in any cable package with HBO.

Would’ve thought both sides would want to get it on the Foxtel boxes as soon as possible. For Foxtel to keep people attached to the box, so they don’t cancel (“All in one place” and all that) and on the WBD side so that the Foxtel customers most accustomed to their content, don’t decide it’s too hard and learn to live without it.

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They probably want that but everything takes time. Also, Foxtel may still have HBO next year anyway, but I could be wrong? Even if they do that’s no guarantee there going to get the app as soon as the launch date happens

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Nothing rules out WBD buying Foxtel, hurrying up the death of satellite and switching Fox Sports to TNT Sports.

Lots and lots of things are in play right now.

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Yes, That could also happen but I don’t think it will happen in the next few months.

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Gibbons made the comments at the APOS conference in Bali yesterday. Also attending APOS this year is Foxtel Group chief executive Patrick Delany.

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“If Max launches here, we will also be [making] a lot of content for Max. But we won’t be the only local production company making content for Max. It will be able to access the best of the best content available. For the service to work, it has to have access to the best content.”

Brooks also commented on how keen WBD would be to support a local content quota system.

“If we launch Max we will be connected to a large streaming service and we will look at that and how we can support local production. There needs to be some sort of system in place that is not too onerous.”

Would WBD JV with a local partner for Max?

While Gibbons has asserted it’s all systems go for a Max launch with the next nine months, there is plenty of detail yet to be resolved.

His comments suggested today the business might consider a partnership here.

Gibbons did single out Foxtel for being a great partner. Could WBD and Foxtel both take a stake in Max, or maybe WBD might engage Foxtel to manage the venture, without giving up equity?

Any JV could be complicated by the fact that Foxtel is currently looking for an offer to sell the TV business. Or perhaps that might help a partnership proposal.

One model that might work here is what happened with Max in Japan. The brand actually launched in Japan today, labelled as Max on U-Next. It is available as a branded environment, with its own user interface, within the Japanese streaming platform U-Next. Could something work like that with Foxtel?

In Japan, Max on U-Next offers over 16,000 episodes of over 2,500 titles from WBD’s entertainment brands, including HBO, Harry Potter, the DC universe, Warner Bros, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.

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It’s possible WBD could be con Foxtel and the Fox brand disappears completely

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So, if some deal did happen where WBD came in and buys Foxtel where does this leave the Foxtel streaming platforms?

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It wouldn’t really change anything since any potential deal would already include the streaming assets, given they are part of the larger group.

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I think it’s the most likely scenario, however it would be a shame to ditch the established Binge brand. Foxtel as a brand has been way too disjointed and has had too many failed ventures and rebrands to be a stable and sustainable brand now. It’s too fragmented.

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No. HBO/HBO Max did, but it was discontinued a few years ago before becoming just Max. Shame, as even though it costs a bit more I use some of the Apple channels because it’s easier with family sharing.

For bundling though, not the ‘channels’ that Apple and Amazon do

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