Another big change is coming to the world of streaming, with an official announcement expected on Wednesday about the long-planned merger of HBO Max and Discovery+ to form “Max.”
The new platform would include classic HBO scripted shows like The Sopranos and Discovery reality and unscripted programs such as Upper fixator and clean Love and Marriage: HuntsvilleAccording to a report released Tuesday by The New York Times.
The combined streaming service should cost around $16 per month, with a cheaper tier available with ads.
Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery hopes that by combining the separate streaming platforms, the merged service will be better suited to compete with Netflix and Disney+.
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The joint “Max” service is the result of last year’s controversial $43 billion merger between Discovery and WarnerMedia – forming the massive Warner Bros. Discovery.
The mega-merger led to widespread job losses, the shutdown of the CNN+ streaming service; the shelving of films and TV shows already filmed – including the film bat girl; and cancellations of films scheduled as wonder woman 3 and one black adam suite, apparently for tax deductions.
On April 7, four congressional Democrats sent a letter to the Justice Department demanding an investigation into the merger.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said the merger “appears to have enabled” Warner Bros. Discovery to “adopt potentially anti-competitive practices that reduce consumer choice and harm workers in affected labor markets.”
“Post-merger, WBD announced numerous labor reductions and product cancellations that would limit consumer and worker choice, canceling several titles, including bat girlwhich was deep in post-production, Chronicles of Gordita, DemimondeAnd The Time Traveler’s Wife“, indicates the letter. “WBD’s aggressive post-merger actions indicate that current competition in the media and entertainment industry is inadequate. The company has the drive and ability to eliminate large swaths of its workforce, leaving workers with fewer choices for employment and advancement. The Department should investigate the competitive consequences of this merger.