Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Winter Is Almost Here

HBO dropped a trailer for Season 8 of Game of Thrones today.




Enjoy it while it lasts because HBO's CEO had enough of AT&T's crap and said see ya.  The Wall Street Journal reported:

Richard Plepler, the chairman and chief executive of HBO, said he was resigning in a memo to staff Thursday afternoon. David Levy, president of Turner, the parent of cable channels CNN, TNT, TBS and Cartoon Network, is also stepping down—perhaps as early as Friday, people familiar with the matter said.

“Hard as it is to think about leaving the company I love, and the people I love in it, it is the right time for me to do so,” Mr. Plepler wrote in his memo.

The resignation of Mr. Plepler, who has led HBO since 2013 and played a prominent role in many successful shows including “Game of Thrones” and “Veep,” comes as AT&T overhauls the operations of Warner Bros., HBO and Turner. Under previous owner Time Warner and its then-chief executive Jeff Bewkes, these units had operated very autonomously. Rest of article.
CNBC fleshed out the story:

According to people familiar with the matter, this is an issue of autonomy. Plepler wanted to run HBO, and new WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey, an AT&T veteran, was effectively running HBO. Plepler had ideas about technology and international expansion that didn’t jibe with Stankey’s vision, according to a person familiar with the matter. The two are also “different people” and didn’t have the closest relationship, another person said. So after six years of running HBO autonomously, Plepler told Stankey earlier this month he wanted to leave, two of the people said. Article.

Bullet, meet golden goose.  A GQ story gives an idea of what AT&T considers to be quality programming:

AT&T, the "How do you do, fellow kids?" of mobile networks, really wants people to watch TV on their AT&T phones and tablets. Media streaming is a huge deal for mobile carriers right now, with the "big" companies offering unlimited streaming on certain platforms, which is how net neutrality dies, but whatever. Of course, since no one likes watching rich, multilayered, 55-minute episodes of fantasy prestige TV on their phones, the network figures it has a solution.

Speaking at a conference, AT&T head Randall Stephenson was concerned with the episode length of HBO's epic Game of Thrones, saying: "Think about things like Game of Thrones. In a mobile environment, a 60-minute episode might not be the best experience. Maybe you want a 20-minute episode." Hmm. Perhaps watching a feature-length episode of effects-heavy ensemble television on a 4-inch screen might have something to do with that "not being the best experience," also.

Look, we get it. Attention spans are short and people need something to do on their commutes now that no one gives a shit about iPhone games. Fact is, though, while mobile streaming is on the rise, there's only so much you can do to entice people to consume movies and TV on the smallest possible devices. Call me old-fashioned, but Smart TVs, with their endless customization options, apps, and easy access to any one of your favorite streaming services using your parents' cable login, is an experience no phone will ever be able to match.
The Destruction of the History Channel, Part 2.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

A waste of space on an otherwise decent blog.

Anonymous said...

Most of us work for a living and don’t have time to worry about shows like Game of Through ne, unlike JJ. Get a job or start reporting about news.

Anonymous said...

Take Game of Thrones off HBO and what do you have? Nothing.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, Game of Thrones. Because real history of Europeans battling Moorish Islamic invaders is too racist for the 21st century. So the invading hordes bent on destroying the "West" are now portrayed as ice zombies so as not to offend the refugees being welcomed into Europe.

They even include a white goddess worshipped by oppressed people of color. This fulfills every female SJW fantasy of being a savior mother to the oppressed innocents of the world.

Such a winning formula. No wonder it is popular with the cool wine aunts and effete soy boys.

Anonymous said...

HBO is actively participating in the subversion of the West and facilitating our transformation into something I can't describe. I hope HBO ends up in the trash heap like so much socialist rubbish.

Anonymous said...

KF, I'm glad you shared this.

Screw AT&T.

They don't mind trying to make their customers bend over and spread em'.

More people still watch GoT than not and I get at least three calls per day from some cheerful Pakistani
chick calling "on the behalf of AT&T".


Anonymous said...

Read a book, enjoy the outdoors, exercise, volunteer, get a hobby. Get a life!

Anonymous said...

@5:32 AM
Those things sound like they require effort. I would rather get some food delivered and watch 16 hours of TV.

That is much easier. The world is going to hell outside anyway.

Anonymous said...

I live in a rural area and don't have access to broadband, so streaming a show is a non-starter for me. I do have Dish Network, but after HBO acquired DirecTV (Dish's competitor), it pulled HBO from Dish...and the issue won't be resolved before the final season of Game of Thrones begins. I'm a fan of the show and all I can do is try and avoid spoilers until the final season is available on DVD. I'm not switching to DirecTV and giving AT&T more money.

Anonymous said...

A waste of space on an otherwise decent blog.

Get off your ass, start your own gig, stop complaining.

Anonymous said...

AT&T shareholders have taken a bath on DirecTV merger. Colossal mistake.

Kingfish said...

Actually, Game of Thrones is based off of The Wars of the Roses.

For example, the Red Wedding and Arya's poisoning of House Frey were based on real events. The White Walkers were based on FDR's election in 1932.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Game of Thrones is living in 10:30's mind 24/7, rent free. Game of Thrones won the Primetime Emmy (and a bunch of other stuff) and you need to just accept it. Such a snowflake.

Anonymous said...

Buy T while it’s down, collect 6% dividends on the way up and dump it when it peaks out. 9-10 yearcycle

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with March 5, 2019 at 10:30 PM

I prefer my stories of thrones, violence, and incest to be from the Bible.

Anonymous said...

@KF

Does that mean Daenerys Targaryen is modeled after Eleanor Roosevelt? It fits.

Anonymous said...

@ 10:36 AM

So which are you? The cool wine aunt or the effete soy boy?

TV is trash.

Anonymous said...

11:44 Your slap at the Bible betrays your ignorance. In ancient literature the Bible is unique in showing the warts and foibles of its protagonists. No so, elsewhere. This is a proof of the validity of the Bible. The point is no about glorifying the protagonist, rather to glorify ultimate reality.

Anonymous said...

Waste of electrons. The HBO nonsense and this page.


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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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