"It will instead continue offering the latter as a stand-alone product as it moves forward with the springtime launch of a comprehensive service featuring programming from HBO Max and Discovery+."
Read: It's still going to bring Discovery+ programming over to (HBO)Max, but Disco+ will remain as a cheaper stand-alone option for people who want 90 Day Fiancé and House Hunters but don't want John Oliver & Game of Thrones. On Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 10:25:02 AM UTC-5 Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: > Our house probably watches Discovery more than HBO. My wife likes anything > “true crime” no matter how poorly produced (and most are poorly produced), > and we both like animal focused documentaries. This week we’ve been > watching “The Zoo” about the behind the scenes world of the San Diego Zoo > and Safari Park. > > On Wed, Feb 8, 2023 at 7:18 AM Adam Bowie <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Reports now suggest that Warner Bros. Discovery is going to keep what is >> now called HBO Max and Discovery+ separate. >> >> >> https://deadline.com/2023/02/warner-bros-discovery-abandons-plan-to-merge-hbo-max-discovery-plus-streaming-1235253134/ >> >> Basically it seems that current Discovery+ subscribers are unlikely to >> pay the much higher prices that the combined app might charge. Considering >> that's now $16, that's quite a jump from $7 for the current ad-free version >> of Discovery+. >> >> That doesn't seem to have changed plans to rebrand the service to >> something like "Max" (branding experts really are good aren't they? Case in >> point "Paramount+ with Showtime"), but I guess the higher priced tier could >> still include Discovery+ programming in it as well. >> >> Over here in the UK, Discovery+ has been going around doing deals to >> bundle themselves with other platforms. In the last few weeks I've gained >> two different ways to get the app free. My TV comes via a Sky dish (these >> days owned by Comcast), and because I get the Entertainment package it's >> included there. I also subscribe to BT Sport and they recently got into bed >> with Discovery, so they too have offered it to me free. I duly created an >> account and aside from cycling, which I already had access to two other >> subscriptions, there really is nothing of interest on the platform. >> >> >> Adam >> >> On Wed, Dec 21, 2022 at 5:21 AM Stan S <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> Meanwhile, HBO still has Cinemax. It confused me that HBO Max didn’t >>> really roll in the Cinemax brand. After all, their streaming used to be >>> called “Max Go”. Besides the valuable channel space I wonder why the linear >>> Cinemax channels still exist. >>> >>> So after all that money that they spend, WBD will release a “Max” app >>> and people will wonder why they suddenly need Cinemax. >>> >>> -Stan >>> On Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 12:58:35 PM UTC-5 [email protected] >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I never understood why the WB leaned on Michigan J. Frog and not, say, >>>> Bugs or Daffy. Unless the studio told them certain characters were >>>> off-limits... >>>> >>>> On Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 1:04:10 PM UTC-5 Kevin M. (RPCV) >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Frogsploitation. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, Dec 7, 2022 at 9:10 AM M-D November <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Maybe it's time to bring Michigan J. Frog out of retirement and use >>>>>> him as a brand ambassador? (Although maybe make him a little less of a >>>>>> stereotype than the WB did back in the day...) >>>>>> On Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 12:00:29 PM UTC-5 Adam Bowie wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I was convinced they'd just go with "HBO Discovery" or "Discovery >>>>>>> HBO" - simply on the basis of brand recognition alone. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> While I'm sure someone somewhere has done some research that says >>>>>>> that HBO is considered too premium/male/old-skewing for some consumers, >>>>>>> I'm >>>>>>> not sure I'd buy that. It just takes one hit show to wipe away those >>>>>>> perceptions. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Surely you just go with the brand that has the biggest impact. "HBO" >>>>>>> means good TV. "Discovery" means... well we sort of understand what it >>>>>>> means. "Max" means nothing to anyone. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Every other streaming brand has taken its strongest individual brand >>>>>>> and built off that. CBS All Access becomes Paramount+ because more >>>>>>> people >>>>>>> know Paramount than CBS - particularly if you have global aspirations >>>>>>> (there not being a bunch of CBS channels out there in the wild). >>>>>>> Disney+ >>>>>>> wisely trades on their most valuable asset - their near century-old >>>>>>> brand >>>>>>> (I'm also firmly of the belief that ABC, FX and Hulu shows can all be >>>>>>> wrapped into a single app, just becoming tiled sub-brands within it, >>>>>>> exactly as they're doing in the ROW). Peacock is a meaningless brand >>>>>>> outside the US. Nobody has a clue who they are, or why it's named after >>>>>>> a >>>>>>> bird