*A few words from Nii Addy, Philo CMO.*

The last five years or so have been marked by consistent escalation in media industry innovation and competition; branded the #streamingwars. The death of traditional cable TV has been predicted for almost a decade, but the landscape did not start its tectonic shift until Netflix established itself as a global juggernaut, with an enviable direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) offering. This movement inspired companies like Roku to develop content aggregation models that could credibly threaten the ubiquity of the linear TV package.

Both Netflix and Roku are examples of companies that chose a bold vision and shirked bending the knee to the incumbent powers (perhaps no coincidence that the former spawned the latter). As a result they, and the movement that proceeded, highlight the crux of any competitive landscape paradigm shift: give the people what they want, or your empire will eventually be usurped.
The punchline is that if the networks had let cable adopt a more “a-la-carte” (or consumption based) model in the first place, we wouldn’t be suffering through this clumsy transition….but well, you know, money. In the end we’re likely gonna end up there anyway.

On one hand, video viewing customers’ desires have been clear for a very long time. They’re interested in a low hassle, intuitive service (or set of services) where they are paying for (and only for) content that they value. There are plenty of nuances to this list of demands, but it captures the governing sentiment.

On the other hand, what I’ll call “legacy cable” has traditionally been the opposite of value focused and low hassle. Whether it’s terrible customer service, clunky user interfaces, or bloated “kitchen sink” channel bundles that cost hundreds of dollars… things did not match up for a lot of people. The resilience of the legacy cable model against innovation was attributable to the absurdly high infrastructure costs required to lay said cable and the government protections that made sense at the time to promote the investment. Basically, there was no incentive to do much about it and people just accepted it as a lamentable, yet immutable, state of affairs. After all, without it we wouldn’t have achieved national broadband internet penetration so quickly. 

The unfortunate result is that as technology advanced experiences quickly in most other spaces, TV clung defiantly to its stodgy, and cushy margin, old ways. The old ways of doing things have become untenable. This 5 part series will dive into what I consider to be the primary inflection points for change. Part 1 is below.

# Part 1: Old School TV Deals Strike Back

Cable and broadcast networks traditionally engage content distributors (i.e. the TV services where you watch the networks) in multi-year licensing agreements priced on a per subscriber basis. The pricing is linked to the overall prestige of a network, as far as popular programming. These deals are often associated with per subscriber costs that rise automatically year-over-year…which ultimately gets passed along to customers in the form of ever increasing pay TV prices. The networks ostensibly justify the cost increases by reinvesting in making better content. Not sure that this is actually how things have been playing out though recently, amirite? 

The licensing deals for the networks that most people care about often require that they be carried in the lowest tier of subscription service offered by a distributor (i.e. “base carriage”), or not at all. Since licensing is on a per subscriber basis, this guarantees maximum reach while also ensuring that most distributors have to cram every channel from said network group down your throat and charge you for the privilege.

Further complicating matters are the most-favored-nations (“MFN”) clauses that the distributors put in place to protect themselves from competitors who may benefit from different arrangements. If Network A wanted to give Distributor X the ability to tier a channel outside of “base carriage” for incremental scale, it would automatically trigger these MFN clauses in their other distributor deals and likely cost Network A billions. While this positioning is rational from a business sense on both sides, it kills the potential for innovation within the existing structure. 

The legacy TV structure is [finally!] evolving because there are places outside of the cable ecosystem to get great content and, at the same time, any particular network is less reliably offering something compelling to watch for the general population.

Marquee shows for a network tank in popularity over time, ship off to other networks, or aren’t plentiful enough. The sophistication of data-driven insights have put distributors in a position to know exactly how much a network is worth to them in real time. This makes it more likely that they would consider dropping a network group if the terms are out of whack with the value they drive.

Both sides are leveraging the availability of network content on DTC streaming services in these negotiations since it softens the urgency of customer attrition in the event that a particular network group gets dropped (see YouTubeTV and Disney stalemate). More simply, the burden of value is shifting back to the networks with the rise of all the DTCs a.k.a. "the Plusses"+++.

Ironically, some of the strongest challenges to the persistence of “base carriage” requirements are coming from the networks themselves. By launching DTC services that are available widely with a similar content offering to their linear counterparts; many of the networks are essentially competing against their own television relationships with distributors. What we observe is that the DTC versions are often competitively priced, have less ads, and deeper libraries of older seasons relative to what is being supported in the traditional distributor environment. Let’s not forget that people can get these DTC offerings on a one-off basis without subscribing to other channel groups they don’t want. Pretty hard to square that with increasing license fees and rigid base carriage norms on the distributor side.

