Walt Disney (DIS) Rumored Interest in Netflix (NFLX) Puts Viva Entertainment Group (OTTV) in the Spotlight
If Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) likes Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) for its sports-video distribution potential, than its rumored interest in Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) makes even more sense. Thing is, the race to get video contend online bodes very well for Viva Entertainment Group Inc (OTCMKTS:OTTV).
BY JAMES E. BRUMLEY
Oct 4, 2016 9:32:49 AM PDT | No Comment(s) - Post a Comment
Never mind about Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) potentially bidding for Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR). On second thought, it may be better off making a play for Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), as Netflix represents where Disney ultimately wants to be... on the receiving end of the so-called cord-cutting movement. The thing is, the fact that Walt Disney may finally be showing its hand - and its weakness - bodes well for a young startup called Viva Entertainment Group Inc (OTCMKTS:OTTV).
On the off chance you just got back from a mission to Mars and weren't allowed any contact with earth for the whole duration of your trip, Disney-owned property ESPN isn't doing well. Not only are consumers increasingly disinterested in cable television, they're increasingly disinterested in hunting down ways to watch sports. Cable television made it easy to watch the big game.
Calling a spade a spade, its Netflix and all of its wanne-bes that have done the damage. While few over-the-top alternatives offer ESPN yet, most cord-cutters have resigned themselves to being ok with it.
Walt Disney, however, is clearly not ok with it, and is seeking ways to put its programming back in front of people where those people are. In August it announced it would start offering a subscription-based online service, though that service won't air any of the programming broadcast via cable. Ergo, the interest may be minimal.
It was rumored to be interested in acquiring Twitter, which may well be able to become a sports-oriented venue. Last month, Twitter aired its first-ever NFL game, and though viewership was modest, the event itself was a success. Between Twitter and Netflix though, Netflix not only has an established vehicle for delivering streaming overt-the-top video, it has a dedicated audience.
The fact that this discussion is happening at all (though Disney has confirmed none of it) is just a microcosm of a much bigger movement.... the migration of consumers to over-the-top television alternatives. And, while most investors have been consumed by the discussion of whether or not Walt Disney will buy Twitter or Netflix or neither, those investors need to be thinking bigger-picture. That bigger-picture is, the race for a space in the over-the-top market is about to heat up. It's not the content creators but the middlemen who know how to connect content creators with consumers that stand to win.
That's where Viva Entertainment Group comes into the picture - Viva Entertainment Group has created that platform.
The product is called Viva Middleware. In simplest terms, it's a turn-key technology allowing anyone to get into the OTT business with their own customized, over-the-top television service. Live broadcasts, on-demand video, music channels and original programming are all possible. This means the service provider can customize the product locally or regionally, or even thematically, like an all-sports or an all sci-fi venue. The possibilities are endless, which is in stark contrast to Netflix's "one size fits all" service.
More important, the company announced a few weeks ago it was entering into joint venture with Oi2 Media, to create an OTT service that caters to a certain segment of the nation's demographic. See, Oi2 Media is the United States' biggest distributor of Latino-centric digital content, delivering both music and television. It's the name behind CNN en Espanol and ESPN Deportes Radio, just to name a few. It wouldn't be out of line to call the joint venture something along the lines of a Latino network. The next product could be a low-cost cable option for a university's students. The one after that could be a Hulu-like service just for a hotel chain's guests (the company's next focal point, by the way). The one after that could be one that caters to kids, serving up all kinds of cartoons. There are no limits.
Whatever's in the cards, the Oi2 news effectively turned the company's switch to the "on" position. The market's going to take notice that anyone can now chip away at the top players' dominance in this space. Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access and all the rest simply don't allow for the kind of flexibility Viva Entertainment Group can offer to an enterprising newcomer that's ready and willing to take on the big boys.
It's no small opportunity either. The over-the-top television market is projected to grow from $28 billion in 2015 to $62 billion by 2020. That's an annualized growth rate of 17%.
Regardless of the market size, OTTV is in the right place at the right time. Over-the-top TV has been validated. The competition is heating up. Several service providers who have thus far been shut out of the television market because competition was too strong (and funding was needed) can now get into market... and they have a great shot at up-ending entrenched names in the internet television space. Viva Entertainment Group is the gatekeeper. That's a compelling proposition for current and would-be investors.
