In this illustration, the Disney+ logo is seen on a smartphone screen.
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The bundle is back.
Disney And Warner Bros. Discovery plan to offer their streaming services – Disney+, Hulu and Max – in a package equivalent to the traditional cable TV package, the companies said Wednesday.
The latest version of the package, which will be available this summer, is offered in both ad-supported and ad-free tiers. Pricing has not yet been announced, but the option will be offered at a discount, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Disney will essentially act as a distributor in this case, collecting subscription fees from subscribers and paying out a percentage to Warner Bros. Discovery, the person added.
This mashup of Max, Disney+ and Hulu gives streaming subscribers access to a wide range of content from broadcast networks ABC and Fox, as well as cable channels such as TNT, TBS, CNN, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Disney Channel and more. Fox, which does not have its own entertainment streaming subscription service, licenses its content to Hulu.
The offering, reminiscent of the cable TV package that has been upended in recent years and continues to rapidly lose customers, is the latest partnership between the two media giants in recent months.
Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney’s ESPN as well Fox Corp., have also teamed up to offer a sports streaming service that is expected to launch in the fall.
Earlier on Wednesday, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said in an earnings call that he believes the sports streaming company will likely be bundled with other entertainment streaming services.
Disney has been offering its streaming services – Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ – as a bundle for some time. ESPN+ will continue to coexist with the sports streaming company, but is not included in the Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney package. Hulu content was also recently integrated into the Disney+ platform, although both still require separate subscriptions.
Max costs $9.99 per month with ads, or $15.99 without. The basic version of Disney+ with ads costs $7.99 per month — or $9.99 per month bundled with Hulu — while the premium plan costs $13.99 per month, or $19.99 with Hulu. Meanwhile, Hulu costs $7.99 alone with ads or $17.99 ad-free.
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2024-05-08 23:48:35
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