Topic: Cable Industry

A Hollywood executive reported that securing a carriage deal for a new cable channel is nearly impossible in the current economic environment. Even a hypothetical channel featuring top-tier talent like Joe Rogan or Megyn Kelly would face rejection due to tightening budgets and the "death knell" of an aging cable demographic. The industry is moving away from adding channels as cord-cutting continues to accelerate.

Instagram is evolving into a sophisticated version of the Home Shopping Network, with influencers earning significant fees for sponsored posts. There is a growing concern that Facebook will eventually force these creators to share their revenue, similar to the evolution of the cable industry and ESPN. Content creators are advised to move their audiences to independent platforms to avoid the risks of demonetization and platform control.

The hosts reflect on the evolution of the internet from a non-commercial space to a force that has dismantled traditional business models in music, print, and television. They discuss Microsoft's first-ever quarterly revenue decline and the potential for cable companies to restrict streaming video to protect their own content packages. Curry also mentions an upcoming speech at a New Jersey college regarding music licensing.