13 votes

Disney Outlines Streaming Service, Will Launch in Late 2019

15 comments

  1. [12]
    EscReality
    Link
    Assuming the price and UI isn't awful, it actually sounds like they might be a contender.

    ...Disney CEO Bob Iger said he expects the service will be available at the end of 2019.
    When it hits the market, the service will include upcoming theatrical releases such as a live-action remake of “Dumbo,” “Captain Marvel,” and the next Avengers sequel. There will also be several films that are made directly for the streaming service, such as a remake of “Lady and the Tramp” and the Anna Kendrick comedy “Noelle.” Original television series will draw on pre-existing Disney properties such as “Monsters Inc.” and “High School Musical.” The hope is that major Disney brands such as Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, as well as NatGeo, which the company is buying from Fox, will all contribute content to the service.+

    Assuming the price and UI isn't awful, it actually sounds like they might be a contender.

    5 votes
    1. [10]
      Lazarus
      Link Parent
      I refuse to sign up for another streaming service. These guys want to turn all video media into a pay-per-channel and eventually pay-per-watch scheme. We did that with TV. It fucking sucked. Still...

      I refuse to sign up for another streaming service.

      These guys want to turn all video media into a pay-per-channel and eventually pay-per-watch scheme. We did that with TV. It fucking sucked. Still does- I know way too many people who pay outrageous amounts for cable TV service. Broadcast television is 33% advertisements and garbage.

      I want ONE service that streams anything and everything I want no matter where or when I am located in the 4 dimensions without limit.

      9 votes
      1. [4]
        Rocket_Man
        Link Parent
        I felt the same as you originally, although why would we want a monopoly on streaming services? Netflix is nice right now but there's no guarantee they wont end up gouging you just as hard a cable...

        I felt the same as you originally, although why would we want a monopoly on streaming services? Netflix is nice right now but there's no guarantee they wont end up gouging you just as hard a cable does. We want to have a lot of competing streaming services. that don't have too much exclusive content. But we also need an easier way to watch exclusive content. I would love to watch season 1 of westworld. But for me to do that without HBO is by buying for $40. Which is somewhat fair to own, but what if I just want to watch it once?

        5 votes
        1. [2]
          Lazarus
          Link Parent
          Totally agree- no monopoly: I think the platforms should have to compete on exactly that- the platform. The content should be universally accessible. I should be able to pick ONE of them that fits...

          Totally agree- no monopoly: I think the platforms should have to compete on exactly that- the platform. The content should be universally accessible. I should be able to pick ONE of them that fits my watching style and content discovery needs (and innovation requirements) and I can get anything I want thru it.

          7 votes
          1. EscReality
            Link Parent
            That would be ideal, but it would require a complete redesign of usage rights and is not likely to happen.

            That would be ideal, but it would require a complete redesign of usage rights and is not likely to happen.

            4 votes
        2. Bear
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          You do realize that Netflix as a company has been around since ~1997 and has been doing online streaming since ~2007? Right now? WTF? How long does it take for them to prove themselves? Also, a...

          Netflix is nice right now but there's no guarantee they wont end up gouging you just as hard a cable does.

          You do realize that Netflix as a company has been around since ~1997 and has been doing online streaming since ~2007?

          Right now? WTF?

          How long does it take for them to prove themselves?

          Also, a short Netflix streaming price history:

          2007: Included in DVD rental plan, not unlimited
          2011: Unlimited, $7.99.
          2014: 4k streams added, $9.99.
          2017: $10.99.

          I'd call those prices extremely reasonable for what they deliver.

          Also, the fact that they are ad-free is often overlooked. Traditional media dedicates about 33% of airtime to ads. Netflix does not. Imagine the deals they've been offered to cave.

          2 votes
      2. [3]
        EscReality
        Link Parent
        I think that is too much to ask for and honestly not realistic. Ideally we would end up with a handful of streaming services all competing against each other. Paying for 3-5 streaming services a...

        I want ONE service that streams anything and everything I want no matter where or when I am located in the 4 dimensions without limit.

        I think that is too much to ask for and honestly not realistic.

        Ideally we would end up with a handful of streaming services all competing against each other. Paying for 3-5 streaming services a month is still way cheaper than paying for cable. There is no world where a monopoly is good for the consumer.

        Personally, I would like to see Disney do well, but only if they follow the same format that Netflix has put forward. They have to understand they are coming into a new industry and they need to be adapting to said industry instead of trying to corrupt it. l currently have a four year old, not to mention I am a star wars fan so being able to stream the bulk of Disney's library would be beneficial to our household.

