USA distribution -CBS All Access discussion

[jefferiestubes8]

CBS needs a better marketing game but if it's not ready, why announce something? The attention span of consumers now is so short that they could announce now, and it's forgotten by next week.
This is what I mean by holding on to their cards.

We only have information that is released to the media and that includes shows that are greenlit for CBSAA. Other shows for CBS and CW though always have the possibility to get put out to pasture on CBSAA instead of the "Friday-night-death-slot" on CBS or CW linear networks.

One new show for CBS in the sci-fi thriller genre coming in Summer 2017

CBS gave a straight-to-series order to a suspense thriller that the network has slotted for broadcast in summer 2017. The project is “Salvation,” about an asteroid on a collision course with planet Earth.

Executive producers are Liz Kruger and Craig Shapiro, who wrote the script based on a story by Matt Wheeler; Alex Kurtzman; Heather Kadin; and Peter Lenkov.

The network ordered 13 one-hour episodes of the project from Alex Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout and CBS Television Studios.

http://www.tvweek.com/tvbizwire/2016/10/cbs-orders-event-series/

So if Salvation does terribly on CBS there is new rating metrics.

In advertising circles, the Live-plus-7-day (L7) [C7] rating period is becoming increasingly irrelevant as viewers watch content on a variety of devices at different times.

the window for regularly reported on-demand and DVR data now will extend to 35 days after the original airdate.

Most media buyers are quick to note that the difference between C3 and C7 ratings are minimal. The notion of a C35 rating, something that likely will be floated in future upfront markets,

"There are many series undervalued by linear ratings that have exceptionally high engagement."

source 1
source 2

So while 2017 is a year of original shows it is possible that in the future CBS will move underperforming shows to CBSAA to make room on their linear channel for new shows. Kind of "filler" between original shows for CBSAA.
Especially when CBS Television Studios is the producer in the first place they already own the show. Also another thought about "filler" is as soon as a show finishes it's first run on CBS linear channel will it end up on CBSAA or not until the DVD product release cycle from CBS Home video. I don't say Blu-ray since so many of their shows are DVD-only since the Blu-ray product didn't sell well. Take CSI for example only season 1 and season 9 got a US market release in Blu-ray. All other seasons were DVD-only. If you want HD you have to goto iTunes, Microsoft TV & Movies, Google Play, or now currently Hulu has CSI streaming.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

For other shows on CBSAA in the future we may see them add 4k UHD and the possibility of TOS in 4k UHD. Here's why:

The [35mm film] boxes are pretty well intact. There is no real chemical [damage] or seepage – we’re not seeing much of that. The [35mm film] cans are a little bit crushed, the boxes are falling apart. We’re doing a level of triage to the elements where we’re restoring the packaging so that future generations – when they have to go back to the film – it’s in a better condition than we received it in.
from the Trekcore article.

Trekcore
Maybe CBS Home Video would wait until higher than 4k resolution but I think CBS is too greedy and will go for a 4k UHD disc physical release of the series and also add it to CBSAA as exclusive streaming in 4k UHD.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

Ralphis posted the WSJ article CBS Goes All In on ‘All Access’ about CBSAA
I find this companion article How CBS Developed Its Digital Chops of-interest

As part of broader conversations to renew TV rights with Warner Bros. for “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS is also seeking to offer All Access streamers the full current season of the show on demand, so viewers can catch up if they missed earlier episodes, a person familiar with the matter said. Today, only a few of the most recent episodes of the sitcom are available to stream on the service.

This shows that CBS is looking to put full current seasons from CBS linear TV on CBSAA in 2017-2018 season...

When some rivals were initially pouring money into Hulu, CBS instead bought CNET Networks Inc. for $1.8 billion in 2008.

Because of the CNET bet, “they have the history of understanding how to monetize digital properties”

 

[Morpheus 02]

I give the chances of CBS winning over consumers in the United States to CBS's way of thinking about as much chance as Trump has in today's election.

Umm..you might want to revise that statement

Living outside the Unites States and being familiar with Netflix, you should already have informed yourself that CBS All Access exclusive access to Star Trek Discovery is limited only to the United States, and that the show is already paid for by worldwide distribution commitments. Thus, it is not dependent upon the success of CBS All Access. If CBS's myopic experiment with their wishful thinking about consumers and the All Access business model fails (yeah, no stilted language there, eh?), they'll adjust to the enlightenment. Eventually.

.

Yeah,if it's just in the US...it's a weird and not well thought out plan.... Would it be possible to have Netflix charge an extra dollar a month for access to Discovery (or perhaps other exclusive programming)? Would the number of people willing to add a dollar be the same inrevenue dollars as those willing to add the entire CBS All Access package? Or even exceed it?

 

[jefferiestubes8]

. Would it be possible to have Netflix charge an extra dollar a month for access to Discovery (or perhaps other exclusive programming)? Would the number of people willing to add a dollar be the same inrevenue dollars as those willing to add the entire CBS All Access package? Or even exceed it?

Netflix has a couple plans for streaming and one with higher cost is to stream 4k UHD content. While they could add on HBO or Showtime it is not in their interest to. Netflix wants you to watch their original series. They just invested $6 billion into content including licensing for 2017. I don't have $#s for original series/feature films that netflix is producing.
Hulu on the other hand will do additional subscriptions like Gaia yoga series. (They used to but I think they still probably do).
CBS has not invested in Hulu. They wanted their own sandbox in the USA. This is why you can only watch ST: DSC on CBSAA in the USA. They will charge what they want. And you know in 12-18 months it won't stay at $5.99/month for the minimum ad-supported package. It comes down to how much the new series will be paid for by customers vs pirating of it in the USA that determines the value to CBS of the show and how to price it for more people to have a legal means of watching the show on CBSAA subscription (with or without ads).

