Insight to drive subscription growth

Join

Dana E. Neuts

Dana Neuts is Subscription Insider's Editorial Director, covering our daily subscription news as well as member features, case studies, premium content, and reports. Dana is also a writer, editor, marketer and communications professional. Her work has appeared in AARP Bulletin, The Seattle Times, Seattle Business, 425 Business, 425 Magazine, South Sound Magazine, Northwest Travel and more. Her specialties include business writing, community news, senior issues, travel and, of course, subscriptions!

Dana E. Neuts

Five on Friday: Micropayments, Profitability and Email Metrics

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, Metered Subscription, Micropayments, News, Product Development, Research and Benchmarks, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscriber Only, Subscription Business Marketing /

We are almost at the end of the first quarter, and it has been a big one in the world of subscriptions with launches, acquisitions and takeover bids. In this weeks edition of Five on Friday, well cover related subscription and membership topics, including micropayments as an alternative to subscriptions, profitability tips for 2019, the growing popularity of streaming video versus cable subscriptions, whether associations should offer subscription packages, and the email metrics your subscription company should be watching.

Five on Friday: Micropayments, Profitability and Email Metrics Read More »

Disney Completes $71 Billion Acquisition of 21st Century Fox

Business Operations, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Product Development, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscription Apps /

Last week, it became official. The Disney-Fox deal is now a done deal with The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) completing its acquisition of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox for a cool $71 billion. In a news release, Disney called this the “unprecedented collection of high-quality creative content, stellar talent and cutting-edge technologies” that will allow the company to expedite its direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming strategy and expand its presence to new audiences. It’s DTC offerings include ESPN+, ownership in Hulu and Disney +, its yet-to-be-launched streaming video-on-demand service coming later this year.

Disney Completes $71 Billion Acquisition of 21st Century Fox Read More »

Apple Reveals New TV, News and Gaming Subscriptions at Annual Event

Auto-renew Subscription, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Industry Announcements, Magazines, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps, Subscription Gaming /

Apple’s annual spring “reveal” is always a highlight of the year for technology enthusiasts. This year was no different as Apple unveiled an array of subscriptions that will shift Apple’s focus from product-based to service-based. Among the highlights were details of Apple’s new subscription services including Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade. Apple News+ is available now; the other two subscriptions are expected to launch this fall. Let’s take a look at what each of these services has to offer subscribers:

Apple Reveals New TV, News and Gaming Subscriptions at Annual Event Read More »

Digital First Media Secures $1.725B for Hostile Takeover of Gannett

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Consumer Services, Industry Announcements, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Regulation and Compliance /

The battle for ownership of Gannett is heating up. Last week, MNG Enterprises, also known as Digital First Media, announced that it has secured a letter from investment firm Oaktree Capital Group that states it is confident that Digital First Media can fund an acquisition for at least $1.725 billion. At this level of investment, Digital First Media could pay Gannett $12 per share, including any associated costs and the refinancing of MNG and Gannett debt.

Digital First Media Secures $1.725B for Hostile Takeover of Gannett Read More »

Comcast Launches Xfinity Flex Streaming for Internet-Only Customers

Auto-renew Subscription, Consumer Services, Customer Service, Entertainment and Streaming, Industry Announcements, News, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscription Apps /

Cable behemoth Comcast is trying to get its slice of the streaming video pie, it seems. Last Thursday, Comcast announced the launch of Xfinity Flex, a streaming video on demand service for the company’s internet-only customers. Effective yesterday, for $5 a month in addition to the cost of their internet service, Xfinity internet-only customers can use their TV and a Comcast voice remote to manage all their connected devices at home and access all – or most of – their streaming video experiences in one place. Comcast is essentially turning customers’ televisions into dashboards for accessing entertainment and other digital devices in the home.

Comcast Launches Xfinity Flex Streaming for Internet-Only Customers Read More »

FIS and Worldpay to Merge in a Deal Worth $43 Billion

Business Operations, Business Services, Industry Announcements, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Payment Processing, SaaS and Cloud Services /

Last week, financial services technology firm FIS (NYSE: FIS) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with global ecommerce and payments provider Worldpay, Inc. (NYSE: WP) to merge the companies. With complementary services, the merger will help FIS significantly expand its capabilities while providing Worldpay with expanded distribution capabilities and will help the combined company provide best-in-class enterprise banking, payments, capital markets and global ecommerce capabilities to customers around the world.

FIS and Worldpay to Merge in a Deal Worth $43 Billion Read More »

Weekly Subscription News: Vice, Viveport VR and Video

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Data and IoT, Entertainment and Streaming, News, Paywall, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Boxes /

Happy Friday…and Happy Spring! We made it through the week and through the winter! In this week’s subscription headlines, Amazon Prime Video Direct plans to cut royalties for not-so-engaging content, Vice Media seeks $200 million in funding to become profitable, and Facebook’s data deals are under investigation. Also this week, Gimlet Media plans to unionize, AT&T jacks up pricing for DirectTV Now, and HTC’s Viveport Infinity VR subscription will launch on April 2, no fooling.

Weekly Subscription News: Vice, Viveport VR and Video Read More »

Five on Friday: Streaming, Gaming and Cost Containing

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Freemium, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscriber Only, Subscription Apps, Subscription Gaming /

TGIF. We hope your corner of the world saw some spring sunshine this week. Ours did, and we are thrilled to emerge from a long winter. Before you power wash your patio or dig into your garden, check out this weeks Five on Friday stories: streaming services appeal dramatically higher royalty fees, Apple banks on gaming as the next big thing, Teladoc grows as consumers attempt to contain healthcare costs, what content publishers should consider, and income-as-a-service revenue models to explore.

Five on Friday: Streaming, Gaming and Cost Containing Read More »

Tribune Media Stockholders Approve $6.4 Billion Nexstar Merger

Business Operations, Business Services, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Regulation and Compliance /

Last week, Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO) got the okay from stockholders to proceed with a merger with Nexstar Media Group. The companies had entered an agreement in December for Nexstar to acquire Tribune Media for $46.50 per share, for an approximate value of $6.4 billion, including the assumption of Tribune Media’s outstanding debt. According to a Tribune Media news release, this represents a 15.5 percent premium on the stock’s value as of November 30, 2018.

Tribune Media Stockholders Approve $6.4 Billion Nexstar Merger Read More »

MoviePass Over-Reported $6.6 Million in Q3 2018 Subscription Revenue

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Consumer Services, FInance, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps /

MoviePass parent company Helios & Matheson Analytics Inc. admitted in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing last week that they erroneously reported subscription revenue in their third quarter of 2018, for the period ended September 30, 2018. MoviePass reported $5.9 million in revenue from suspended subscriptions from subscribers who had not yet re-upped, as well as $700,000 in subscription revenue that Costco refunded to subscribers who had terminated their MoviePass movie subscriptions.

MoviePass Over-Reported $6.6 Million in Q3 2018 Subscription Revenue Read More »