Hosted by Jason Snell.
Jason Snell and a rotating group of experts break down the present and future of television.
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Get Downstream+ and don't miss a segment!Latest Episodes
#55: It's Netflix 2013 again
October 20th, 2023 · 77 minutes
Netflix (which is still top dog) reports results and makes price hikes. Also: Disney+'s value proposition, the complexity of selling ads for streaming, Marvel discovers TV, and your letters.
#54: NIRP
October 6th, 2023 · 40 minutes
The WGA strike is over, so what does it mean? Also, your letters! [Downstream+ subscribers also get: Don't blame the writers for the end of Peak TV, Max gets interesting, Amazon adds ads, and Disney ♥️ Charter.]
#53: I'm Living With a Criminal
September 21st, 2023 · 45 minutes
We break down the arrival of Mark Thompson as CNN's new boss. Also, there's a mega letters segment! [This episode was recorded September 7. See you in two weeks!]
#52: Defying Gravity
September 7th, 2023 · 39 minutes
Does the battle between Disney and Charter augur the end of the cable business model as we know it? Is the entertainment industry going bankrupt slowly, then all at once? It's time for an all-Sports Corner episode of Downstream!
#51: Cool, Man, But What Happened After?
August 25th, 2023 · 70 minutes
The CNN streaming era re-begins--and we're still trying to figure out how TV news adapts to the streaming era. Also: Netflix makes a franchise bet on Zach Snyder, but is it shooting itself in the foot? And are streaming sports rights worth the high cost?
#50: Platform Chess
August 11th, 2023 · 48 minutes
Disney alters the deal--pray they don't alter it further. But is Disney suffering from franchise fatigue, and is aggressively bunding Hulu with Disney+ the solution? Also: Jason's sad about Apple's failed college football deal.
#49: Selling Shovels
July 28th, 2023 · 74 minutes
Did Netflix lure the rest of the streaming industry into quicksand? We explore the difference between being an entertainment retailer and wholesaler. Then it's time to talk about the man, the legend, the human topic: Disney's Bob Iger.
#48: "The Bear" Is Not a Comedy
July 12th, 2023 · 28 minutes
In a tale as old as time, we try and fail to understand the Emmy Awards. Also: Breaking down Netflix's new ratings math.
#47: My Phantom Limb
June 30th, 2023 · 66 minutes
CNN rises to the top of the conversation again, Netflix gets the ball back, Paramount sells some crown jewels, Sports Corner travels to Utah, and we answer four listener letters!
#46: The Chris Licht Conundrum
June 16th, 2023 · 23 minutes
The head of CNN is out, but the larger issue is: what's the future of TV news in the age of streaming?