Streaming and new formats, the challenge in Europe of Warner Bros. Discovery
In Spain, the Max platform, which brings together all the group's offerings, including sports, is launched. CEO Araimo: "Rewarded by the mix of streaming and linear TV". On the possible arrival of Mentana: "There is nothing".
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3' min read
3' min read
Max 'was born with the idea of being one of the biggest streaming services globally'. At the Cinema Callao in Madrid, Alessandro Araimo, managing director Warner Bros. Discovery Italy & Iberia, presented to the Spanish press (in a morning hosted by Nikki Garcìa, who gave voice to Google Maps in the country) what has all the hallmarks of a gamble to give a shot in the arm and definitively take the top spot in the TV and audiovisual market in Europe.
Target: third streaming platform in the world
'Our ambition is to make Max the third largest streaming platform worldwide,' stresses Leah Hooper, vice-president with responsibility for the streaming business in the Emea region. The 270 million Netflix subscribers are too far away, like the 200 or so attributed to Amazon Prime Video. But it is true that Disney's 117 million streaming customers are more within reach starting from the 99.6 million declared, just yesterday, by Warner Bros. Discovery with its first quarter accounts, which closed with a loss of 40 cents per share on revenues of $9.96 billion (-7%), against expectations for -24 cents on $10.231 billion. Global CEO David Zaslav called for work on further cost cuts.
In Italy from 2026
Warner Bros. Discovery is nevertheless pushing the accelerator. And by the end of spring-summer it will be present with Max in 65 countries, compared to Netflix's 190. There is therefore a whole geographic expansion to be developed for this service that will bring together Hbo Max, Discovery+ entertainment and Eurosport. All in one platform, including sport (which in Spain will cost 5 euros more than the standard plan price of 9.99 euros or 13.99 euros for the 'premium' one). The single platform with the group's properties will arrive in Italy in 2026, at the end of the agreements Hbo has with Sky. And here having sport in Max could also mean a change of strategy on 'premium' rights? 'At the moment,' replies Araimo, 'we cannot know what the situation will be like on that market after 2026'. Meanwhile, 'Sky and Tim are strategic partners and we will have time to discuss the agreements that expire in 2025'.
Focus on distribution
.Single streaming platform, bringing together the entire legacy of the Discovery and WarnerMedia worlds, and distribution are the key. The announcement (for now only for the USA) of the bundle between Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney: from the summer, only one subscription to the streaming platforms Max, Disney+ and Hulu will be possible.
Push on local production
.At the same time, the US media bigwig wants to push local productions for Max: entertainment and scripted. 'Spain,' Laura Carafoli, head of content, explains to Sole 24 Ore, 'is a market that needs local content. And the exchange with our country is also well understood. In Spain there is a strong tradition of scripted production. From Italy we have in turn brought that plus in entertainment formats'.
