What a Disney/Fox Tie-Up Would Mean For Moviegoers
Disney reportedly has been in talks to buy most of 21st Century Fox, including its movie studio and networks like FX and National Geographic. Sean Aune, editor-in-chief of Techno Buffalo, joined Cheddar to explain what each company would get out of the deal.
Aune says Disney is interested in Fox's TV production to leverage its new streaming platform, due out next year. Disney will not gain control over Fox network or its affiliates, nor would it touch sports. And while Aune considers that running on news and sports is a risky deal, Fox can take on the challenge.
In addition, a potential deal can give Disney control over Fox's Marvel properties, including rights to Star Wars, which would be huge win for the company.
So if this deal does go through, what would it mean for streaming services like Netflix? Aune believes that by the time the Disney streaming service is available, Netflix will be mostly original content, a sector the company has been heavily investing in.
AT&T announced it's offering two tiers of high-speed internet, 2 gigs, and 5 gigs, to its fiber customers in more than 70 metro regions. AT&T Consumer CEO Thaddeus Arroyo joined Cheddar to talk about the newly available speed upgrades for 5.2 million of its customers, and where the rollout goes from here. "Over the course of 2022, we'll rapidly continue to retrofit the rest of the base," he said. "And importantly now is, as we build-out, we've talked about building out to cover 30 million homes and businesses by the end of 2025, we're going to continue to ensure that every new location that we stand up has this multi gig capability."
Autonomous driving tech company Waymo is partnering with transportation and logistics business J.B. Hunt. The two firms are teaming up to bring autonomous shipping to the highways. Head of commercialization for trucking at Waymo, Charlie Jatt, joined Cheddar to discuss how the companies are combining their strengths. "We, of course at Waymo, are working on the technology side of affairs, and J. B Hunt brings critical operational and commercial expertise," Jatt said. "And together we're going to work to deploy the first fully autonomous Class 8 truck hauling goods for one of their customers in the coming years in Texas."
Amid a rough week for Peloton's stock, as well as its image — its bikes being the cause of death for two fictional TV characters now — an activist investor is calling for a change in upper management. Chief investment officer of Blackwell, Jason Aintabi, petitioned in a letter that Peloton’s CEO, John Foley, must be fired. Joining Cheddar to discuss the ultimatum, Hatem Dhiab, a portfolio manager and managing partner at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management noted the conditions leading to the demand for Foley's removal. "The stock is basically 85 percent below the high," he said. "I think there is some change that needs to happen, and that's just the reality."
Talent Resources Sports is partnering with ABG Entertainment to host Sports Illustrated The Party during the weekend of Super Bowl LVI, featuring musical performances by Kygo, Jack Harlow, and other guests. David Spencer and Mike Heller, co-CEOs and founders of Talent Resources Sports, joined Cheddar to discuss the details behind putting on the event. “We’re just really pumped that after all of the things that got canceled people will finally have a place to let some steam off in such an exciting moment, such a charged moment with the Super Bowl,” Mike Heller said about putting on the live event after previous COVID-related cancellations.
Mayors in cities like Miami and New York City are considering introducing cryptocurrencies as a way to reduce economic inequality. Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez has even pushed for distributing Bitcoin dividends to the city's inhabitants.
As companies look toward the metaverse concept to further move their companies online, Shep Ogden, CEO and co-founder of Offbeat Media, spoke with Cheddar about questions investors should be posing to businesses like how customized the metaverse experience will be. "One of the best things that people can do, or companies can do, to be competitive is really find those influencers within the community that are very deep in the space," Ogden added.
