NewsTech News

The Dan Rayburn Podcast

Dan Rayburn

Curating all the streaming media industry news of the week that matters most, in 30 minutes. Unvarnished, unscripted and providing you with the data and analysis you need, without any hype. The pulse of the streaming media industry.

Play

Open in

22 episodes
Avg 43 min
English

Episodes 22

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Monday · 40 min
Episode 180: ESPN, Apple TV, Peacock and Fire TV Price Increases; GTA 6 Trailer Crashes on Netflix; LinkedIn's Functionality Problems
This week, we cover major OTT price increases across the industry, including Disney raising prices by $2 per month for ESPN Unlimited and $1 for ESPN Select. We also cover Peacock raising prices by $1-$3 per month, Apple TV raising prices by $2 per month, and Amazon raising prices on its Fire TV, Echo, Eero, and Kindle hardware. We also discuss problems users reported across Netflix for the 26-minute GTA 6 trailer, YouTube's announcement of a change in how it defines a viewer, the market-sizing problems reported for vertical video, and series product functionality issues on LinkedIn. Finally, we detail Amazon's news that it has joined YouTube's Shopping affiliate program, where U.S. creators will now be able to tag Amazon products in their Shorts, long-form videos and livestreams, making it even easier for viewers to buy the products. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
August 25 · 49 min
Episode 3: The Sports Streaming Podcast, with Dan Rayburn & Eric Black
This month, Eric Black and Dan Rayburn discuss the big news that all of Peacock's content will be available on YouTube Premium in the U.S. They discuss what it means for NBCU, which has now become a content licensing company and DTC service, which are very different business models. They debate that over time, Peacock may no longer be a destination for consumers when the content can be viewed on other platforms. They also discuss the announced price increases for Peacock, ranging from $1-$3 per month, on the heels of Comcast announcing during its Q2 earnings that Peacock turned its first-ever quarterly profit since the service launched six years ago. They also discuss the news that YES Network and MSG Networks will be shutting down its Gotham Sports app, announcing a deal with DAZN that will make DAZN the exclusive home for their content. They cover the latest in the messy RSN market, dicuss consumer fragmentation and report that DAZN has secured games from the Timberwolves and Pacers, while Victory+ has lost teams from its service after failing to pay them money owed for the content. They cover how Disney+ is starting to become a sports service, having signed a multi-year partnership with Formula E, along with the sports content they already have with the World Cup, LALIGA, NBA and UEFA in other countries. The discussion also includes Disney's CEO saying they are "looking forward to launching" a free version of their service and what it might look like. Finally, they detail the latest news from FOX, NFL, Prime Video, Telemundo, ESPN and Versant. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
August 16 · 53 min
Episode 179: Recapping Earnings from Paramount, WBD, Fubo, Roku, Fox, EchoStar; News from Disney, Netflix, Apple and NFL
This week, we cover the Q2 earnings numbers you need to know from WBD, Roku, Paramount Skydance, Fubo and EchoStar, including net profit and subscribers. We discuss the latest bundling and content deals from Disney, Netflix, Philo, Apple TV, and Google TV. We also detail the technical issues NFL+ experienced during week one of preseason games, the layoffs at Scripps and VideoAmp, and Dolby's acquisition of 250 patents that are at the heart of the technology that contributed to VVC. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
August 5 · 50 min
Episode 178: YouTube's Peacock Deal; Gotham Sports App Shutting Down; Infrastructure Earnings from Amazon and Microsoft
This week, discuss the news that eligible YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. will gain access to ad-supported Peacock Premium in 2027 at no additional charge and debate if this means NBCU will become a content arms dealer. We detail the plan for NFL Ticket to come back to DIRECTV for businesses through a new licensing deal, and DAZN plans to acquire EverPass Media. We also highlight the YES Network and MSG Networks news that will make DAZN the exclusive home for their content, replacing the Gotham Sports App, which will be shut down. We touch on the latest news from HBO Max, Roku, Disney, SiriusXM, Prime Video, and Rogers Communications. Finally, we cover all the Q2 earnings numbers you need to know from Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Meta and AMC Global Media. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
July 29 · 28 min
Episode 177: Roku's Hardware Price Increase; Peacock Turns a Profit; Final FIFA World Cup Numbers from YouTube, TikTok, Fox and Telemundo
