Sunny Side of the Doc | 19-22 June 2023

Documentary Business

Peter Hamilton Consultants, Inc

Streaming Video

Chasing Netflix: The Keys to Success & Failure for New Online Video Services

Why do Netflix-type Subscription Video On Demand / Over-The-Top (SVOD/OTT) services succeed? Or fail? My colleague Dr John Morse (Byron Media) shared a very useful presentation / webinar from research firm Parks Associates titled AVOIDING OTT’s TOP FIVE MISTAKES. The key is Subscriber Retention. More than 25% of current SVOD/OTT customers have recently cancelled a …

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Amazon Prime Video Direct Slashes Royalties for Creators in U.S., UK, Germany and Japan

Producers are on the receiving end of another rate card reduction from Amazon Prime Video Direct. The online retail behemoth is cutting U.S. royalties from the present range of 6 to 15 cents per-hour-viewed. The new rate is between 4 and 10 cents per-hour-viewed. A similar 33% rate reduction is being introduced in UK, Germany …

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Quibi: $1 Billion for Short-form Content. Watch the Pitch. Why I Think It’s a Long Shot. Lessons from CBS Cable, Discovery and China’s TikTok

Quibi is showing up in my conversations as an active buyer that is outbidding legacy networks. The ‘Quibi’ brand name does not refer to a Vietnamese appetizer: It is short for ‘quick bites.’ Funded by Disney, Alibaba, Comcast and others, it is a video streaming venture run by corporate heavyweights Meg Whitman (CEO) and Jeffrey …

Quibi: $1 Billion for Short-form Content. Watch the Pitch. Why I Think It’s a Long Shot. Lessons from CBS Cable, Discovery and China’s TikTok Read More »

Netflix 2023 What You Need To Know Now


Netflix: Why Subscriber Retention is High as New Subs Flock to the SVOD Leader

There are two drivers of a success for an SVOD service: Subscriber Acquisition & Retention. Netflix continues to attract new subs during its relentless global expansion. Its retention rate is reported to be high, despite recent rate increases. Subscribers keep on coming, and they don’t go away. Here are several reasons why: Source: U.S Subscribers, …

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Happy Holidays!

Dear Friends & Colleagues, It’s been a fascinating year to report on the online video tsunami that is restructuring our industry. As the New Year approaches, we often feel that Netflix and Amazon Prime in particular are changing everything, and at an accelerating rate… I hope that my analysis of the emerging ecosystem for documentary and unscripted programs helps you …

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Revenues Drain from the Cab/Sat Programming Ecosystem. Part 4: Cord-cutting Accelerates

Is the U.S. Cable /Satellite Channels business facing its Napster moment? That’s when a disruptive online solution (Napster) sucks the revenues out of an established business model (the CD-based retail music industry.) Cord-cutting accelerated to record levels in the 3rd Quarter, surprising industry analysts. Cord-nevers: The mainly Millennial non-cabled home is a growing segment. Cord-nevers …

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Netflix 2023 What You Need To Know Now


Netflix’s Deals with Producers and its Impact on the Channels. A Podcast with John Ford, GM of the NPACT Producers’ Association

This week’s podcast covers Netflix. Our focus is on its deals with producers. And on how the channels’ deal terms are evolving in response to the rise of the online video platforms. Sharing his experience is veteran programming executive John Ford. John is an extremely well-placed analyst of the market in his current position as General Manager …

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Anthony Bourdain: A leader in online engagement across the documentary genre. Latest research

Anthony Bourdain measured up as #2 in the entire online video universe. He was eclipsed only by the BBC’s massive Planet Earth / Blue Planet franchise. That’s the key finding from Parrot Analytics‘ latest measure of global online engagement in documentary programs and series. Parrot is a cutting-edge research firm that sweeps up millions and …

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