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[ManaByte]

HBO Max's death may be exaggerated — Discovery Plus merger coming [Update]

Reading the HBO Max + Discovery Plus tea leaves

www.tomsguide.com

Today's news, though, is very ominous for anything with HBO Max (which we still believe is the best streaming service) branding on it. In the midst of plenty of chaos on Tuesday (August 2), with HBO Max's Batgirl movie being canceled after Warner put $90 million into it and the news that six HBO Max original films have disappeared from the service, other shoes started to drop.


Tony Maglio at IndieWire(opens in new tab) then reported there were more cuts to come, and it's all because of the want to cut costs as they merge HBO Max and Discovery Plus. The question, of course is how are they going to merge these two services?

HBO is starting to remove HBO Max branded content from the service. Signs are pointing to Discovery killing it and merging HBO into Discovery+

 

[PSlayer]

I have hbo max and it's pretty good. Such a shame if true

 

[Kraz]

Didn't really know what Discovery was until today. So that's where all the garbage reality television comes from lol. Poor HBO and Warner.

 

[BadBurger]

I heard the same rumors days ago. The summary:

- HBO Max will revert to simply being HBO as it used to be

- HBO will be folded into the Discovery+ app/website, in a manner similar to how Studio Ghibli has its own branded section in HBO Max

- They will stop making things like DC content specifically for HBO. So shows like Peacemaker would go away or have to find a life in some other form. Instead, HBO will return to being a "premium" channel, focusing on the kinds of original films and shows they used to exclusively make like Game of Thrones

- Despite the claims to be a return to "premium" television, expect even more unscripted shows coming to HBO. It seems like every show I watched on HBO Max this past month had a pre-roll about some new reality TV show


If this is the way HBO dies, at the hands of an executive who is largely responsible for the network decay that turned almost all specialized channels into reality TV garbage factories, and the greed of shareholders who would let the whole thing burn down for a little short term profits, it would be incredibly ironic given how HBO rose to prominence and remained that way for so long in the first place.

 

[BaneIsPain]

Good. Too many streaming options imo.

 

[partime]

Good. Too many streaming options imo.

You say'n HBO lacks good streaming options? Them be fight'n words.

 

[Lady Jane]

I think there’s more to this. HBO Max has, by far, the best quality movie selection and most people I know have the service.

I think it’s more of restructuring to make more money rather than it being dead. Possibly rebranding to just be “HBO”

 

[gow3isben]

Someone just tell me that the show Warrior will have a season 3

 

[scoobidoo112]

We litereally got HBO Max in March in the Nordic region. What a stupid move it would be to immediately kill it off.

I'm enjoying the service so far (for €4/month) but if this happens, I will simply move over to Disney+.

 

[The Cockatrice]

stupid af. went from hbo to hbo go then to hbo max and now what? back to hbo?

 

[Forsete]

Nooooo! I like HBO Max.

 

[Konnor]

That would be exceptionally retarded. We'll see, I kind of doubt they'd be that stupid but this is Hollywood so I can't rule out anything

 

[kuncol02]

Good riddance. From all big streaming services that one is worst on many levels. They didn't even cared enough to make sure that app is available in all regions on all devices. For example it's unavailable on amazon fire tv in Poland, but if you have it on your account then it's not only working fine, but it's even translated.
I hoped that with rebranding from HBO Go to HBO Max they will fix technical side of that service, but it's as fucked as it was before.

 

[FunkMiller]

Everyone outside US.

 

[nemiroff]

Everyone outside US.

I don't understand, I don't watch much TV but I'm in Norway and have free access to HBO Max through my internet provider, last I checked it's a pretty good service..?

 

[Nobody_Important]

How is it the one Streaming Service with the highest average quality of content is the first to fail? Yet Peacock just lost like 2 billion dollars while peddling shit literally no one cares about and is still trucking along.


The brass at HBO Max are fucking soft.

 

[AlteredForms]

Only thing I know about Discovery Plus is that they host those garbage reality shows like 90 Day Fiance and everything associated. I do like their company logo though, it's a shame that "discovery" doesn't represent learning something worthwhile.

 

[It's all in the wrist]

They cancelled Raised by Wolves. That sucks.

Oh well.

 

[SJRB]

What a mess.

 

[Nobody_Important]

Everyone outside US.

 

[FunkMiller]

I don't understand, I don't watch much TV but I'm in Norway and have free access to HBO Max through my internet provider, last I checked it's a pretty good service..?

No disrespect to your fine Nordic nation, but HBO Max’s rollout globally to major markets has been way too slow, and that probably contributes to its apparent incipient demise.