This week, I detail Comcast's Q2 earnings, which, for the first time in six years, showed Peacock had a positive quarter, with $189 million in EBITDA. This positive news was offset by the loss of 280,000 cable TV subscribers and 167,000 broadband residential customers, with total company revenue down 1.2% YoY. I discuss the news that Roku is raising the MSRP of its streaming sticks and boxes from $10-$50, depending on the model, noting that the largest portion of Roku's overall device unit volume comes from the sale of third-party Roku-made TVs by OEM partners, not Roku boxes. Finally, I detail the final FIFA World Cup viewership numbers from YouTube, Cazé TV, TikTok, Fox/FOX One, and Telemundo/Peacock, highlighting the different measurement methodologies used, and mention Telemundo becoming the exclusive U.S. Spanish-language rights holder for the next UEFA men's club competitions. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
July 19 · 44 min
Episode 176: Netflix Q2 Earnings, Industry Doom and Gloom Overrated; Fandango to Compete in the FAST Market
This week, I discuss Netflix's earnings, the new numbers it disclosed regarding live streaming, confirmation that engagement didn't decline, double-digit revenue growth in all regions, and the largest share buybacks in company history. I explain that while some suggest that Netflix's business is "broken" or "collapsing," none of it is based on facts or supported by any actual numbers. (Nielsen's don't count) I also cover Fandango's push to become a FAST platform, with its owner, Versant, having acquired rights to air Bundesliga games in the U.S., some of which stream on Fandango. I also talk about the company's goal of having what they say will be a better FAST experience, with lower ad loads and its claims that it has a unique advantage in bringing audiences in through recent theatrical releases. Finally, I cover why I don't think a streamer will secure U.S. rights to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, since the largest viewing audience will require a combination of linear TV and streaming. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
July 16 · 29 min
Episode 175: Comcast to Split Business; ITV Sells to Sky; Meta Planning Cloud Business
This week, I discuss Comcast's plans to split its media and technology businesses, spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky into a separate publicly traded company. I questioned why it didn't happen sooner, since for years we've seen from its balance sheet and stock price that combining its content and distribution pipelines hasn't added value. Also related to Comcast, I cover the news that ITV has agreed to sell its Media and Entertainment division, covering the ITV channels, the ITVX streaming platform, and the advertising business that funds them, to Comcast-owned Sky for up to £1.6 billion. I discuss Meta's plans to launch a cloud business to sell AI computing power and why it makes sense, when Meta is spending so much on capex without a clear path to directly monetize it. I also use the example of Meta taking a page from Google's playbook, which successfully diversified revenue beyond just advertising by growing their cloud services over many years. Other Meta news covered is that the company took a patent license covering AV1 and VP9 from the Access Advance VDP Pool. Finally, I cover the latest news from Netflix, which will add video content from new publishers, ranging from 3 to 20 minutes in length, and why this is not a sign that Netflix is trying to be YouTube. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
July 13 · 45 min
Episode 2: The Sports Streaming Podcast, with Dan Rayburn & Eric Black
This month, Eric Black and Dan Rayburn discuss World Cup viewership, breaking down the numbers between linear and streaming and the problems posed by the lack of a standard measurement. They also cover World Cup latency, including on airplanes, and ask whether viewers would pay more for Dolby Vision HDR, Atmos surround sound, and lower latency. Or, similar to customers gravitating to ad-supported subs for a lower cost, would they do the same for less interactivity? They also cover other live streams, including the Tour de France, WNBA, Wimbledon and MLB and debate how these leagues can elevate their visibility during competing top-tier events. They also discussed the price increase for Apple TV, now priced at $199, making it unlikely to grow in the market, since less than 5% of live streams already go to Apple TV hardware. Finally, they covered the news that Fubo CEO and co-founder David Gandler is leaving the company and why the upcoming UFC Conor McGregor fight on Paramount+ might see the largest viewership on the platform, outside of NFL games. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
June 29 · 32 min
Episode 174: TF1 Channels Go Live on Netflix in France; Meta Enables AV1 Across RTC Apps; Apple TV Hardware Now Costs $199
