Paramount Global is often characterized as late to the party and at best an underdog.
It’s helpful perspective to compare then to how mammoth Disney is managing through its transitions.
By all accounts it’s continuing to flail, and Bob Iger’s tone-deaf mid-July public statements seem to be pouring accelerant on a reported dumpster fire of internal morale.
The adage regarding bad strategy executed by “generals fighting the last war” comes to mind. Bob Iger’s attempt to turnaround Disney is seeming a lot like Wellington’s infamous disasterous Crimean War strategy in the mid 19th century.
Many of Disney’s problems come with the territory of running a sprawling media conglomerate in 2023: The once-lucrative tent pole of linear TV is rapidly crumbling, while its theoretical replacement, streaming, is burning through cash. Interest rates are taking their toll. Audiences are growing bored with the seemingly unending number of superheroes, spinoffs and sequels from the vaunted studio…
Iger was already getting called out for attending the Sun Valley conference, a confab known as the “summer camp for billionaires,” after laying off some 7,000 people across the company to save money. But instead of laying low, Iger went on TV and, against the backdrop of idyllic Idaho mountains under a pink sky, absolutely wrecked his comms team’s week.
In the interview, Iger told journalist David Faber that Disney’s non-ESPN linear assets, which include ABC, the Disney Channel, FX and National Geographic, “may not be core,” and that the traditional TV business model was “broken.”
" ... and that the traditional TV business model was “broken.”
Disney populates the ABC broadcast station's prime time programming with "reality" and game shows. I'm guessing that I'm not alone in not being interested in watching such a lineup. Yet, Mr. Iger then, unironically, says the above. As though Disney gave it their all, and ABC having a lower viewership than CBS, NBC, and FOX was beyond Disney/ABC's control.
I get the impression that the various studios decided to have their own streaming platforms using an, "if we build it, they will come ... and give us lots of money," business plan, with no further thought given than that. I think that streaming is a boon, and a great option. I don't think everyone uses streaming as their primary viewing source, despite statements to that effect.
Disney is following Netflix' path in planning to crack down on password sharing. Disney is also raising the cost of no ads subscription, while leaving ad supported sub cost alone. For now. I don't get the impression that streaming platforms know how far they can go, price increase wise, before too many people decide the cost isn't worth it. So much of it seems like they're just winging it.
Associated Press,
"Disney to boost prices for ad-free Disney+ and Hulu services and vows crackdown on password sharing"
ScreenRant,
"Disney Plus & Hulu Next Streamers To Crack Down On Password Sharing"
The Hollywood Reporter, posted May 25, 2023 2022 - 23 TV Season Ratings
"CBS finished the September-to-May season, which officially wrapped Wednesday night, with a primetime average of 5.96 million viewers. NBC finished second, about 700,000 viewers off the lead, with 5.27 million, followed by Fox (4.45 million) and ABC (4.14 million). Univision came in at 1.28 million viewers, Telemundo at 937,000, and The CW at 548,000."