Apple TV Could Gain Major Warner Bros. Titles via Acquisition

[MacRumors]

Apple is interested in buying Warner Bros. Discovery's extensive back catalog of content for Apple TV, Bloomberg reports.

Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO, CNN, Warner Bros., DC Entertainment, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, and many more brands. The media company is responsible for thousands of major TV shows and movies. Now, it is reportedly interested in being acquired by another big player like Paramount Skydance, or breaking up by selling assets like its streaming business.

According to two people said to be familiar with the discussions, Apple has apparently expressed interest in acquiring the company's extensive film and TV library, as well as production assets. Other parts of the business would have to be retained or sold to other suitors. Netflix, Comcast, and Amazon have also conveyed interest in the proposition.

If they proceed, the breakup could see Apple or another streamer significantly bolstering its content catalog. To date, Apple TV has generally focused on delivering original content, rather than acquiring or licensing properties from other studios. On "The Town" podcast, Apple services chief Eddy Cue responded to speculation about Apple buying other media companies like HBO:

I never say no to anything, but we're not actively looking at buying any company of any size. We like building things ourselves.

[...]

Look, we talk to a lot of folks, we like learning and talking and listening is a good way to learn. But again, I never say no to anything in the future, but it's not our approach. We like building things, we like doing things ourselves and creating them, and we think that that's how we can really stand out and do unique things.

When asked directly if Apple would buy Warner Bros., Cue said:

I would be surprised, but again, I never say no to anything because you never know what happens in the world.

Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly expects to begin asking potential bidders to sign nondisclosure agreements as early as this week. Last week, Apple announced a $700 million five-year partnership that brings all F1 races exclusively to Apple TV in the United States beginning next year.

Article Link: Apple TV Could Gain Major Warner Bros. Titles via Acquisition

 

[MayaUser]

Apple will buy everything .....

 

[turbineseaplane]

Go for it... I'm out on streaming subs personally.

It's all gotten too expensive and I'm sure ATV will keep price hiking, like all the others (especially with more and more content acquired).

I'll continue adding to my own content collection, using my paid YT sub and enjoying free PlutoTV and Tubi for mainstream (albeit older) content on the side.

 

[Apple-achian]

Fantastic, but we need piracy monitoring systems or this will end up on shady sites.

 

[Rychiar]

Fantastic, but we need piracy monitoring systems or this will end up on shady sites.

why...

 

[turbineseaplane]

Fantastic, but we need piracy monitoring systems or this will end up on shady sites.

No, we don't at all.

Why do you care about this issue so much, to the point of posting about piracy in nearly every single thread about streaming and content?

 

[Rychiar]

this would be amazing

 

[tomtad]

Can you focus on updating iWork please Apple

 

[boswald]

OMG this is great news! A ton of great content is coming our way (if the deal goes through).

 

[AppleTO]

Fantastic, but we need piracy monitoring systems or this will end up on shady sites.

If anything effective could have been done about this, it would have been many many years ago.

 

[Hank001]

OMG this is great news! A ton of great content is coming our way (if the deal goes through).

I agree, this would be a real plus.

 

[cardfan]

Batman on Apple TV could be cool. lol. But no way Apple does this. It’s simply not them to spend 40-50 billion and have to sell the trash in WB. Wind up with hbo when you’re basically an hbo wannabe. The ip and content would be a boost for Apple TV. But Apple TV is a loser. As was hbo max. I get the feeling Apple is just playing around with streaming for its app to sell subs. To get you to you use their tv app which is bloated.

Don’t see it happening.

 

[WilliApple]

If they put EVERYTHING on Apple TV while retaining the same price, you got yourself a new tv+ subscriber

 

[canadianreader]

So they removed the + to add it later when the finalize the acquisition

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

If they put EVERYTHING on Apple TV while retaining the same price, you got yourself a new tv+ subscriber

The strategy would probably be to keep the price the same, at first...then after a ton of new subscribers come on board, they'll jack up the price to pay for this acquisition.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Looks like they're really focusing on digital , and cutting costs on LLM

 

[Zorn]

I'm really hoping Apple makes a play for HBO. It's a storied, high quality production house that would fit in very nicely with Apple's premium brand. I would hate to see HBO get watered down by some crappy company like Amazon.

 

[djphat2000]

I enjoy lots of shows under Discovery+ so I would definitely sign up for this.

 

[Chazak]

why...

Because stealing other people's content is a crime as it should be. Have you ever made a living producing, writing or creating content be it books, articles, videos, movies, etc.? I don't think you would ask why if you had.

I don't care what the streamers charge. If I think it is too expensive or simply not worth what they are charging, I pass on it. I don't steal it. There is no excuse despite the insane rationalizations I frequently read when this kind of a topic comes up. The irony is in forums like this there are large numbers of participants who make their living producing one kind of content or another. Yet, when it is content owned, controlled or otherwise distributed by someone else or a big corporation they think stealing it is okay because they don't like the price.

 

[Thunderstrike76]

If they put EVERYTHING on Apple TV while retaining the same price, you got yourself a new tv+ subscriber

It’s amazing how cheap people are… EVERYTHING at 12.99 ain’t gonna happen buddy.

 

[Madhatter32]

Apple missed a golden opportunity to buy Paramount on the dirt cheap. Now they are in the sweepstakes to pay a massive premium for Warner Brothers Discovery. Just seems like there is something amiss with Apple's decision making.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It’s amazing how cheap people are… EVERYTHING at 12.99 ain’t gonna happen buddy.

Life has gotten incredibly expensive and for most people their pay hasn't kept up.

People aren't cheap ... they are getting squeezed to death.

 

[Chazak]

While each of the properties have some redeeming content and valuable assets, would Apple end up turning Apple TV into another rerun factory if they bought more than some isolated properties in the Warner Bros. portfolio?

Business wise, Warner would probably find it less messy and perhaps more profitable to sell all the assets as a package deal. I am sure an astute buyer would know how to grease the regulatory wheels to get needed approvals.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Because stealing other people's content is a crime as it should be. Have you ever made a living producing, writing or creating content be it books, articles, videos, movies, etc.? I don't think you would ask why if you had.

AI too, right?

All the AI companies everyone is hailing and wanting Apple to "partner with" ... we should string them all up for mass theft and piracy, correct?

 

[Chazak]

Apple missed a golden opportunity to buy Paramount on the dirt cheap. Now they are in the sweepstakes to pay a massive premium for Warner Brothers Discovery. Just seems like there is something amiss with Apple's decision making.

You are making some very large assumptions and conclusions that do not seem to be supported by the complete lack of facts in the article. All the article does is speculate and repeat rumors. Fling the spaghetti on the wall and seeing if it sticks is a well known strategy for getting clicks and sustaining reader interest, but it is still spaghetti on the wall