This week, we discuss the launch of TF1 Groupe programs and live TV channels on Netflix in France, the first such deal for Netflix. We detail the available content and explain why we think TF1 dramas, reality shows, news and sports could help limit churn among existing Netflix subscribers. We also cover viewership numbers for Paramount's UFC Freedom 250 event at The White House, review the latest World Cup viewership stats, and discuss Snap's plans to spin off an internal team that was working on AI-powered generative video into a separate company. Finally, we cover news from Meta that AV1 is now enabled on the majority of mobile devices in Meta Real-Time Communication (RTC) applications, Apple raising the price of the Apple TV to $199, and debunk some of the latest rumors of the announced Fox and Roku deal. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
June 21 · 50 min
Episode 173: Fox and Roku Deal Facts and Numbers; World Cup Viewership Stats; Numbers From Bending Spoons IPO Filing; Latest Codec News
This week, we separate facts from opinions on the news that Fox Corporation has agreed to acquire Roku. We break down all the numbers, the impact on Tubi and The Roku Channel, Roku's hardware business, and all the other details you need to know. We also cover World Cup TV and streaming viewership stats released by Fox Sports, ITV, NBC Sports, STV, and others. We detail the revenue and profit numbers from Bending Spoons' SEC filing, which plans to go public this year. Finally, we go through the latest codec and protocol news, including Apple's HTTP Live Streaming enhancements, the Alliance for Open Media publishing AV2 specs, and the impact on OTT services from current codec and ABR patent suits. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
June 18 · 48 min
Episode 1: The Sports Streaming Podcast, with Dan Rayburn & Eric Black
Sports streaming is kind of a big deal. So, Eric Black and I have teamed up to record a new monthly podcast breaking down the Business and Technology of Sports Streaming. Giving listeners insight into the latest content deals, viewership numbers, user experiences and technical workflows, without any hype. In episode one, Eric and I talk about the World Cup's streaming quality, latency, piracy, free trials across OTT services and discuss the streaming rollout across FOX, ZEE5, Peacock, and FIFA+ on DAZN. We detail the renewed distribution deal between NBCU and Fubo, Fox’s expanded deal with the NFL that will bring games to Mexico, and Disney's new partnership to carry L’équipe’s TV channel in France on Disney+. We highlight a recent interview with MLS's Commissioner, who admitted that the added paywall and timing weren’t right for the market, as well as the impact on MLS within the Apple TV ecosystem. We also discuss the impact of RTL's acquisition of Sky Deutschland on sports content, which combines Sky’s premium sports rights with RTL’s entertainment and news brands, forming the strongest local competitor to Netflix in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Finally, we recap comments from those who testified at the congressional hearing on the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, and I question why EverPass Media has been so quiet about providing any technical details to businesses or integrators who are still in the dark about how the NFL Sunday Ticket will be rolled out later this year. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
June 1 · 43 min
Episode 172: World Cup Preview; Peacock's Vertical Video; NFL Streaming Schedule; Prime Video's Profitability
This week, special guest Eric Black and I discuss the upcoming World Cup, detailing streaming and pay TV viewership numbers from the 2022 event and what to expect this year. We also discuss the MLS game that used Apple iPhones for video capture, noting that they were used only as camera sensors and image processors. We review the NFL's 2026-2027 schedule, calling out the newly announced exclusive games on Netflix and Peacock and detail Netflix's newly extended media rights deal with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. We discuss the growth of Prime Video and Amazon's disclosure that Prime Video, as a stand-alone business, is profitable, without knowing how Amazon accounts for costs to the business. Eric details his recent experience with Peacock's vertical video stream, noting quality differences when the video source is Peacock versus a third party. Finally, we recap some numbers from Netflix on its monthly active viewers for its ad-supported plan, new price increases for DirecTV streaming packages, and a YouTube stat that two billion hours of Shorts are streamed on TVs each month. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
May 12 · 48 min
Episode 171: Infrastructure News from Akamai, Fastly and Cloudflare's Earnings; Anthropic and OpenAI Cloud Spend; Disney, WBD and Fubo Earnings
