Report: HBO Max Off To A ‘Rocky Start’, With Employees Confused About Streaming Plan
According to a report in The New York Post, there have been internally clashes surrounding the launch of their upcoming premium service.
Earlier this year, WarnerMedia’s CEO John Stankey replaced long-time HBO CEO Richard Plepper, who spent 27 years at the company. And according to employees interviewed by The Post — they don’t understand the plan. “We’d say: ‘We don’t understand the plan. Tell us what you’re doing,” an HBO employee told The Post.
The service was originally expected to have multiple price tiers, but due to the unexpectedly low-price of Disney+, switched to a single-tier of $16-17. Last month, AT&T announced that the service, which will launch in April 2020, will bring Friends, as well as become the new streaming home for all fare from The CW (which was previously housed at Netflix). The service will bring exclusive original shows like Dune and The Flight Attendant, as well as original feature films from prolific producer Greg Berlanti and Reese Witherspoon.
HBO Max will also be the exclusive streaming home for all episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as well as Pretty Little Liars. Those will join The CW originals starting with Batwoman and Riverdale spinoff Katy Keene. The CW’s streaming deal with Netflix expired in May. Current CW series already streaming on Netflix (like Riverdale and The Flash) will continue to do so until they wrap their runs.