Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the entertainment world. Check out the latest insight from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage areas - music, entertainment and fandom, creator economy and social.

Differentiating Full-Stack Media and Tech Ecosystems

Zach Fuller
Alibaba
Amazon
full stack media
Two key developments in digital media that MIDiA Research has addressed over the past year are the emergence of both full-stack media and the tech ecosystem. These shifts in the digital life have recently emerged to define many people’s purchasing and social lives online, and whilst they share similarities, it is important from a strategic perspective for those operating in the space to recognise the distinctions between the two: Tech Ecosystems Technology ecosystems are product platforms defined by the core components built into the platform by theirowners.
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Four Companies That Could Buy Spotify

Mark Mulligan
21st Century Fox
Alibaba
amc theatres
For much of 2016 it looked nailed on that Spotify would IPO in 2017 and that the recorded music industry would move onto its next chapter, for better or for worse. The terms of Spotify’s $1 billion debt raise (which mean that Spotify pays an extra 1% on its 5% annual interest payments every six months beyond its previously agreed IPO date) suggest that Spotify was thinking the same way too.
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YouTube Unleashes The Power Of Live Streaming

Tim Mulligan
Facebook
live video
superchat
Yesterday YouTube announced that it was opening up live streaming to its creator community who have a following of 1,000 or more on the YouTube platform. The new service called “Super Chat” allows users of the service to “get a creator’s attention” by buying a variety of emoji and chat messages which are then pinned to the top of the chat window for up to five hours.
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The BBC’s Planet Earth II, Snapchat And The Premium Content Play

Tim Mulligan
BBC
BBC Worldwide
IPO
Hot on the heels of last week’s S-1 Initial Public Offering prospectus release by Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, was this morning’s announcement that the US messaging service is partnering with BBC Worldwide, the international commercial arm of the BBC, to launch an exclusive series of Planet Earth II shows on Snapchat’s Discover platform in the US and Canada.
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Social Commerce: Facebook’s Next Act?

Zach Fuller
advertising
Amazon
banking
Discussions abound in tech circles over where Facebook will go next. Much in the same way as Apple’s definitive strategy in the past two decades can be interpreted through their services embellishing the company’s hardware products, (though a slowdown in iPhone sales could potentially alter this approach) Facebook’s next chapter should be seen through the lens of ‘diversify fast’.
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Why Netflix Can Turn A Profit But Spotify Cannot (Yet)

Cover image for Why Netflix Can Turn A Profit But Spotify Cannot (Yet)
Mark Mulligan
Content strategy
Netflix
Netflix originals
Having just celebrated its 10 th (streaming) birthday, Netflix followed up with a strong earnings release, announcing 5.8 million net new paid subscribers in Q4 , sending its share price up by 9%. This wraps up a stellar year for Netflix, one in which it doubled down on original programming and delivered acclaimed hits such as Stranger Things and The OA, shows that don’t fit the traditional TV mould.
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