 

[jason10mm]

How does HBO make such good shows? There must be just a few people there that really know premium TV.

I hope they stay together when amazon/apple/netflix/hulu come a calling.

 

[AJUMP23]

Discovery should want the HBO name, not the other way around.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Everyone outside US.

yup. never been available here in the UK so don't really give a fuck. I know GoT was on HBO but we got that on Sky and I suppose the same will happen for the new show. Other than that I couldn't tell you WTF is on HBO except His Dark Materials (not so popular but I love it) and that isn't really a HBO show (despite what americans think) cause it's more of a BBC production. HBO just helped and distributes outside UK.

anyway, as i see it this just means 1 less streaming service. Netflix ain't going anywhere and Disney/Apple/Amazon are only going to get stronger. I suspect those companies will be trying to attract the HBO employees who are let go.

gg hbo

 

[Deleted member 1159]

Where will we go for all that hot Elmo content???

 

[nightmare-slain]

I don't understand, I don't watch much TV but I'm in Norway and have free access to HBO Max through my internet provider, last I checked it's a pretty good service..?

it might be a good service and it might be available in Norway but their european expansion has been awful.

In the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy HBO content is on Sky Atlantic. In France it's through OCS, I believe.

Nordic countries, Spain, Netherlands and Portugal have HBO Max

 

[TTOOLL]

Discovery Plus is amazing and hbo max too, I don’t care about what name they will call it.

 

[Lunarorbit]

I heard the same rumors days ago. The summary:

- HBO Max will revert to simply being HBO as it used to be

- HBO will be folded into the Discovery+ app/website, in a manner similar to how Studio Ghibli has its own branded section in HBO Max

- They will stop making things like DC content specifically for HBO. So shows like Peacemaker would go away or have to find a life in some other form. Instead, HBO will return to being a "premium" channel, focusing on the kinds of original films and shows they used to exclusively make like Game of Thrones

- Despite the claims to be a return to "premium" television, expect even more unscripted shows coming to HBO. It seems like every show I watched on HBO Max this past month had a pre-roll about some new reality TV show


If this is the way HBO dies, at the hands of an executive who is largely responsible for the network decay that turned almost all specialized channels into reality TV garbage factories, and the greed of shareholders who would let the whole thing burn down for a little short term profits, it would be incredibly ironic given how HBO rose to prominence and remained that way for so long in the first place.

Holy shit is discovery trash. They really have some of the most garbage shows out there on TV. I still have cable and it's embarrassing what they put out.

I was super nervous when att bought out HBO. But it turns out that what came next is even worse. I watch a show like f boy island and laugh but it's not really HBO and it's not good. This is the future of HBO unfortunately

 

[TheMan]

Supposedly we find out HBO’s fate today btw. They’re expected to make announcement during an earnings call or something along those lines

 

[nightmare-slain]

Discovery Plus is amazing and hbo max too, I don’t care about what name they will call it.

it's not just a name change. content is being removed. HBO will have a different focus and lots of employees will be fired.

 

[MastaKiiLA]

Didn't really know what Discovery was until today. So that's where all the garbage reality television comes from lol. Poor HBO and Warner.

Once upon a time, The Discovery Channel (and The Learning Channel, and A&E) was an amazing channel for documentaries and nature films. Then, they followed ratings and went reality heavy. Reality television destroyed a lot of once great cable networks. The killing of MTV was the canary in the coalmine.

 

[Deleted member 1159]

Once upon a time, The Discovery Channel (and The Learning Channel, and A&E) was an amazing channel for documentaries and nature films. Then, they followed ratings and went reality heavy. Reality television destroyed a lot of once great cable networks. The killing of MTV was the canary in the coalmine.

It never ceases to amaze me that the most mind boggling stupid schlock is the most popular…I absolutely detest reality shows, and my only exposure is from the gym or whatever my parents have on at their house and that still is enough to be rage inducing. They’re so fucking dumb.

 

[Kilau]

 

[haxan7]

HBO Max is a lot of people's favorite streaming service. Their selection of movies is unparalleled. Strange to see it having issues.

 

[TrueLegend]

Stupidity at its finest, changing brand logos for growth. Yeah Nah.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

It can not be true.

HBO Max is my favorite service, I have Disney plus, amazon and Netflix.

I love HBO for the quality of the movies and the animation.

Why is it in danger if many people have it in subscription?

