Chad Ludwig

Music Business Association Music Biz 2024 coming up in May. Find out more about Reactional Music and what we are delivering across interactive music, music personalisation, in-game economies, generative composable music and the possibilities for creators, composers, artists and developers

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Deepna Devkar, Ph.D. what a treat having you on the podcast! If you’ve ever wondered what goes into building your personalised experience on Max, this is the episode for you. Tune in to hear from one of the minds leading the build of the platform experience!

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"Bundling, even with would-be competitors, is not a new idea and is a tactic multiple streamers have explored as they look, in part, to grow subscriber value and reduce churn and marketing expenses." "Who is best served to deliver streaming bundles is still somewhat a point of debate in the ecosystem, where WBD sees benefits in cutting out the middleman in some cases." "Zaslav acknowledged positive results from the Verizon-offered Max-Netflix bundle, saying it’s “doing much better than expected” and provides another example of “more strength together,” with the strategy behind bundles driven by the need for change in consumer experience in a very crowded streaming space. With Disney and WBD working together, he noted the companies get all of the data, can work directly with consumers and enhance that experience, as it’s already doing for Max." "A key theme emphasized throughout the call, is WBD’s belief that amid a crowded and fragmented streaming and TV viewing ecosystem where viewers are burdened by numerous options and rising prices, consumers will follow great content." #svod #ott #video #streaming #tv #bundle #content

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“Apple Music is rolling out a new ‘premium’ data analytics toolkit for its record label and distributor partners. The new ‘Apple Music Partner Program’ features various tools for Apple Music’s partners to track trends on its streaming service as well as global radio plays using Shazam technology. According to the landing page for the platform, it offers “access [to] more tools to break the next talent, spot emerging trends, and uncover new insights about your content”. “Apple Music already runs another analytics platform in Apple Music For Artists, which was made available for every artist on Apple Music in August 2019. Apple Music For Artists allows artists to monitor the volume of their streaming plays on Apple Music, all within a data set that updates daily. Spotify launched its own Spotify For Artists app in 2017 (an evolution of the ‘Fan Insights’ tool it introduced two years earlier) to provide artists and their teams with information pertaining to their popularity on the service. Like Spotify for Artists, the Apple Music For Artists service is available as both a desktop interface and a standalone mobile app.” #Apple #AppleMusic #Artists #RecordLabels #Spotify #Fans #Fandom #Streaming #StreamingRoyalties #Royalties #RecordedMusic #StreamingServices #StreamingMedia #MusicTracks #MusicStreams #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz

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Recent data from Ampere Analysis points to how far behind streaming companies like Apple TV, Disney Streaming, and Paramount+ are, compared to the likes of Netflix and Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios. By expanding production beyond the North American market, Netflix and Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios are tapping into a wealth of untold stories and diverse cultural narratives from countries including the UK, Germany, Spain, South Korea and India. This approach is enhancing their global appeal as dominating streaming platforms, growing their #subscriber bases. As a result, these tech-first #entertainment companies are redefining the original content landscape, bringing fresh perspectives and unique voices to the forefront of the industry. Companies like Netflix leverage technology to produce localized versions of international content that resonate with local audiences. Netflix and Amazon’s international focus is crafting a varied entertainment landscape, where local stories gain global recognition and resonate with a broader audience. With 66% of Netflix's and Amazon's original content orders coming from international markets, such as Squid Game and The Devil’s Hour, the investment in these productions reflects a commitment to cultural diversity and innovation, positioning these tech giants as leaders in #streaming. As they continue to prioritize and elevate non-U.S. content, Netflix and Amazon are driving global demand for TV shows and setting a new benchmark for creativity and storytelling. This trend signifies a transformative era where the agility and forward-thinking strategies of Netflix and Amazon enable them to outpace traditional studios in delivering compelling, original content that captivates viewers worldwide. https://lnkd.in/gpTusBRE #LITrendingNews #ContentProduction #EntertainmentIndustry

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Do not miss my latest article in OTTVerse on the the global growth of sports viewing on FAST/AVOD and how the consumption of sports content has undergone significant transformation!

