Thundershock MN started a thread on tvnewstalk.net on media predictions for 2015 (especially TV). I thought I might share some of them here.
http://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?/topic/14361-2015-media-predictions/#entry125487
jmkcool2002 also has some of his own.
http://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?/topic/14361-2015-media-predictions/#entry125507
Of course, some of these may be crazy, but we'll see. What are your TV predictions for 2015?
Univision Communications will follow through with an IPO after the various PE owners are unable to sell the company.
CBS Corporation will actually follow through on their plans to divest a chunk of their radio stations.
Disney will spin off ABC (and possibly the O&O's) either outright or as part of a joint venture.
Tribune Media will acquire one of the smaller cable programmers (ie: AMC Networks, SNI, etc.)
Starz, Inc. will be acquired by a large conglomerate. Likely 21st Century Fox (but, Disney could be a dark horse.)
Major acquisitions die down on the local broadcast front. Only 1 (or, 2) "major" acquisition(s) will take place.
Graham Holdings will be one of (or, the only) "major" acquisition(s) of 2015. With Meredith being the likely recipient of the five stations. (FYI - This is one of my two carry overs from 2014.)
With the M&A activity all but done station groups will look to rationalize their portfolios by "swapping" stations that no longer fit. (This is something I predicted/mentioned at the end of a post in 2013. But, 2015 will be the year it happens.)
Sinclair will re-organize and spin-off Chesapeake (and possibly fold Cunningham into it.) This will allow them to lower their ownership percentage and "shuffle" some debt around. The new "Chesapeake" entity will enter into an agreement whereby Sinclair manages back office/corporate level functions (see: LocalTV and Tribune and their creation of "The Other Company" as an example.)
HBO will focus mostly on selling HBOGO (or, their OTT offering) through broadband companies in 2015. In other words they will "sell" HBOGO (or, their OTT offering) as an "add-on" (or, as part of a bundle) with consumers broadband via Xfinity, TWC, etc. Depending on the success of that they will then offer a "slimmed down" HBOGO (or, their OTT offering) that they will sell and market themselves...but, I don't see that coming until 2016.
DirecTV will make the NFL Sunday Ticket.tv OTT service available to everyone nationally. Depending upon on when (or, if) the AT&T/DirecTV deal is approved; AT&T will include NFL Sunday Ticket.tv as an "add-on" or bundled with their high-end mobile packages.
ATSC 3.0 will be approved by years end. However, it still faces an uphill battle making it to the marketplace.
http://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?/topic/14361-2015-media-predictions/#entry125487
jmkcool2002 also has some of his own.
Sinclair will launch NewsChannel8 nationally via cable or multicast
Syndicated television shows will make a move to smaller cable networks in need of original programming (Access Hollywood and TMZ have already moved two of their shows to ReelzChannel, we’ll see other syndicators make the decision)
Station groups will continue to produce original syndicated programming that serve as a local-national hybrid
NBC will debut a new graphics package for the Winter Classic and Super Bowl (NBCSN has already used new graphics for their college hockey and basketball coverage)
Universal Sports will shut down after NBC decides to leave the venture. IOC’s new OTT network will partner with NBC to broadcast Olympic sports on NBCSN and the OTT network. NBC will help IOC market the network just as they do with the NHL Network but will not take an ownership stake. The OTT network will live on NBCOlympics.com in the USA and NBC News or Peacock Productions will help IOC produce documentaries for the network.
Pivot Network will shut down their linear network and become an OTT network, partner with a conglomerate to market itself better.
Fusion will become a more powerful online news source but lose more clout on its linear service. Fusion will shift away from news and will be filled with hours of ABC News, Univision and ESPN documentary repeats, YouTube shows moved to television.
Vice will launch a 24/7 news network in conjunction with A&E
HLN’s social media rebrand will not work and the network will dabble into reality television.
CNN will venture into scripted programming about historical events; potentially acquire off-network rights to House of Cards.
MSNBC will invest in different types of programming including documentaries, concerts, lifestyle shows, advocacy shows, and entertainment. Ronan Farrow’s show will be cancelled with Farrow becoming an online reporter for MSNBC.com
Fox News will stay the same, might add some Christian values programming
Al Jazeera America will take more of a political stance, possibly add opinion hosts
A major media company invests in an online video satire news network to compete with Comedy Central (Funny or Die has launched a news division, they could heighten their video production in this department in 2015 or someone else may decide to jump in)
GMA will continue to dominate Today Show, NBC News will make some on-air personality changes to the show
ABC launches an extra hour of “GMA.” They could either move “Kelly and Michael” to 10am or ABC stations could choose to not renew Rachael Ray or they could re-brand “The View” at 11am or the extra hour of “GMA” could live on a cable network
The NFL will opt out of contract with CBS but will re-sign a longer deal with The Tiffany Network; the deal will include NFL games airing on CBS All Access app and an ownership stake in the app for the League.
The NFL will add two new wild card playoff games which will be sold separately between rightsholders. CBS/NFL Network will take one game, ESPN will take the other.
NBC renews rights to Premier League soccer
ESPN and Fox acquire Big Ten rights together, ESPN commits some marketing resources to BTN and BTN2Go
WatchESPN and Fox Sports Go create subscription portal for sports
ESPN launches an ACC Network; Raycom remains ACC’s digital partner. ACC Network affiliates turn to Sinclair’s American Sports Network for programming
World Cup will not change locations, Fox will be forced to sublicense games to ESPN
ABC Family will be re-branded
Ann Curry leaves NBC
American Idol goes on hiatus
Advertisers will begin to produce multiple television programs for cable networks
Television advertising will continue to take a downturn as online advertising emerges
Showtime and HBO partner up for Pacquiao/Mayweather PPV on May 2nd in Dallas, Texas, undercard simulcasted on CBS/TNT/TBS; major promotion during March Madness including a contentious interview between the two during Final Four pregame show
CBS talks to Viacom and Time Warner about merging, buys Lionsgate. Alibaba buys Sony.
Yahoo finds a way to air Katie Couric’s news programs on television through CNN, Fusion or HLN
http://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?/topic/14361-2015-media-predictions/#entry125507
Of course, some of these may be crazy, but we'll see. What are your TV predictions for 2015?