 

[March Climber]

- Despite the claims to be a return to "premium" television, expect even more unscripted shows coming to HBO. It seems like every show I watched on HBO Max this past month had a pre-roll about some new reality TV show

Your other points I see the merit in but this one is a bit off. Those shows you’ve watched in the past month were most likely filmed way before this merger started to have an effect on anything at all, so it’s too early to tell if that will be the future content output. It’s more likely that those shows were placed in July because that specific content might get the most views during a month like July. Even Netflix and Hulu have a rotation of reality tv shows that they dump out during low content months. I’m not saying you’re fully wrong in your prediction, I'm just saying it's too early to tell.

 

[Hari Seldon]

How is it the one Streaming Service with the highest average quality of content is the first to fail? Yet Peacock just lost like 2 billion dollars while peddling shit literally no one cares about and is still trucking along.


The brass at HBO Max are fucking soft.

Nah man that is Apple by a country mile. Tons of complete garbage on HBO Max. Their reputation is not deserved, almost all of their good shit is catalog stuff from the glory days of HBO.

 

[GladiusFrog]

I actually love HBO Max, great classic movie selection.

 

[IntentionalPun]

The HBO Max shit rumored being cut is pretty mediocre in my experience.

HBO proper stuff will likely be steamtable on whatever this combined service is.

I actually like quite a few "Discovery" shows.. like Alone, or Naked and Afraid XL... I dabble in Food Network stuff when bored too.. so a combination of the good stuff from HBO and some of the Discovery stuff doesn't seem like a bad deal to me.. especially if they continue to offer it via Amazon's "channels" which I find super convenient. I have Disocvery+, AMC's thing, Showtime content and a couple of other's via amazon.

HBO used to be offered via amazon but they removed it when HBO Max came around, so will be nice if that content is back in one place.

 

[ManaByte]

HBO Max is a lot of people's favorite streaming service. Their selection of movies is unparalleled. Strange to see it having issues.

It can not be true.

HBO Max is my favorite service, I have Disney plus, amazon and Netflix.

I love HBO for the quality of the movies and the animation.

Why is it in danger if many people have it in subscription?

New people own it.

 

[Mossybrew]

I thought this trash "Reality" show trend would eventually decline but it seems as strong as ever.

 

[Kraz]

Once upon a time, The Discovery Channel (and The Learning Channel, and A&E) was an amazing channel for documentaries and nature films. Then, they followed ratings and went reality heavy. Reality television destroyed a lot of once great cable networks. The killing of MTV was the canary in the coalmine.

It became the infomercials it used to sell time to in off hours. Didn't take long either. I cut cable in 2004 and it had largely changed, but didn't realize it was all part of the same group of cable networks producing similar content.
Watched the Discovery Channel launch video in my country from 1994. What a difference.


I laugh thinking how it would be called woke nowadays. Only because people fell asleep to with the tv on.

With any luck in time whatever develops from youtube and tiktok might destroy Discovery.

 

[IntentionalPun]

HBO Max is a lot of people's favorite streaming service. Their selection of movies is unparalleled. Strange to see it having issues.

I love HBO for the quality of the movies and the animation.

You are most likely enjoying HBO content via HBO Max service, not enjoying HBO Max produced content.

The rumor doesn't say HBO content is going away, just much of actual HBO Max content. And they'd be crazy to relegate that to cable only, so people paying attention are assuming they'd continue to stream that stuff on this new merged service.

Remember HBO go? it was just HBO's content streamed.. eventually HBO Max came along and they expanded their production capabilities and created a bunch of new content. That's what is being cut into pieces not HBO.

Anyways we are supposed to find out today what is actually going on, this is just rumor for now.

 

[Amory]

Would be a weird move to torpedo such a huge asset. HBO Max makes Discovery an instant streaming giant. Maybe the strongest of anyone outside of Disney.

I could see them cutting back some spending, but not eliminating it entirely.

 

[dem]

HBO is a name people would pay for...

Discovery+?
Give me a break

Am I crazy... or is Apple starting to position itself as the new HBO?

 

[DispatchNinja]

I never cared about the hbo max original content anyways. Just keep the actual hbo shows and movie catalogue they have on an hbo app and I’ll be content.

 

[nemiroff]

No disrespect to your fine Nordic nation, but HBO Max’s rollout globally to major markets has been way too slow, and that probably contributes to its apparent incipient demise.

I see, didn't know that, I expected we were among the last to get it, lol. I'm not a big TV guy, but I've watched The Office and Westworld on the service lately.

 

[sinnergy]

We just got it here in the Netherlands, I like it, watched enough stuff on it already.

 

[ManaByte]

Remove HBO Max original movies...add reality shows.