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Surprised? CONCERNED?? Although no surprises, as production is down everywhere (although it seems to be rebounding more outside of the U.S., e.g., Canada, the UK and Australia. Acknowledging Governor Newsom is doing all he can (given the political climate, and budgetary issues & concerns) Los Angeles and California will face further competition from Illinois (as announced last week, Illinois now allows National Talk Shows, (‘Jimmy Kimmel’ Live – note, ‘The Tonight Show’, ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ and “The Kelly Clarkson Show” – have already moved to NY because of incentives), Game Shows (e.g., ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’) and Contest Shows (e.g., “American Idol” and ‘America’s Got Talent’). Talk Shows, Game Shows and Contest Shows do not qualify for the California incentive. Also, NJ Governor just signed a new bill, further enhancing the NJ incentive – reviewing the Bill now and will summarize and share ASAP.  Also noting, there was pending legislation in other states (e.g., Oklahoma - while it didn’t pass in Oklahoma this year, Oklahoma will try again to incentivize live tv/episodic television (still LA/CA’s bread & butter!!! Entertainment Partners https://lnkd.in/gwfW572T https://lnkd.in/gB7_AjPq

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Paying out an additional £6 million (approx. USD $7.7 million) in royalties from online services - “UK-based royalty collection society PRS for Music says it will be paying out an additional GBP £6 million (approx. USD $7.7 million) in royalties from online services to songwriters and composers annually, thanks to a reduction in its administration rate. The collection society said it’s reducing its admin rate on multi-territory online (MTOL) royalties by 20% – from a 10% rate to an 8% rate – as a result of the CMO “surpassing its targets, delivering historic distributions and revenues, and becoming a billion-pound society.” Announced at its 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) today (June 4), PRS estimates the reduction will see £1.5 million more paid out to members in each of its quarterly royalty distributions starting from October this year.” #PRS #CMOs #UK #MusicRoyaties #Songwriters #Composers #MusicPublishing #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz

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Great article from Rob Wile at NBC News on why FAST services like Pluto TV or Tubi are already incredibly successful and why we are still scratching the surface of something way bigger🚀 💵 .Ross Compton, CFA provides a spot-on analysis that resonates with our vision a decade ago when we spearheaded the FAST market with Pluto TV. "It’s a repackaged version of the old method of distribution, noting that the original broadcast networks were all supported by advertising and the only investment a viewer had to make was in a TV set and an antenna. Now, it’s the same thing, just over the internet. The demand for FAST channels is sustainable — for one simple reason. You really can’t beat free." (Ross Compton, CFA) Free and easy access combined with high-quality content shaped the golden age of TV. The same ingredients are needed for FAST, even if we needed to rethink channel programming and curation in the new era of internet, social networks and the overabundance of video content. Same is true for advertising, it has funded so much of the best TV content over the decades. FAST advertising is like TV advertising but with more data, targeting and measurement! So YES, there is such a brillant future in front of the FAST business! 📺 #FAST #PlutoTV #Tubi #NBCnews #fastchannel #Avod #streaming

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I have no doubt that eventually, a relatively reliable system will be figured out to ensure that TV advertisers know whether they’re reaching their most appropriate, potential customers. Since streamers are unlikely to widely share proprietary viewing info, can Mr. Norton and Mr. Nadler’s EDO Company approach be it? Or at least, a fresh-and-viable start? Hmmm… A few vital pieces seem to be missing from EDO Co’s plan as relayed in this brief article, most notably how the referenced “tie” between a specific commercial/program and subsequent search-related data actually functions. Then, how that linkage further relates to sales. Advertisers *need* to be assured that more online searches about a product consistently lead to increased sales/revenue. Though that likely depends on whether a preponderance of top search results 👍 or 👎 their product. Sadly, these judgements could have nothing to do with ads, but arise from the perceived quality of a product via folks who’ve tried it IRL and felt strongly enough about their experience to post it on the internet. “Star” influencers can affect the market, but IMO exceedingly few of them have the reach or longevity to truly compete with television over time. For folks who make/distribute the shows, I guess the crux is whether a spike in searches about a particular episode’s narrative/cast significantly reveals that more eyeballs consumed any particular ad. Perhaps these search-spikes might, since the searching folks seem to have been paying enough attention to the story/characters to want to learn more. Though perhaps some of these online searchers heard about a really cool plot twist from a friend and never watched the show — or saw any ads — at all… There are so many variables in this erratically evolving aspect of the biz! That said, successful “disrupters” inevitably need to stop (mostly) disrupting and get down to the business of business. This means consistent metrics — and a more level playing field — has gotta emerge… Eventually. #entertainment #tv #television #streaming #streamingtv #adsupportedtv #adsupportedstreaming #tvratings #tvmetrics #tvadmetrics #internetsearches #fasttv

