WarnerMedia Streaming Service To Feature Tiered Supscriptions

CBR

WarnerMedia Streaming Service To Feature Tiered Subscriptions

By Nicole Sobon

Published Nov 30, 2018

WarnerMedia has officially unveiled its plans for its forthcoming streaming service, including plans to include three different subscription options.

With plans to beta launch WarnerMedia's streaming service in late 2019, AT&T officially laid out details regarding the forthcoming streaming service including the three tiers of programming packages.

Next year will see both Disney and WarnerMedia launch their own streaming services in hopes of competing against other services like Netflix and Hulu. However, WarnerMedia and AT&T appear to have found a way to make its upcoming service stand out from the rest by introducing three different tiers of programming, including an "entry-level" package that will focus solely on films. The news was revealed by John Stankey, WarnerMedia CEO, during an investor's call on Thursday, with Stankey explaining the goal is ultimately to "appeal to a wider audience."

"We want to broaden the relevant demographic base," Stankey said to investors. "Our goal now is to open the aperture. We want to pick up more content and get more engagement on digital content."

As Variety noted, AT&T and WarnerMedia plan to offer a total of three subscription options for the SVOD service. The first package will be a basic package that will focus mainly on films. The second package will be a more premium service that will also include original programming developed solely for the streaming service, as well as blockbuster movies. While the third and final package will bundle the first two packages while also gives subscribers access to "an extensive library of WarnerMedia and licensed content."

It's worth noting that WarnerMedia's massive content library includes the worlds of DC Entertainment and various Hanna-Barbera properties, the Conjuring universe, Harry Potter and its Fantastic Beasts spinoff franchise, Looney Tunes, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and The LEGO Movie.

As Stankey added, WarnerMedia will not pull all of its current content deals solely for the sake of the forthcoming service. This means the company will continue to sell its programming in international markets, while also selectively selling properties domestically too.

WarnerMedia's streaming service—which follows the relatively recent the launch of DC Universe—currently does not have an official name. As it stands, the service is expected to launch around the same time as Disney officially unveils Disney+, sometime in late 2019.