TCA 2019: WarnerMedia SVOD Service Will Soft Launch in Fourth Quarter 2019
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Pasadena, Calif. — WarnerMedia’s as yet named subscription on demand service will have a beta launch in fall 2019 with library products from its huge portfolio of content, according to Turner Entertainment chief creative officer Kevin Reilly, who spoke Monday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.
The service will ramp up in 2020 with original programming fare according to Reilly, who will help oversee the project. He added the service will combine all of the content assets under the WarnerMedia umbrella, which includes HBO, the Warner Bros. film library and the Turner cable network properties.
“Our content portfolio is a literal treasure trove,” said Reilly, who also serves as president of TNT and TBS.
The new WarnerMedia service will serve a broad segment of the audience, beginning with kids through Cartoon Network and the animated Looney Tunes content, through teens with content from Adult Swim, the CW and the New Line Cinema movie portfolio, to adults with HBO product, Warner Bros. movies and talent such as Conan O’Brien, Reilly said.
Reilly also said that he expects all top WarnerMedia titles to eventually end up on the service, including Friends, which is currently on Netflix.
Speaking of Netflix, Reilly said that the SVOD service was not created as a defensive measure against the powerful streaming service.
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R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.