Opinion: Is Disney a streaming hero or supervillain?


Disney doesn’t need to buy a theatre anyway – it already owns the box office. Other media and tech giants should take that as a warning to step up their streaming game. — AFP

The latest buzz in Hollywood is that the US Justice Department wants to abolish an outdated rule known as the Paramount consent decree, which would allow studio giants to own movie theatres – something that hasn’t been permitted since the 1940s. My first thought was that it's a bit of a nothingburger.

Studios like Warner Bros and Universal probably aren’t eager to scoop up debt-laden cinema operators when their top priority is investing in streaming-TV content and services. And while mom-and-pop theatres may fear the change will breed anti-competitive behaviour, that’s not as big of a concern for the big multiplex chains, nor does it signal an end to antitrust oversight.

Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM5/month

Billed as RM5/month for the 1st 6 months then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Tech News

EU's Vestager meets French tech firm Mistral AI amid competition concerns
Shein falls under tough EU online content rules as user numbers jump
Google parent Alphabet reclaims spot in $2 trillion valuation club
India's HCLTech misses Q4 revenue estimates
Chipmaker Intel falls as AI competition hurts forecast
Russia's Yandex reports Q1 revenue rise as market awaits spin-off news
Japan to levy big fines with new app rules
Inside Big Tech’s underground race to buy AI training data
Facebook scams demand stricter online rules, Japan lawmaker says
A Chinese firm is America’s favourite drone maker – except in Washington

Others Also Read