My proposal to solve this whole thing is by establishing a standard for a consumption based model within a single viewing experience. This is essentially what DTC is, except that it’s fragmented across dozens of separate apps. If you don’t have anything compelling to watch this month, people will cancel and sign up for what is interesting. The spoils should flow accordingly. Figuring out a way to support this behavior more seamlessly is the answer.

Philo’s CMO Nii Addy titled “Streaming Wars: View from the Trenches” and why he believes legacy cable companies are suffering because of their inability to “break the bundle” and opt for a consumption-based model instead. 

Read his thought-leadership piece here. 


Streaming Wars: View from the Trenches

At Philo, we know that for most people, the best part of watching television is the ad breaks. Who doesn’t love a short interruption from corporate sponsors in the middle of a riveting program? So, with that in mind, we’ve been busy working on a new channel that will let you get your commercial fix 24 hours a day!

Starting April 1st, Philo will be launching the Ads-Only Channel as part of Philo’s lineup for all subscribers. You can find the Ads-Only Channel  – featuring the “Ads-Only Show” – in the Philo Guide. Of course, if for some reason commercials aren't your thing, don’t forget that you can save ALL of your favorite shows and movies to Philo’s unlimited DVR and skip the ads! However you prefer to watch, we’re wishing you happy viewing! 

*And a happy April Fools’ Day!*


Starting April 1st, Philo will be launching the Ads-Only Channel as part of Philo’s lineup for all subscribers. You can find the Ads-Only Channel  – featuring the “Ads-Only Show” – in the Philo Guide. Of course, if for some reason commercials aren't your thing, don’t forget that you can save ALL of your favorite shows and movies to Philo’s unlimited DVR and skip the ads! However you prefer to watch, we’re wishing you happy viewing! 


Philo Launches New “Ads-On Channel” – All Ads, All the Time. 

Some exciting news about the T-Mobile $10 off/month coupon! 

We are pleased to confirm that T-Mobile has extended the monthly $10 discount on Philo subscriptions for their customers with active accounts who redeemed the promotion code by 12/31/2021. Customers who redeemed the $10 discount for 12 months promotion, which began in 2022, are not impacted.

The promo extension will go into effect on March 29, and the discount will be automatically reflected on eligible customers’ next billing cycle. No further action is required by current recipients of this offer, and the coupon will continue to be effective as long as you remain an active T-Mobile subscriber and Philo customer.

If you have any questions about your bill, please contact our support team for assistance at [philo.tv/help](https://help.philo.com/).

PHILO POSTPAID CUSTOMER EXTENDED OFFER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Offered by T-Mobile. Current eligible T-Mobile customers who redeem the promotion code by 12/31/2021 and are being directly billed by Philo will continue to receive $10 off/month of Philo (regularly $25/month or then current monthly subscription price thereafter) for as long as they remain an eligible T-Mobile subscriber (as determined by T-Mobile in its sole and absolute discretion). Limit (1) Offer per Customer. Offer/discount is non-transferable, may not be resold or redeemed for cash, and may not be combined with other offers, discounts, or promotions (unless expressly permitted by Philo). Discount ends if T-Mobile account is terminated; Philo subscription automatically reverts to the current full subscription price. T-Mobile reserves the right at any time to require billing through your T-Mobile bill in order to continue $10 off/month discount on qualifying streaming services. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: You will be charged the discounted monthly amount plus taxes on a recurring basis. Go to your Philo account page to cancel. Cancellation takes effect on the next monthly billing date (no refunds for partial billing periods). Redemption of this Offer constitutes acceptance of these Terms and all applicable Terms and Conditions, see [philo.com/terms/#philo-promotions](http://philo.com/terms/#philo-promotions) for more details. T-Mobile reserves the right to modify this Offer at any time. Philo reserves the right to modify or cancel this Offer at any time. Void where taxed, prohibited, or restricted.


We are pleased to confirm that T-Mobile has extended the monthly $10 discount on Philo subscriptions for their customers with active accounts who redeemed the promotion code by 12/31/2021. Customers who redeemed the $10 discount for 12 months promotion, which began in 2022, are not impacted.


