Digestible Media Film/TV/Video Tencent is reportedly exploring an acquisition of iQIYI, the Baidu-owned, Nasdaq-listed VOD service that has 119M subscribers (mainly in China). Tencent’s rival Tencent Video service has 112M paying subs. (Read more) Hydrow, the Boston-based startup providing a subscription video service of rowing workout videos alongside a rowing machine (think Peleton for rowing), raised an additional $25M… Continue reading June 16, 2020
Author: Eric Peckham
June 15, 2020
This appeared in today’s newsletter. Subscribe here. Cineworld, the UK-based cinema giant, is backing out of its $1.65B acquisition of Canadian cinema chain Cineplex. (Read more) I wrote in this newsletter two years ago that cinema chains could be the basis for creating an “Amazon Prime of live entertainment”. Seeking a better biz model, cinema chains… Continue reading June 15, 2020
June 10, 2020
Digestible Media Film/TV/Video TV networks and SVOD services in the US are removing content that is seen as glorifying police violence (like COPS) or portraying slavery or racism in a positive like (like Gone With The Wind). Publishing Facebook launched its dedicated news section of the Facebook app, called Facebook News, for all US users today. (Read more) NewsKKR informed… Continue reading June 10, 2020
Moneyball in gaming
I enjoyed this 2017 talk by Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney to public market investors, arguing they look at gaming with the wrong mental models…that causes them to misprice gaming companies and causes gaming stocks to be overly volatile. (Thanks to Luke Constable at Lembas Capital for sharing it.) (FYI – This post first appeared in… Continue reading Moneyball in gaming
Covid-19’s impact on game CAC and LTV
(This was originally published as a section in today’s newsletter. Subscribe here.) Unity Technologies released a report on how Covid-19 lockdown has impacted user acquisition and monetization in the gaming industry. The data comes from games made with Unity or using the Unity Ads network. Overall use 46% DAU increase in HD gaming (i.e. console, PC, VR) and… Continue reading Covid-19’s impact on game CAC and LTV
June 9, 2020
Digestible Media Film/TV/Video Boom.tv — whose live-streaming platform targets small, amateur esports tournament — raised $10M in Series A funding from Bitkraft Esports Ventures, Crest Capital, and Pole To Win. (Read more) Movie theaters in California are set to reopen (at 25% capacity) on June 12. Publishing Digiday reports that US and European publishers are bracing for a second wave of… Continue reading June 9, 2020
June 5, 2020
Hi everyone – a very quiet Friday for media deals today. Take care this weekend! Interesting Deals, Stats, & Product Updates Digestible Media Film/TV/Video Mediaset, the Italian TV giant, is demanding Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 commit to a plan to grow its core TV business at next week’s shareholder meeting. (Read more) ProSieben spent the last several years focused on developing its Nucom… Continue reading June 5, 2020
June 4, 2020
(This was from today’s newsletter. Subscribe here.) Hi everyone – I got a late start today, so pardon the nighttime newsletter. I enjoyed this NYT profile of Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s Global Creative Director. He is one of the best interviewers in all of media, in my opinion. His long-form interviews make you feel like you’re a fly… Continue reading June 4, 2020
June 3, 2020
(This is from today’s newsletter. Subscribe here.) Hi everyone – FYI as a correction from yesterday, Czech console/PC gaming company Bohemia Interactive is disputing a widely cited report by The Information that Tencent is acquiring a majority stake in it. Update on violence against media in the USBellingcat investigative reporter Nick Waters is tracking verified incidents of arrests/assaults on journalists by… Continue reading June 3, 2020
June 2, 2020
(This was today’s Monetizing Media newsletter. Subscribe here.) Hi everyone – just a few quick points today. Lots of companies have delayed planned announcements while protests continue in the US so expect deal news this week to be even quieter than it normally is during your typical global pandemic. The EU launched submission forms to… Continue reading June 2, 2020