TrekBBS
If a newly merged CBS/Viacom is sold to a third party, who should be Star Trek's new owners?
- Thread starter Disco!Disco!
- Start date
Nothing would get made because no one would be able to agree on anything.
HBO is a Time/Warner Company, which in turn is owned by AT&T. I'm pretty sure they also own CW outright as part of owning T/W, so again it runs into anti-trust issues where one company cannot own two broadcast networks.
Of the ones mentioned, Apple, Netflix, and Amazon seem the most likely. Could probably throw Google in the mix, as they might want to add content to YouTube Premium or something.
Sure but Star Trek is a package deal with a bunch of other stuff from Viacom/CBS, everything from Spongebob to Dexter. No company will buy Viacom/CBS just for Star Trek, but its a good part of a larger media library. If Apple or Amazon could put everything from CBS (including Star Trek), everything from Nickelodeon, everything from Comedy Central, everything from Showtime, everything from Paramount and even everything from MTV onto a streaming service, exclusively, that is a good amount of content.
Really even combined, CBS/Viacom will seem like a fish in a giant ocean. Disney is an empire unto itself, Warner Bros and Universal are owned by giant corporations, the weakest players are now Sony and Viacom/CBS and I think Sony is in a better position then Viacom/CBS.
I do think CBS/Viacom is the most likely to get scooped up because I think that despite a lot of content to draw from, they have been making some real mistakes lately and suffered some drawbacks, making them easier prey for a bigger company:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/business/media/paramount-pictures.html
https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/viacom-third-quarter-2018-earnings-1202900463/
Paramount making missteps like rebooting Ben Hur and making this awful looking Sonic the Hedgehog movie ain't helping them:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottm...-paramount-thor-pokemon-pikachu/#8ec3fc42195b
Why not? Worked well for the Borg Entertainment Network, right? Just look at what they broadcast.
Amazon might - Jeff Bezos is a Trekkie, I could see him wanting to own the franchise.
They'd just make Axanar again and again
With the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, doesn’t Disney now own two broadcast networks (ABC and FOX)?
Disney does not own FOX broadcast networks, only the entertainment content.
If the House of Mouse bought CBS/Viacom that would be the end of STar Trek for a long time. It would be buried like other properties that (Tron, Black Hole, etc) that had their projects cancelled in lieu of MCU and Star Wars.
Because of that, I can't see Disney wanting them. They dont need them and they're not losing anything by not having them.
Well Disney will take care off it. How much does FCC go for these days?
Oh, that makes sense. Thanks.
I work in radio broadcasting, and I can tell you with absolute confidence that the FCC does pay attention.
I'm going to change my suggestion to Amazon.
Granted there aren't any public domain remake examples for us to look at, as TV is still a relatively new medium, but under current laws when TOS becomes public domain, that doesn't mean you can freely make your own TOS episodes. CBS will still own all the IP, trade and design rights. You'd have to literally make your own version of the show with next to no recognisable elements. You couldn't even call it Star Trek.