WarnerMedia CEO Says Change Is Coming To Streaming

WarnerMedia’s CEO thinks that change is coming to streaming no matter who might not like it. [...]

By Aaron Perine

WarnerMedia's CEO thinks that change is coming to streaming no matter who might not like it. Jason Kilar spoke to the New York Times about HBO Max's performance during the pandemic. During this period, Warner Bros' streaming service has been a massive winner. There were people who wondered if HBO properties along with TCM and Cartoon Network offerings would be able to claw out their foothold. Over the last year and change, viewers have been delighted by both the quality and variety of their catalog. Releases like Godzilla vs. Kong and Space Jam: A New Legacy have only driven subscriber growth for their platform as well. Everyone isn't happy with these developments though. Theater owners claim the same-day release model is hurting their business. There might be some truth to that, but the pandemic isn't over yet and VOD has seen massive returns as some families opt to watch movies at home. It's hard to argue with the CEO that change is coming in one way or another.

"The only thing I can promise you is change. There is no doubt that change is coming, and that's appropriate because we live in a dynamic time," Kilar explained. "That's very, very different than the way the world operated in 2019," he said. "Ultimately, I do think that as long as you're thoughtful about it, change could be very, very good for not only the customers but also the people we get to work with."

Business is going well for the company and they saw massive subscriber growth during 2020 and into 2021. A recent earnings call laid it all out for the public.

"For the fourth consecutive quarter, we saw good subscriber growth across wireless, fiber, and HBO Max," AT&T CEO John Stankey said on Thursday. "HBO Max had another strong quarter and is ahead of plan to be a leading direct-to-consumer streaming platform, with both subscriber and ad-supported choices. As a result, we're raising our global HBO Max year-end forecast."

What changes do you think we'll see in the streaming space? Let us know down in the comments below!

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