Posted on 09/01/2015 7:51:12 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Is Apple about to enter the world of original programming, and if so, what sort of programming is it pursuing?
Those questions are swirling in media circles after a Monday night report from Variety, a Hollywood news fixture, that Apple (AAPL, Tech30) is exploring such a move.
One thing is for certain: Apple executives are reaching out to high-level entertainment industry types for confidential talks.
An executive familiar with the outreach to Hollywood said Apple is assessing whether it should start to bankroll original TV shows and movies.
This would put Apple into close competition with streaming services like Netflix and traditional TV networks like ABC. At the same time, it could become a deep-pocketed new buyer of content from Hollywood studios.
The source cautioned that it is "very early days."
An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the Variety report, which also came with a number of caveats. "The scale of Apple's ambitions vary depending on whom is asked," Variety said.
Apple could just be looking to expand what it's already doing with Apple Music, perhaps by financing music documentaries or concert films. But the Hollywood meetings come at a time of intense competition for audience attention and subscription dollars.
Other companies' TV shows and movies already light up iPhone and iPad screens all around the world and make the Apple TV box worth buying.
Apple is expected to introduce a new version of Apple TV at a press event on September 9.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
i know lots of people who love netflix programming, as well as amazon....this is the future
Great...
Sodomy TV !
That should be as big a hit as that gay watch!
Apple without Jobs is like the US with Obama.
So, Tim Cook is Obama?
Thank you for that intelligent post./s
That’s utter nonsense. Apple has $35B in cash. Netflix has a market cap of $45B. Usually when one healthy company buys another healthy company, there is a mark-up, so Netflix would go for MORE than $50B+.
I fail to see how they are going to buy Netflix in an all cash transaction.
Oh... maybe you think they will secure some debt for the remaining $15B+? I dare them. Their current ratio is only 1.09. That would push them into sub-one current ratio territory. With a global slowdown coming, they could default in no time.
Laugh if you will, but we saw power houses go down in the dot-com crash because they were over-leveraged. There is no way Apple “buys Netflix for all cash” without becoming over-leveraged.
Oh, and I get that they have liquid assets that are “cash-like equivalents,” but do you honestly think they haven’t taken a hit over the past few weeks as the markets have tumbled? Any move as you described would be incredibly imprudent.
I *dare* them to do a $50B cash-only transaction. I double-dog dare them.
Several have tried streaming. Most have failed.
Netflix and Amazon Prime seem to have found the way to succeed.
I am of the opinion that most people don’t want 200 streaming sources (see: cable, satellite) to have to sort through to find something to watch.
CBS, HBO, STARZ, Redbox, Blockbuster — those are just a few that have tried streaming.
I like Netflix’s profiles. I have one set up for movies and another set up for TV series. That makes it easier to select something in my queues.
How about a religion?
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