T-Mobile Extends Monthly $10 Off Philo Promotional Discount 

We have some more exciting news to share at Philo. All authenticated users can now see Philo content within the Apple TV app! The recent update for the Philo app (version 3.0) added support for Apple TV users, giving you the ability to deep-link their service from the Apple TV app directly to content on Philo. The update also gives subscribers the ability to store the service as their TV provider, known as “Single Sign-On” into TV Everywhere (TVE) apps.

Some of the features include:

– Single Sign-On support

– Universal search

– Deep-linking additions

– Improved authentication and subscription registration

– Live Tune-In

Single Sign-On is accessed through the Settings app on the iPhone, iPad or Apple TV. From there, you can choose your TV provider so you will not have to sign in again with your [Philo](https://thestreamable.com/live-tv-streaming/philo) credentials. 

For our users who love to watch Philo on Apple devices, we’re excited to make the viewing experience even smoother and more enjoyable.

As always, you can find out more information and read the FAQs, at Philo’s [Help Center](https://help.philo.com/). Happy streaming!


We have some more exciting news to share at Philo. All authenticated users can now see Philo content within the Apple TV app! The recent update for the Philo app (version 3.0) added support for Apple TV users, giving you the ability to deep-link their service from the Apple TV app directly to content on Philo. The update also gives subscribers the ability to store the service as their TV provider, known as “Single Sign-On” into TV Everywhere (TVE) apps.

Philo is Now Live on the Apple TV App

Our “browse while watching” feature is now available for Philo subscribers who use Roku devices! 

With this new feature, you can watch a show or movie and browse Philo for other content at the same time. In other words, you don’t have to stop streaming your current show while you search for other things to watch. 

Browsing while you watch is really easy to do. Simply play something on Philo and then click up or down on the Roku remote. 

-Clicking down allows you to quickly browse channels or related content, starting from the last page you visited before playback.

-Clicking up allows you to navigate to Philo’s menu pages, including Search. 

Either way, your current video will continue playing in the background while you explore what Philo has to offer.  

So, start making plans with Philo while watching Philo! This way, when the commercial break starts during 90-Day Fiance, you can easily switch to what’s currently airing on AMC. Or, spend the break looking through the channel guide to see what’s coming up next. The fun on Philo never stops! 

With so many great things to watch on Philo, we understand why our subscribers have been asking for this feature. This update is rolling out to Roku devices first, with Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV coming later this year. Check out our [Help Center](https://help.philo.com/using-philo/browse-and-watch) for details about device compatibility. 

Happy streaming (and browsing)!


Our “browse while watching” feature is now available for Philo subscribers who use Roku devices! 

With this new feature, you can watch a show or movie and browse Philo for other content at the same time. In other words, you don’t have to stop streaming your current show while you search for other things to watch. 


Watch and browse Philo at the same time on Roku!

In celebration of March’s Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day, Philo has released a curated collection titled “[Celebrating Women](https://nyl.as/t1/179/acpys40n6rd3o0v7j6nsyqv8h/0/8e4ee8d8e89f2c3c377848c2aa7b73517debdec76f83b4265ccb522377a8c53b).” The collection includes movies and shows that amplify female experiences, explore narratives centered around women, and commemorate their vital role in today’s society. 

Here are a few recommended titles featuring strong and smart female characters that you can find on Philo this month and beyond:

[Tyler Perry's Sistas](https://philo.com/l/c2P6F/RW5HKFSF): Sistas is a comedy-drama about a group of single Black women, navigating the ups and downs of modern life. The series follows Andi Barnes, an ambitious divorce lawyer; Danni King, a funny and fearless airport employee; Karen Mott, a street-smart hair salon owner, and Sabrina Hollins, a smart and stylish bank teller. The show takes viewers on a roller coaster ride of emotions and moments that epitomize "squad goals."

[Killing Eve](https://philo.com/l/cwZMX/RW5HKFSF): Catch up on the show everyone’s talking about! Eve's life as a spy isn’t turning out how she had hoped. The bored, desk-bound MI5 security officer is thrust into a deadly cat and mouse game with Villanelle, a sadistic assassin clinging to the luxuries and perks of her unusual job. Each woman equally obsessed with the other, face off in stunning locales across the globe, leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. 