This week, we discuss a wild week in infrastructure news, with Akamai, Fastly and Cloudflare reporting earnings, sending all three companies' stock up or down by at least 30%. We detail Cloudflare's announcement that it will lay off over 1,100 employees, Akamai's new $1.8 billion seven-year contract for Cloud Infrastructure Services for AI modeling, and Wall Street's lack of understanding of the CDN business. We highlight reports suggesting that contracts involving Anthropic and OpenAI now ‌account ⁠for more than half of the $2 trillion in backlogs at major cloud providers, and how Google and Amazon reported a surge in profits in their Q1 earnings, based on the valuation of the stock they bought in Anthropic, and not any actual net profit. We also detail the latest numbers you need to know from WBD, Disney, and Fubo earnings, and how, with WBD no longer breaking out streaming subs and Fubo no longer breaking out Hulu+ Live TV subs, it's now almost impossible to compare DTC service growth quarter to quarter. Finally, we break out the pay TV losses by Optimum and discuss the unconfirmed reports that Netflix will get two additional NFL games starting in the 2026-27 season. Finally, we highlight Sky Sports' announcement that it will remain the exclusive home of Formula 1 in the UK and Ireland until 2034 and in Italy until 2032, which prevents Apple from securing the rights to stream F1 content in those countries. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
May 4 · 41 min
Episode 170: Q1 Earnings Data from Roku, Peacock, Amazon, Microsoft and AI Capex Spend; YouTube Custom Multiview; Amazon's Fire OS Confusion
This week, we detail the numbers you need to know from Q1 earnings from Roku, which, for the first time, separated out revenue for its advertising and subscription business. We also cover earnings from Comcast, the latest Peacock numbers, cord-cutting at Charter, and the massive capex spend in the quarter from Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon, with AWS revenue growth at its fastest in 15 quarters. We detail YouTube's Q1 revenue, which was down from the previous quarter and highlight YouTube TV's launch of a fully customizable multiview, including some device and content limitations. Moving on to NFL news, we also mention a rumored deal between the NFL and YouTube for a long-form contract review of a five-game package, and Comcast dropping the NFL Network and RedZone Channel from its Xfinity service due to a carriage dispute. We share live sports viewership numbers from April, including the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game and NBA on Amazon Prime, and discuss a hardware failure that caused one of Prime's games to lose video for 20 seconds during gameplay. Finally, we discuss why Amazon’s newly announced Fire TV Stick HD, which runs its Vega operating system, is not good for customers, and how Fire TV's lack of explanation of its Fire OS strategy to the market is bad for developers and consumers. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
April 27 · 54 min
Episode 169: Special NAB Show Recap: Content, Themes, Messaging and Lessons Learned
This week, we recap what we saw and heard at the 2026 NAB Show, covering themes, content, the West Hall exhibit floor, and the speakers at the Streaming Summit. We highlight some of the topics discussed most, including sports, workflow orchestration, MOQ, scaling live events, multiview, UI/UX, and how AI tech is being implemented into the video stack. I also cover what I want to improve at the Streaming Summit next year, what exhibitors can do to improve their messaging and booth presence, and where we both see room for improvement in the attendee experience. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
April 13 · 38 min
Episode 168: NFL and DOJ News Overblown; New Amazon AI Revenue Data; YouTube Raises Premium Pricing; Sling TV/FOX/Fubo/Disney+ News
This week, we detail YouTube's upcoming price increase across all U.S. YouTube Premium plans, Sling TV's new $20 monthly plan that includes ESPN, and FOX's announcement that it will shut down the Fox Sports app for smart TVs and connected devices. We also discuss Fubo's newly released set of long-term financial targets, which projects positive free cash flow by fiscal 2027, and why the news that the DOJ is exploring whether the NFL is engaging in anti-competitive tactics isn't a surprise. Finally, we discuss AI news, including Amazon's newly released revenue data for its AI business, which shows AWS’s AI revenue run rate is over $15 billion. We break down Amazon's plans to double its total power capacity by the end of 2027, its $20 billion in revenue for its chip business, and its stated model of investing disproportionately behind what matters and pulling back when something isn’t working. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
April 5 · 40 min
Episode 167: Latest Sports Streaming Viewership Numbers; Oracle Layoffs; The Problem With AI Capex Spending
