In a rare moment of solidarity, two entertainment giants are teaming up to try to get consumers to stop canceling their streaming services so often.
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced Wednesday that they will begin offering bundles of Disney+, Hulu and Max streaming services this summer. This is a sign that rivals are increasingly willing to work together to combat the ever-changing media landscape. .
The companies say the bundle will be available for purchase from any of the three streaming platform websites (Disney owns Disney+ and Hulu, and Warner Bros. Discovery owns Max) and will include commercial-free and commercial-free versions. He said there is also a version featuring advertisements. . The companies have not announced prices or availability dates.
The monthly retail price to subscribe to the commercial free versions of all three services is currently $48. Ad-supported plans cost a total of $25. Bundled products may cost less.
Media executives have been frustrated in recent years as highly profitable cable bundles are eliminated by cord-cutting and viewers are rapidly turning to on-demand streaming entertainment. The transition to streaming has been difficult for both companies, which are bleeding money.
Disney, for example, announced this week that Disney Plus turned a profit for the first time last quarter, even though its streaming division as a whole lost money.
Adding to the uncertainty, consumers have shown a willingness to cull and cut back on streaming services over the past year or so, prompting executives who have cut costs and reduced the number of TV shows to move closer to meaningful profits. It's even more confusing.
Disney introduced a bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. The company says it has seen positive results from the service.
Executives are enthusiastic about the idea of ​​unifying streaming services across media companies so that consumers are not incentivized to cancel. Disney+, Hulu, and Max's services are important steps in that direction.
“Our new partnership puts our subscribers first,” Joe Earley, president of Disney Entertainment's direct-to-consumer division, said in a statement. JB Perrette, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery's global streaming division, called it “a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry.”
Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox announced in February that they would form a joint venture to launch a sports-focused streaming service. It is scheduled to debut in the fall.