that was kept by wealthy aristocrats. But then NBC's global >>>>>>> presence >>>>>>> is largely limited to a financial business channel, because even though >>>>>>> viewers throughout the world know NBC shows, they're not branded as >>>>>>> such >>>>>>> (Friends is Warners etc). >>>>>>> >>>>>>> WBD is going to have to spend sooooo much money explaining who they >>>>>>> are to consumers when they already had two perfectly good brands that >>>>>>> already explained that. Their rivals will be scratching their heads >>>>>>> wondering at the madness of it all. "HBO" already has lots of value >>>>>>> globally. Game of Thrones on its own is enough to say "We make TV you >>>>>>> want >>>>>>> to watch" globally - no more, no less. Throw in something like >>>>>>> "Euphoria" >>>>>>> and I think you're done. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Similarly, "Discovery" is another decades old brand which instantly >>>>>>> tells you what you need to know about its programming. Why any >>>>>>> marketing >>>>>>> person would want to ditch those powerful brands is beyond me. All >>>>>>> their >>>>>>> marketing is going to have to have to explain it all over again to >>>>>>> consumers. I mean unless they're going to pivot entirely on what they >>>>>>> make, >>>>>>> and for all the cuts that WBD is making, I don't think Zaslov actually >>>>>>> wants to do that. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Also, I'd be amazed if they don't run into IP issues with the name >>>>>>> "Max" all over the world because it's such a simple name, and there >>>>>>> will be >>>>>>> dozens of businesses in overlapping areas. There definitely *will* be >>>>>>> territories where they simply can't use it - at least unless they start >>>>>>> writing massive cheques. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Adam >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Dec 7, 2022 at 3:17 PM PGage <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> So I have heard different takes on this; those who are saying Zas >>>>>>>> is getting rid of HBO are, I think, clearly wrong. HBO will still >>>>>>>> exist as >>>>>>>> a premium cable channel that can also be streamed, but the name HBO >>>>>>>> will no >>>>>>>> longer be included in Warner Brothers Discovery Streaming Hub site, >>>>>>>> which >>>>>>>> is on track to being called simply “Max.” That is the sacrifice of >>>>>>>> significant brand awareness. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The fact that Discovery doesn’t want the HBO brand on its signature >>>>>>>> mothership tells us everything we need to know about WBD. Whether >>>>>>>> still >>>>>>>> deserved or not the HBO brand signifies quality programming; but WBD’s >>>>>>>> brand is cheap, mass appeal, not elite quality. They are McDonald’s, >>>>>>>> not >>>>>>>> French Laundry. And, of course, as much money as Thomas Keller makes, >>>>>>>> I’m >>>>>>>> sure it’s not a major fraction of what McDonald’s clears every year. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Still, if the French Laundry was purchased by Macdonald’s, and they >>>>>>>> forced customers to walk into a local McDonald’s to make reservations >>>>>>>> at >>>>>>>> the French Laundry, a lot of folks would be irritated. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> ======= >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> “The merged platform’s expected name, “Max,” is being vetted by the >>>>>>>> company’s lawyers, according to people familiar with the matter… >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The app itself will share similarities with Disney+’s platform, >>>>>>>> with Warner Bros. Discovery’s brands as individual tiles, the people >>>>>>>> said. >>>>>>>> HBO, Discovery, DC Comics and Warner Bros. will be among the landing >>>>>>>> hubs >>>>>>>> on the platform, the people added.” >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/05/warner-bros-discovery-max-streaming-service-name.html >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> Sent from Gmail Mobile >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAKGtkYL98tsT_-tPi%3Du%3DkTS_WPWw-gDWPdm8nHQ%3Db3kCnojkyg%40mail.gmail.com >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAKGtkYL98tsT_-tPi%3Du%3DkTS_WPWw-gDWPdm8nHQ%3Db3kCnojkyg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>>>> . >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>> >>>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/7da27144-92b9-471e-a6ac-19296acf7e6an%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/7da27144-92b9-471e-a6ac-19296acf7e6an%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Kevin M. (RPCV) >>>>> >>>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/006449cd-0e38-43d6-8bf0-7821e850ccben%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/006449cd-0e38-43d6-8bf0-7821e850ccben%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "TVorNotTV" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAD_sJGCt23LAAf-_PSw7AZxZkCyWc1YRwE%2Bjb7%2B3G%3DtnNnxv%3DA%40mail.gmail.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAD_sJGCt23LAAf-_PSw7AZxZkCyWc1YRwE%2Bjb7%2B3G%3DtnNnxv%3DA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > Kevin M. (RPCV) > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/66ffb8a6-0a17-49a6-ae79-3e8f33b26548n%40googlegroups.com.