This week, we detail viewership numbers from Netflix, NBC Sports and Peacock for MLB's opening week, highlighting the multiple issues with how the data is collected and presented, leading to impossible comparisons. We also discuss OpenAI's hiring of Indian streaming giant JioStar to lead its Asia-Pacific operations and news that Main Street Sports Group lenders have formally signed paperwork to close the business after the first round of the NHL playoffs. Finally, we discuss Oracle's recent round of layoffs and break down the balance sheet numbers that led to them, including $58 billion in new debt, net income, operating cash flow and $50 billion in capital expenditures expected during fiscal 2026. Dan argues that all this reckless spending on AI isn't innovation but rather financial engineering dressed up as leadership, with no accountability, no consequences and a lack of leaders who manage with discipline. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
March 29 · 42 min
Episode 166: Netflix's MLB Opening Night Stream and Newly Announced Price Increase; News Recap from OpenAI, YouTube TV, DAZN, Roku, Fubo and NFL
This week, special guest Eric Black and I discuss Netflix's opening-night MLB stream, which received many negative reviews for its production, relentless, intrusive promotions and poor video quality. We also discuss Netflix's price increases across all its packages and the 18.4 million global viewers who watched the BTS concert live stream. We also highlight the launch of HBO Max in the UK and Ireland, the launch in 12 new markets in the APAC region, and the news that WBD will hold the Special Meeting of Shareholders to vote on the merger with Paramount Skydance Corporation on April 23. We discuss why OpenAI shut down Sora, the lack of a business model behind the service and why it makes sense for OpenAI's bottom line. We do a quick roundup of the latest news from YouTube TV, DAZN, Roku, Fubo, NFL and Epic Games. Finally, we mention the newly appointed CEO at Deltatre, prompting me to ask whether this now means the company will explain its strategy and focus and tell the market what it wants to be known for. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
March 23 · 37 min
Episode 165: JioHotstar Hits 72.5M Concurrent; NFL Sunday Ticket for Businesses Goes Streaming Only; New Netflix Data Released
This week, we discuss JioHotstar's recent live stream of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which set a global streaming record with a peak of 72.5 million concurrent viewers. We detail some of the tech specs from the event, including the split between mobile and TV viewing and the rebuffer rate. We cover EverPass Media's news that it will be the exclusive commercial option for the NFL Sunday Ticket package this season, with DIRECTV no longer having a license to carry the games. This change raises many questions, including how the streaming video will sync across multiple TVs streaming the same game. We highlight Spectrum's launch of its new multiview feature in the Spectrum TV App, noting that at launch, viewers can't select their own games and must choose from pre-curated options. We share a few new numbers from Netflix's Next on Netflix summit, including that subscribers watch about 7 movies a month and that the company will invest in original storytelling and a renewed focus on theatrical comedy and content for young adults. Finally, we detail new technology in the video streaming pipeline, including MoQ, AV1/2, VVC, SGAI, and ULL, to refute an analyst's claim that there is "no more to get out of the core technology of video streaming." Podcast produced by Security Halt Media
March 17 · 37 min
Episode 164: Peacock Rolling Out Vertical Video for NBA Games; NFL Starts Renegotiating Broadcast Contacts Early; Disney+ Tests Vertical Video
This week, we discuss reports that the NFL has begun renegotiating its $110 billion in domestic broadcast agreements ahead of the 2026 season, seeking a 50% increase with some broadcasters, if accurate. We also explain why it's gotten so hard to compare big live streaming events to one another when viewership numbers alone don't provide a clear picture. We use NBCU as an example: it released a rebuffer rate for the Super Bowl stream but did not provide viewership numbers, while JioHotstar provided viewership numbers for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, but not the rebuffer rate. On the vertical video front, we detail news from both Peacock and Disney, which are rolling out trials of the new viewing format. Peacock will debut a new vertical video option for all live NBA broadcasts, not just highlights, powered by AI that performs real-time cropping and is optimized for phone screens. Disney+, meanwhile, has rolled out Verts, letting users swipe through a stream of scenes and moments from Disney+ movies and shows, add them to their Watchlist, or jump directly into playback. Finally, we discuss Apple's claim that viewership for the first weekend of the F1 races was "up year over year" compared with ESPN's coverage, but provided no numbers, as well as the latest on the WBD and Paramount Skydance merger. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media

Showing 1–20 of 22 episodes