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To The Max

On Tuesday, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) formally launched Max, its new streaming service that mixes HBO Max and Discovery+ content material. However the launch had some technical difficulties.

Subscribers complained on social media concerning the app crashing, streams freezing and difficulties logging in.

Max is technically a relaunch of the HBO Max app. The Discovery+ app is unaffected as a standalone service, though its content material can be out there on Max.

However a relaunch is not any cakewalk. A consumer’s HBO Max login, viewing historical past and billing info should all be transferred seamlessly for the brand new Max app to work correctly – and, alas, that’s not what occurred. 

“To its credit score, the Max app is way quicker because it crashes extra rapidly,” tweets information anchor Marc Istook.

WBD defended itself by declaring that main app launches are sure to have some kinks, and that the corporate addressed them promptly.

“Solely minor [issues] emerged and have been rapidly remedied,” a WBD spokesperson informed Selection. “It’s essential to at all times anticipate points on a tech rollout of this scale.”

To be honest, Max isn’t the one streaming platform to make headlines for technical fails. (Hello there, Netflix.)

Oh Boycott

Most entrepreneurs are making numerous noise about interesting to younger and socially acutely aware audiences by taking sturdy stands on cultural points and prioritizing inclusivity of their messaging.

However different manufacturers are contemplating operating away from inclusivity altogether in response to backlash from conservative clients, advert company sources inform Digiday.

After seeing the repercussions from Bud Gentle’s partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Miller Lite’s satirical Ladies’s Historical past Month spot with actress Ilana Glazer and the launch of a one-piece Adidas gender-neutral “Pleasure Swimsuit,” some advertisers are rethinking their inclusive model messaging to keep away from a possible boycott.

With Pleasure Month approaching, manufacturers that beforehand assumed a pro-LGBTQ+ stance will face a difficult balancing act. “There’s threat in not displaying up and there’s the hazard of strolling right into a buzz noticed,” says Michael Boychuk, co-founder and CCO of unbiased company Little Fingers of Stone.

As soon as the 2024 election is underway, promoting will seemingly proceed to be a battlefront in America’s ongoing tradition wars.

Caught On Cable

Content material bundling is sizzling proper now.

Programming distributors are utilizing bundling to maintain pay TV subscribers round by pitching them a low-cost various to conventional cable TV packages.

Comcast rolled out a brand new bundle this week referred to as Now TV that has over 40 cable networks, together with Discovery and AMC, and 20 Comcast-owned streaming channels, amongst them Xumo, NBC Information and the ad-supported tier of Peacock. The bundle is on the market to Comcast Xfinity clients for $20 per thirty days, The Data reviews.

Comcast is beneath stress to curb subscriber churn as a result of broadband clients maintain dropping off in favor of lower-cost streaming choices like Peacock. 

If Comcast can use Peacock to incentivize TV viewers to maintain their cable subscriptions, it could possibly scale back churn and promote a extra scalable viewers to advertisers.

Not like linear, the Comcast bundle’s streaming providing consists of solely Comcast-owned stock to ensure it stands out. Streaming competitors is fierce.

And so Comcast is leaning closely on Peacock as its anchor within the streaming world – which could additionally clarify why Comcast will seemingly promote its stake in Hulu to Disney (if the 2 can come to an settlement).

However Wait, There’s Extra!

TikTok (not simply its creator base) is suing Montana for banning the platform. [Bloomberg]

Meta will promote Giphy to Shutterstock at a cut price of $53 million after its acquisition was blocked by the UK. [The Verge]

Reside sports activities is on the verge of breaking away from cable – however streaming subscriptions will price followers dearly. [NYMag]

BuzzFeed’s Tasty unveils “Botatouille,” an AI chatbot for recipe suggestions. [NY Times]