[Grey’s Anatomy](https://philo.com/l/z9X7d/RW5HKFSF): This long-running medical drama focuses on Meredith Grey and a group of her colleagues at a Seattle hospital. The series follows their journey from interns to surgeons.. Watch all of the drama, and a little romance, unfold as they deal with challenging interpersonal relationships and the unpredictability of working in a busy hospital..  

[Bombshell](https://philo.com/l/Vpdpw/RW5HKFSF) (EPIX add-on): In the mood for a movie? Bombshell is the provocative real story of three whip-smart, ambitious, strong women who anchored one of America's most powerful news networks -- becoming headlines themselves when they risked everything to stand up to the man who made them famous.

[Dr. Mercy](https://philo.com/l/gRSD2/RW5HKFSF): Follow Dr. Mercy Odueyungbo in her television show as she specializes in treating the most unusual, extreme and rare skin disorders. Dr. Mercy helps patients regain a sense of confidence and self-worth along the way. 

[Damages ](https://philo.com/l/H4rqK/RW5HKFSF)(STARZ add-on): If you haven’t seen this riveting series, you should definitely give it a watch.  Rose Byrne stars as  a young, hotshot lawyer who crosses paths with a cutthroat veteran attorney, played by Glenn Close. The two engage in a deadly game of manipulation and backstabbing, putting those closest to them at risk.

[Don’t Waste Your Pretty](https://philo.com/l/rz37X/RW5HKFSF): Sorting through life’s challenges can be tough, but having good friends by your side can make it all worthwhile. Don’t Waste Your Pretty is a drama that follows a close-knit group of friends who lean on each other when jobs, romance or family interactions prove more complicated than they had ever anticipated.

[Michelle Obama: Forward Motion](https://philo.com/l/n6FKS/RW5HKFSF): Empowering. Charismatic. Intelligent. These are just a few of  many ways to describe the former first lady, Michelle Obama. This captivating documentary peels back the layers of this iconic woman, detailing her journey  from her humble beginnings on the South Side of Chicago to the White House.

[Tina Turner: Live in Barcelona](https://philo.com/l/M6gWx/RW5HKFSF): She’s simply the best! Tina Turner is at the top of her game as she performs all of her greatest hits with a full band, dazzling the audience with her iconic dance movies and powerhouse vocals against a backdrop of fireworks and pyrotechnics in this TV special.

[Erin Brockovich](https://philo.com/l/wJPNK/RW5HKFSF): Julia Roberts stars in this blockbuster, based on the true story of a single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply, causing devastating illnesses among its residents.

[A League of Their Own](https://philo.com/l/qWgrC/RW5HKFSF): This 1992 film starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from the 1940s that sprung up during WWII. With Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell also co-starring, it has strong messages of teamwork, compassion, and "girl power" and offers relatable female characters who throw fastballs right through the gender stereotypes of their day.

[The Carol Burnett Show](https://philo.com/l/DN9fX/RW5HKFSF): Comedian and stage legend Carol Burnett, leads a motley crew of comedic actors in this ‘60s variety show. Tune in to see a laugh riot of sketch comedy and hilarious characters.

[The Golden Girls](https://philo.com/l/vNC7C/RW5HKFSF): Four mature women experience the joys and angst of living out their golden years together in Miami. Strong-willed Dorothy and her mother Sophia lend their biting wit and Cicillian flair to every situation, while lusty southern belle Blanche proves that you can have an active dating life at any age. And the ladies can always count on spacey Rose, played by [comedy legend Betty White](https://blog.philo.com/posts/Betty-White-Movies-On-Philo/), to lend her homespun wisdom at the most inappropriate times. Things aren’t always perfect, but when the show's theme song is titled "Thank You for Being a Friend," you know it’ll all work out in the end.

What do you love watching during Women’s History Month?  Tell us about your favorite female characters and women-led movies and shows on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/philoTV) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/PhiloTV), with the hashtag #CelebratingWomen. 


Watch Women's History Month movies and shows on Philo! Our collection includes those that amplify female experiences and commemorate their role in society.


Blog

Streaming Wars: View from the Trenches

Philo Launches New “Ads-On Channel” – All Ads, All the Time.

T-Mobile Extends Monthly $10 Off Philo Promotional Discount

Philo is Now Live on the Apple TV App

Watch and browse Philo at the same time on Roku!

Women's History Month Movies, Shows, & Specials | Philo Blog