        As long as they follow the same format that Netflix (and Amazon) are using, we will be fine.

        3 votes
        1. Lazarus
          Link Parent
          Uh...yeahhhh Disney is pretty darn good at the latter. You can almost bet this move is not altruistic or competitive in a way that benefits you, the consumer with a young child, in any way. I’m...

          They have to understand they are coming into a new industry and they need to be adapting to said industry instead of trying to corrupt it

          Uh...yeahhhh Disney is pretty darn good at the latter. You can almost bet this move is not altruistic or competitive in a way that benefits you, the consumer with a young child, in any way.

          I’m very much looking forward to be proven wrong, but as this is Disney we’re talking about, I setting my expectations center-of-the-earth low

          4 votes
        2. Tenar
          Link Parent
          Depends on where you are though, and what content you're looking for

          Paying for 3-5 streaming services a month is still way cheaper than paying for cable. There is no world where a monopoly is good for the consumer.

          Depends on where you are though, and what content you're looking for

          2 votes
      3. [2]
        dwightwalters
        Link Parent
        I had a similar response to the common refrain that if we want good journalism we have to pay for it. I do. I subscribe to several newspapers, websites, blogs, and video sources that all add up to...

        I had a similar response to the common refrain that if we want good journalism we have to pay for it. I do. I subscribe to several newspapers, websites, blogs, and video sources that all add up to nearly $100/month. But I don't have subscriptions to the WSJ or WaPo or NYTimes or LATimes and their content is all walled now.

        What, you actually expect average citizens to spend in excess of $200/month to stay informed? And then add several hundred dollars more in entertainment subscriptions like the ones you mention on top of cable and internet fees that are in excess of $100 themselves?

        I suppose it's the knowledge economy we always heard about. But it is too expensive to remain tenable.

        I've been hoping for the ONE service for decades but I'm not sure we're going to get it. The most we might be able to hope for is some clever aggregation of like-minded services. Let's say my budget is $100/month. For that I'd like a package of major news tv and print networks such as NBC/FS1/CSPAN/Local TV/NYTimes/Netflix/ and a broad selection of smaller sites and sources.

        3 votes
        1. EscReality
          Link Parent
          I pay for Spotify Premium ($10), Amazon Prime ($8), Netflix ($10) and of course internet service in my case from CenturyLink ($50). I use NPR and many other mainstream news sources, I pay for none...

          I pay for Spotify Premium ($10), Amazon Prime ($8), Netflix ($10) and of course internet service in my case from CenturyLink ($50). I use NPR and many other mainstream news sources, I pay for none of them and there is no reason to, if they have paywalls they don't deserve the viewership. Assuming the UI isn't garbage and they are ad free like other streaming services I would be willing to add Disney my media line up for an additional $10 a month.

          $88 a month is a perfectly reasonable total amount to pay for media consumption.

          1 vote
  2. [3]
    EightRoundsRapid
    Link
    I have tried Hulu, Netflix, Sky and other subscription services, but none offered me enough to justify continuing the financial commitment. I use two services, both of which have more...

    I have tried Hulu, Netflix, Sky and other subscription services, but none offered me enough to justify continuing the financial commitment. I use two services, both of which have more interesting/quality content than I have time in which to watch it.

    One is free/advertising supported

    https://www.channel4.com/collection/walter-presents

    And one is a paid service, although not in the traditional "subscription" way

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

    I honestly cannot see myself trying out yet another service.

    3 votes
    1. [3]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [2]
        EightRoundsRapid
        Link Parent
        I kind of despise Amazon, after working for them. I do everything I can to avoid giving them any of my money, but unfortunately it's impossible to completely cut them out. My one man boycott will...

        I kind of despise Amazon, after working for them. I do everything I can to avoid giving them any of my money, but unfortunately it's impossible to completely cut them out. My one man boycott will surely bring them to their knees and force them into mending their ways. Any day now.

        And for me, the BBC licence fee is money well spent, considering I have either Radio 3, Radio 4 or 6music on most of the day, and the mountains of quality factual TV programming they produce like Attenborough stuff, other natural history stuff etc.

        3 votes
        1. [2]
          Comment deleted by author
          Link Parent
          1. EightRoundsRapid
            Link Parent
            This was a fun programme on detector vans https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kwf9y It's available on iTunes, audible and probably less "conventional" places to listen to.

            This was a fun programme on detector vans

            https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kwf9y

            It's available on iTunes, audible and probably less "conventional" places to listen to.

            1 vote