Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Thursday, March 30th, 2023
Should most streaming original films receive a theatrical release?
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, March 30th, 2023.
SHOULD MOST STREAMING MOVIES RECEIVE A THEATRICAL RELEASE?
This is the first of a series of pieces I am writing about the tricky subject of valuating original content on streaming platforms and how that issue can impact strategic decisions in all sorts of ways. Here is a brief excerpt:
* Subscriber Growth
This is a great deal more complex a valuation than just "how many people subscribed to see this film?" For instance, there is the question of the type of current subscribers that watch the film versus those that don't. Subscriber retention is an overriding metric, especially for Netflix, and while crunching data can't attribute actions from a specific subscriber to any content addition, it is possible to create subscriber groups whose behavior can be roughly predictive. One example I was given at Netflix was from an unspecified big-budget 2022 Netflix original film. Subscribers who watched the film in the first 48 hours in the U.S. were about 7 percent more likely to be a Netflix subscriber 12 months later compared to subscribers who watched the film outside of that 48-hour window or didn't watch it at all.
While that might not sound like a big deal, seven percent in a mature subscriber market has a financial value to Netflix. The company can crunch data ranging from subscriber numbers, churn rates, subscriber acquisition cost, and average revenue per user (ARPU) along with many as a dozen other data points and by using historical data can come up with a number that by every account I've heard is reasonably accurate to real-world behavior. Not infallible,
not extremely precise. And the data isn't especially helpful in determining how many people will watch a specific original title. But it is possible to assemble an estimation of the valuation of a title to the company if it delivers a specific benchmark of subscriber engagement. In other words, "original movies similar to this have delivered X number of viewers on average and they have exhibited this behavior in the short and mid-term. So based on that estimate, this would be the range of internal value that is brought by the original film."
Obviously, that value can change substantially if the film over or underperforms the content category mean. But those changes are also factored into future valuations and in theory, that makes the internal content valuation more reliable moving forward. It's also other noting that while there is a lot of data available to crunch, it ultimately requires human hands to make sense of it all. The role of data analysts at places such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video is very much under-appreciated inside the entertainment industry.
Click here to read the entire thing and I would appreciate any feedback you have either on or off the record. You can reply directly to this newsletter, email me at rick@allyourscreens.com or contact me via Signal at 612-207-2108.
WHIP MEDIA QUARTERLY STREAMING REPORT
'THE BACHELOR' CREATOR MIKE FLEISS DEPARTED FRANCHISE AFTER INVESTIGATION INTO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Variety's Elizabeth Wagmeister is reporting that when long-time Bachelor producer Mike Fleiss resigned his post earlier this week, he did so following an investigation by Warner Brothers TV into allegations of racial discrimination:
During the investigation, sources say, producers complained about Fleiss’ “bullying” behavior, as well as his resistance to increasing diversity on the show over two decades. Individuals who spoke during the investigation expressed that when production staffers suggested casting more diverse reality stars, Fleiss would not take their suggestions and would “lash out” against them. The individuals, who spoke anonymously with Variety, said that throughout the investigation, a common theme that repeatedly came up was that the fight for change was a source of frustration for many staff members.
“People said he would retaliate against people for having minorities and Black people on the show. He favored certain people over other people,” says an individual familiar with the investigation. “He would say, ‘Minorities don’t get ratings.’”
The story quotes a number of negative stories about Fleiss, along with some more positive stories, including the every popular "he's just passionate about his work" explanation:
“Mike does get heated in creative discussions,” the producer continues. “But it’s because he’s passionate about the show and constantly wanting what’s best for our audience. I’ve been with him for 22 years. If anyone is saying he’s a bully, it’s just because he’s passionate about the show. I’ve never witnessed him bully another person.”
But as the piece notes, Fleiss's behavior has long been an issue for ABC:
Fleiss is known to Bachelor Nation for frequently teasing surprise announcements on Twitter that rarely ever come to fruition. He has gotten into Twitter spats with celebrities such as Khloé Kardashian, who threatened legal action against him for suggesting she would be cast as the next “Bachelorette.” He also had a Twitter fight with his own network’s stars, Kelly Ripa and Ellen Pompeo, creating a nightmare under ABC’s roof a few years ago. And he is believed to have inspired the brash, volatile Chet, on Lifetime’s four-season-long scripted series “UnReal,” which starred Constance Zimmer and Shiri Appleby, about a fictional reality dating show, created by a former “Bachelor” producer who’d worked under Fleiss.
TELEVISION IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC DISCOVERY THAN TIK TOK
This is an interesting piece from business consulting firm Midia, which reminds readers that despite the rise in importance of platforms such as Tik Tok, television remains the most important place for people to discover music in the UK:
If TV sync can have such an impact on music discovery, think about the impact of TV showcases. There is power in seeing artists perform their songs while conveying their musical skills, talent as performers, and having their personality and passion shown on their sleeve. With showcases becoming fewer and further between, audiences are craving what they have been missing. It is no coincidence that Eurovision is enjoying a renaissance. Consider the 2021 winners Maneskin. The rock bands’ success follows a long list of TV showcases and award shows supercharging artist careers, from The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, through Adele at the 2015 Brits, to X Factor launching the career of One Direction (without whom of course we would not have Grammy award winning Harry Styles).
ODDS AND SODS
* The new 10-part documentary series Big Beasts, narrated by Emmy Award nominee Tom Hiddleston, set to premiere globally on Friday, April 21st on Apple TV+.
* The competitive cooking series Fast Foodies, which originally aired last year on TruTV, will now reair on the Food Network beginning on Thursday, April 13th. The show features chefs and hosts Kristen Kish, Jeremy Ford and Justin Sutherland.
* Paramount+ has ordered a Starfleet Academy TV series after more than a year in development. According to the streamer, the series "will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself."
* Season fifteen of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta premieres on Sunday, May 7th. That debut will be immediately followed by the series premiere of Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard.
TWEET OF THE DAY
WHAT'S NEW FOR THURSDAY:
Big Mäck: Gangsters And Gold (Netflix)
CMT Defining: Carly Pearce (CMT)
From Me To You: Kimi ni Todoke (Netflix)
Prom Pact (Disney+)
RapCaviar Presents Series Premiere (Hulu)
Silent Road Series Premiere (Topic)
The Croods: Family Tree (Peacock)
The Dreamer: Becoming Karen Blixen (Viaplay)
Unstable Series Premiere (Netflix)
Click Here to see the list of all of the upcoming premiere dates for the next few months.
SEE YOU FRIDAY!
If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.