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📺 **Battle for the Living Room**   The race to dominate the smart TV operating system (TV OS) market is heating up, with major players like Roku, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and LG vying to enhance user experience and capitalize on new business opportunities through data and advertising. Despite this fierce competition, a key question emerges: do consumers actually care about which OS their TV uses? 📊 **Market Potential**   At the StreamTV Show in Denver, experts discussed the benefits of owning a TV OS, such as controlling user data and enhancing ad revenue. Analyst Alan Wolk noted that around 40% of smart TVs globally lack a dedicated TV OS, presenting a significant market opportunity. Even small gains in market share can translate to substantial financial rewards, making the competition highly lucrative. 💡 **Consumer Preferences**   Panelists at the event debated whether consumers prioritize the TV OS in their purchasing decisions. Google’s Rob Caruso argued that factors like size and price still dominate, with the OS being a secondary consideration. However, Vizio's Katherine Pond and LG's Matt Durgin highlighted that content availability and user experience offered by the TV OS could influence consumer choices, particularly for those seeking quality and value. 🎬 **Content and User Experience**   Ultimately, while the current focus for consumers might not be on the specific TV OS, the content and seamless user experience provided by these systems are crucial. Companies like Vizio and Samsung emphasize the importance of offering desired content and a smooth interface, hoping that improvements in these areas will eventually drive consumer preferences toward specific TV OS platforms. #TV #TVOS #Streaming #SmartTV

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IYKYK. Spectrum Reach is helping "harness the chaos" of the media ecosystem on both the linear AND streaming front. That's why we are the #1 multiscreen video partner in our markets. Combine that with 30MM+ addressable households...and you can see how we help our partners spend more time optimizing outcomes and less time aggregating audience.

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The media space is undergoing a paradigm shift. Understanding how the revenue pie has changed and who controls what parts of it can help shed light on what got us here and where the industry could be going.

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📺 New research highlights a significant shift in video content consumption, with Instagram surpassing Netflix and TikTok to become the second most popular video service in the US, while YouTube remains the global leader. 📱 Instagram’s video features resonate strongly with younger demographics, contributing to its rapid growth, especially in the US and Spain, where Instagram Reels is now the third most popular service. 📈 The rise of Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels, like Tubi and Roku, indicates a major shift towards ad-supported content, with FAST revenues projected to reach $12 billion by 2028. #Tv #streaming #FAST #video

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Great read on the concept and practical examples of "Synth.AI" or synthesizing information into AI workflows. As we move forward with building experiences and solutions on top of these LLM's the concept of synthesizing information to feed into LLM's for robust outputs that can be immediately actioned is game changing #AI #GenAI #Innovate https://lnkd.in/g_ttCnu8

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The UPROXX newco is a smart media M&A rollup. Music and culture focus + a strong leadership team. I'm bullish on them doing well by *brands and fans*, and getting immediate revenue traction based on their WMG YouTube media sales partnership. In my newsletter tomorrow, I explain my insights on the deal, key questions I'm asking, why I think UPROXX STUDIOS is setup for success. For now, let's review the key deal details... UPROXX STUDIOS OVERVIEW • A new “brand solutions studio” that “connects brands with talent, cultural arenas, and audiences”  • Founded by media veterans Jarret Myer (CEO), Rich Antoniello (Exec Chairman), and will.i.am (Chief Visionary Officer) • Result of acquisitions of Uproxx, HipHopDX, Dime Magazine, and other Warner Music Group media assets • Reaches 170M+ monthly US visitors and generates 12B+ monthly US video views POST DEAL OPS • “Expect significant investments in our brands, team, and the experiences we offer” • Includes the excl license to represent WMG’s YouTube inventory for all US media sales  • Will integrate will.i.am’s FYI AI tech and FYI radio into ops UPROXX DIVISIONS • Uproxx – Millennial-focused culture media brand and production co (acquired by WMG in 2018) • HipHopDX – Digital mag of hip hop music criticism and news (acquired by WMG in 2020) • Dime Magazine – Digital mag of American basketball lifestyle (acquired by Uproxx in 2015) • FYI – productivity tool designed to serve Creatives. Combines messaging and collab tools with file mgmt and content pub features NEWCO VALUE PROP  • Access to A-list stars via WMG YouTube inventory + UPROXX superfan communities gives brands and advertisers new ways to participate in music culture • FYI AI tech will enable creation of AI StoryLabs, a new branded content and social media mgmt unit within UPROXX Studios  • "Merging the agility and freedom of an independent entity with the reach and resources of a major music label.” UPROXX HISTORY • f/k/a as Uproxx • Founded 2008 by Jarrett Meyer and Brian Bater (also co-founded Rawkus Records in 1996) • Acquired by male-focused media ad network Woven Digital in 2015 • Rebranded to Uproxx Media, Jarrett became GM • Bought by WMG in 2018 • Price undisclosed, but previous Uproxx Media investment was ~$43M • Value prop of acquisition was to “create engaging new experiences for young consumers, global promotional possibilities for brands, and innovative marketing opportunities for artists” • WMG exec Max Lousada and Uproxx co-founder Jarrett Myer used to work together at Rawkus Records WMG RELATED HISTORY • Announced 600 layoffs in Feb 2024, incl potential sale of Uproxx and HipHopDX • Also wound down its podcasting brand Interval Presents and social media publisher IMGN • Overall faced challenges in its O&O and digital brand sales biz -- I'm the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.

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