 

[jefferiestubes8]

The big picture for CBS with CBSAA?

CBS developed All Access as a tool to leverage against big distributors like Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Charter Communications

With another way to distribute its content -- i.e., directly to consumers -- CBS can stay strong at the negotiating table knowing it has All Access to fall back on. That's extremely important, as CBS has a goal of reaching $2 billion in retransmission fees -- the fees cable distributors pay to carry the network -- by 2020.

But CBS has a lofty goal of reaching 8 million subscribers across the two services by 2020, expecting them to be about evenly split

between CBSAA and Showtime On Demand.

CBS is planning the new series launches such that there's always a new episode of something every week. It hopes that will reduce subscriber churn .

With nothing announced yet for after Star Trek I guess they will use Q1 2017 to make announcements.
source
So big picture is it's not about Star Trek IP or even CBSAA becoming the next Hulu. It is about the retransmission fees. Their backup plan is CBSAA subscription revenue. I would guess failsafe backup is Star Trek DSC on CBS linear channel starting with season 4 or just a new Star Trek series at that point.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

With news that today there will be a Paramount Network

http://deadline.com/2017/02/spike-the-paramount-network-renamed-viacom-rebranding-1201906611/


the transformation of Spike into a general entertainment network rebranded as The Paramount Network.

The Paramount Network’s “focus will be on building distinctive, high-quality scripted and non-scripted original programming – with dramas, comedies, documentaries, movies, sports and tentpole events.

it didn't work in In 1977,

Paramount Pictures President Barry Diller began working on the idea of launching a new, fourth television network, officially announced on 10 June 1977 as "Paramount Television Service" (PTVS).

they will plan to bundle CBSAA and Showtime together in 2017
http://www.fiercecable.com/broadcas...ll-access-showtime-ott-together-coming-months


I wonder if they will try to make a over-the-top access like Showtime and CBS All Access bundle with it too?

 

[Woulfe]

Also didn't do so well when they tried it again with UPN, that didn't last long also when they did that, yet here we are again.

You'd think Paramount would of learned all this by now, oh well, maybe a 3rd time fail will give them a heads up.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

I'm tellin ya, this is just the direction television is going in. Eventually everyone will be online and cable will wither away. Personally I'm fine with that. I'll take my tv a la carte.

 

[BillJ]

the transformation of Spike into a general entertainment network rebranded as The Paramount Network.

it didn't work in In 1977...

I'd say it is a bit different now. They aren't starting from scratch, they are just rebranding an existing channel. Not like Spike TV, formerly The National Network, formerly The Nashville Network was a screaming success to begin with.

Sounds more like a nothing to lose scenario for Viacom.

 

[C.E. Evans]

VIACOM CHIEF: I wish we could do more in the cable market. Like maybe create a new network there.

VIACOM EXEC: Um, we already have a network there.

VIACOM: CHIEF: We do?

VIACOM EXEC: Yeah, it's called SPIKE TV. We've had it for years, boss.

VIACOM CHIEF: Well, imagine that. Okay, let's rebrand it...um, "The Paramount Network" and finally do something with it.

 

[BillJ]

They've tried it as a country channel (The Nashville Network), the Star Trek channel (The National Network), the Men's channel (Spike TV) and none of it has worked. Not exactly sure what it'll bring to the table as "The Paramount Channel" that will make it more popular/profitable than the previous attempts?

Probably need to lure some creative types from AMC/HBO/SyFy and be prepared to spend a shitload of money.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

the transformation of Spike into a general entertainment network rebranded as The Paramount Network.

I guess they decided that even the name "Spike" wasn't generic and bland enough.

It's getting so that network names mean absolutely nothing. (When was the last time The History Channel showed actual history, or The Learning Channel had anything to do with actual learning?) Everything is so neutered and watered down that the names could literally mean anything.

 

[Woulfe]

Why don't they just call it YACCTHNTDWWISOA - Yet Another Cable Channel That Has Nothing To Do With What It Started Out As, or is that title too long for TV guide ;-)

 

[Morpheus 02]

Well, Paramount channel will make it like FX channel, sufficiently vague to cover most of the content, and even then, most people won't care about how accurate it is (like the times it is the Star Wars channel or the Lord of the Rings channel).

 

[Morpheus 02]

I also wanted to reply separate to ask this...On another thread, people in the US have said they are going to skip All Access and wait until it gets on Netflix.

Is there any guarantee in the US that it will eventually go to Netflix? And if many people wait, will it guarantee it will be a one season show?

 

[Mudd]

No and no.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

I also wanted to reply separate to ask this...On another thread, people in the US have said they are going to skip All Access and wait until it gets on Netflix.

Is there any guarantee in the US that it will eventually go to Netflix? And if many people wait, will it guarantee it will be a one season show?

Wishful thinking, no guarantee. I'm just going to pay the five or six bucks.

 

[KennyB]

I pay for Netflix, HBONow, and CBS All Access. So about 35 bucks a month versus the 100 plus I was paying for cable....And I have more than enough to watch.

 

[JWPlatt]

I guess they decided that even the name "Spike" wasn't generic and bland enough.

At least they'll call it what it is so you know what it's about to tightly identify the brand. "Spike" - what a stupid name.

...On another thread, people in the US have said they are going to skip All Access and wait until it gets on Netflix.

Not even. I and others are waiting for DVD or BD. But please, everyone else go and pay to watch commercials for me so I can enjoy a successful series commercial-free and not be subject to contractual whims of here-this-month-gone-next content services.

I pay for Netflix, HBONow, and CBS All Access. So about 35 bucks a month versus the 100 plus I was paying for cable....And I have more than enough to watch.

How do you get internet? Might want to include that.