Max and Tubi Executives Outline U.K. Strategies at MIP London

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At MIP London on Wednesday, the attention was primarily on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streamer Max, as it announced its UK launch, and Fox Corp.’s Tubi, both discussing their strategic plans for the United Kingdom.

Leah Hooper Rosa, Warner Bros. Discovery’s executive vice president and head of streaming for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), talked about the planned U.K. launch of Max in 2026 as part of a global rollout. She stated that their goal is to rank among the top three streaming services worldwide with Max. In the competitive U.K. market, she acknowledged the challenges but expressed optimism. “Ultimately, it’s about content,” she said. “If we don’t offer exceptional content, we won’t thrive.”

Leah Hooper Rosa discussed the upcoming launch of Max in the U.K. for 2026 as part of a global release plan. She wants Max to be one of the top three streaming services worldwide. Although she knows the U.K. market is competitive, she’s confident. The key to success, according to her, is having fantastic content; otherwise, they won’t succeed.

Rosa Hooper emphasized her primary concern is collaborating with the technology team to guarantee that all platforms function flawlessly at the U.K. launch, providing an optimal service that meets consumer expectations for seamless performance, in addition to featuring popular content. Regarding content, she highlighted the recent success of season 3 of “The White Lotus” as a notable example, and also mentioned shows like “The Last of Us.

Simultaneously, Scott Young, an executive in charge of content, production, and business operations at Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasized the importance of sports content, referring to it as a crucial stronghold for collective live viewing. He explained that it exerts a powerful allure, captivating viewers regardless of whether they are sports enthusiasts, supporters of specific teams, or simply interested in the outcome.

Regarding Max’s partnership with Sky in the UK not being exclusive, Hooper Rosa mentioned that it opens up possibilities for expanding consumer reach by collaborating with further distributors in the future.

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news from a recent Tubi session at MIP London! Ross Appleton, general manager of Tubi U.K., highlighted the impressive variety of programming available on their advertising-supported platform. In the U.K., our content catalog outshines any other free streamer’s, although it may not be quite as vast as in the United States. Interestingly, he pointed out a British film catalog that is an astounding 10 times larger than competitors’.

In the U.K., there’s a high interest in watching Nollywood and Bollywood films, as well as horror genres and content from less prominent areas. These types of content are not as widely available on other streaming platforms. As Appleton stated, “There is indeed a significant appetite for this kind of content.

Regarding the topic of Tubi’s approach to original content and its business model, he admitted it’s a delicate balance: “It can be tricky, we don’t pour massive resources into original productions… We approach it thoughtfully and cautiously. We’re not taking big risks.” However, Tubi prefers to amplify successful strategies rather than gambling everything. As of now, the streaming service hasn’t commissioned any U.K.-specific originals, but they’re carefully selecting projects with a global potential in mind.

From Tubi’s presentation of the NFL’s Super Bowl, we gained an incredible experience, which was made possible by the support of the Fox family. Unlike Netflix and others who have faced tech issues during large live events in the past, Tubi managed to pull off the event smoothly. Appleton emphasized the importance of being exceptionally prepared, and he added that the entire company rallied together to make it successful.

The executive further disclosed that approximately four out of every ten viewers on Tubi’s UK platform fall within the 18-34 age group, which is significantly higher than the 23% average for this age range across the UK as a whole.

In response to queries about what’s behind Tubi’s success, Appleton offered several insights. He emphasized that Tubi doesn’t aim to outperform others, but instead concentrates on its own growth. He acknowledged the existence of room for others as well, while promoting an entrepreneurial spirit within the company. Interestingly, Appleton mentioned that despite being acquired by Fox, Tubi has managed to preserve a start-up mindset, as he shared with the MIP London audience.

Furthermore, he emphasized Tubi’s dedication to viewer interaction, remarking: “Regardless of changes, the amount of hours in a day remains constant.” This implies that audience engagement is crucial as it gives an edge to streamers.

The WBD (Warner Bros. Discovery) and Tubi discussions took place during the Global Streaming Strategies Summit at MIP London on Wednesday, led by “media universe mapper” Evan Shapiro. Kicking off the day with his characteristic thought-provoking statements, he proposed a new perspective: “The streaming battle is finished.” He declared, “Netflix has triumphed. Heartfelt congratulations.” The global streamer, according to him, is increasingly resembling traditional TV due to content from NFL and WWE wrestling, he suggested. Shapiro then urged the industry to cease referring to the streaming wars, instead addressing the audience with: “Welcome to the grand media conflict.

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2025-02-26 14:25