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Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

(about.netflix.com)
1741 points meetpateltech | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.204s | source
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jmkd ◴[] No.46160693[source]
This deal is an indicator of huge changes in global film & TV production.

Hollywood's struggles amplified after the writer's strike with a perfect storm of issues around unionisation, technology, fragmenting audiences, new formats, asset liabilities and enormous competition to the east.

Now LA soundstages are empty while production centres in Europe, UK, India, China, Nigeria are booming and vast new studios cropping up in the Middle East.

Proposed tariffs will do little to stem this tide as the money has moved on already.

In addition, traditional production methods are unsustainable and decision-making is opaque in an era where sustainability, transparency and democratisation are taking over.

The main benefit to Netflix is of course the IP, but the traditional studio assets of WB have their days numbered.

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1. havblue ◴[] No.46173727[source]
If we start with admitting some level of consolidation is inevitable, I don't see much of an alternative to what is happening. I would think a merger with another similar studio could be similar to KMart merging with Sears, two companies with the same downsides. While Netflix will be the biggest game in town for streaming, that landscape will still have plenty of competition if you compare it to say, telecom providers or ISPs.