streaming

In silence, an author is selling more than anyone else in Spain and captivating streaming: Elísabet Benavent

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Elisabet Benavent has just surpassed five million copies sold in Spain, which places her among the most read fiction writers in the country in the last decade, a success comparable to that of much more established names on the Spanish publishing scene. However, while his books occupy bookstore windows and Amazon’s best-seller lists, his name barely appears in cultural supplements or debates about the state of Spanish fiction. The perfect moment. The story of Benavent It begins on January 3, 2013, when ‘In Valeria’s Shoes’ was uploaded to Amazon for 2.68 euros. There was no plan or strategy: it was the resource of those who did not have a large publishing house behind them. But it was the ideal time for self-publishing: Kindle Direct Publishing It had arrived in Spain just two years earlier, in 2011, and digital self-publishing still carried the stigma of being “the alternative for those who can’t make it.” But at that time the publishing ecosystem was changing. Travel companions. Benavent was not the only one. Javier Castillo, today one of the most read and adapted thriller authors, began by self-publishing. Eva García Sáenz de Urturi, winner of the Planeta Prize in 2020, also went through Amazon before the big publishers signed her. The pattern of “success in digital, subsequent legitimation via traditional publishing” is also repeated with Benavent: Suma de Letras (Penguin Random House label) later opted for the ‘Valeria’ saga, but by then Benavent was no longer a hidden talent, but a product validated by tens of thousands of readers. We said above that Benavent has achieved success without appearing in cultural supplements, but success is already measured in another way: through Amazon reviews and recommendation algorithms, not with what established critics say. However, despite the dizzying sales figures, the target audience of the romance genre (mostly women aged 25 to 45) has historically been ignored by traditional literary criticism, and what millions of female readers read does not count as a cultural phenomenon. Constant writer. But… what is its success due to? TO twenty-three novels in eleven years: We are not talking about an isolated stroke of luck or a unique work that triggers the phenomenon, but rather about a narrative machinery that works with the regularity typical of a franchise. The ‘Valeria’ saga sold 1.2 million copies, but it was the subsequent trilogies (‘My Choice’), the bilogies (‘Silvia’, ‘Songs and Memories’) and the independent titles (‘A Perfect Tale’, ‘Esnob’) that consolidated the empire. The formula. Very recognizable: urban female protagonists, in their thirties, professionals with work or sentimental crises and who suffer from contemporary emotional conflicts. There is no formal innovation or narrative experimentation, because Benavent does not intend to reinvent anything, but rather to use the tools of the romantic genre in accessible and direct novels: agile dialogues, humor, happy endings. It’s formula literature executed effectively, and its audience knows exactly what to expect. And the highlight is Benavent’s own constant and close activity on social networks under the nickname BetaFlirt. There she shares her creative process and generates a community of faithful who tirelessly recommend her on networks like TikTok. Netflix adaptations. They have exponentially accelerated their success: ‘Valeria’, which already has four seasons and was followed by ‘We were songs’; ‘A Perfect Tale’ was number 1 in 2023 for weeks. And book sales accompany: These can be triggered 40% after the premiere of its audiovisual versions. But it is a relationship that goes in two directions: the platforms also benefit, having identified in the romantic novel a mine of content, with audiences already convinced and without having to invest too much (Prime Video did it with Mercedes Ron and her ‘Guilty’ trilogy). The abyss As the lists of the best-selling books in Spainthe gap between commercial success and critical recognition has widened into an abyss. Thrillers, romantic fantasy, youth sagas: everything that really moves the Spanish publishing market takes place in a parallel dimension, different from the one supposedly analyzed by cultural criticism. How many authors sell hundreds of thousands of copies without any cultural supplement mentioning them? How many entire genres function as million-dollar industries, regardless of major promotions? Elisabet Benavent is not an anomaly, and that is the real crux of this matter. Header | Ariaglz on Wikipedia

All the Golden Globe nominations and where to watch them streaming

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The nominations for the 83rd edition of the Golden Globes confirm the prestige and impact of Paul Thomas Anderson, whose ‘One Battle After Another’ sweeps away nine nominations, leading this edition. The other surprise of the year, closer, are the two nominations for the Spanish film ‘Sirat’ (Foreign Language Film and Soundtrack), thus opening a door to the Oscars. This edition stands out for its notable internationalization: three of the six nominees for best drama are not filmed in English, and the Norwegian ‘Sentimental Value’ has eight nominations. On the other hand, on television, ‘The White Lotus’ dominates with six nominations. As for distributors and production companies, Netflix equals Warner in the number of nominations in film and leads the nominations in television. These are all the nominations and where to see them. Television Best supporting actor Best supporting actress Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical Best Actor in a Miniseries, Anthology or Television Movie Best Actress in a Miniseries, Anthology or Television Movie Best drama actress Best Drama Actor Best drama series Best comedy series Best Limited Series, Anthology or Television Movie Best Monologue Performance Bill Maher (Bill Maher: Anyone else notice?). In HBO Max Brett Goldstein (Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life). In Movistar Plus+ and HBO Max Kevin Hart (Kevin Hart: Acting My Age). In Netflix Kumail Nanjiani (Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts) Ricky Gervais (Ricky Gervais: Mortality) Sarah Silverman (Sarah Silverman: Postmortem). In Netflix best podcast Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard (Wondery) Call Her Daddy (Siriusxm) Good Hang With Amy Poehler (Spotify) The Mel Robbins Podcast (Siriusxm) Smartless (Siriusxm) Up First (Npr (National Public Radio) Cinema Best supporting actor Best supporting actress Best actress in drama Best actor in drama Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Rose Byrne, If I could, I’d kick you Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: Part II Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue: Song for Two Chase Infiniti, One battle after another Amanda Seyfried, The Testament Of Ann Lee Emma Stone, Bugonia Best actor in a comedy or musical Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme George Clooney, Jay Kelly. In Netflix Leonardo Dicaprio, One battle after another Ethan Hawke Blue Moon Lee Byung-Hun, No Other Choice Jesse Plemons Bugonia Best soundtrack best song best script Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme Ryan Coogler, The Sinners. In HBO Max Maggie O’Farrell and Chloé Zhao, Hamnet Jafar Panahi, A Simple Accident Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt, Sentimental value best director Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another Ryan Coogler, The Sinners. In HBO Max Guillermo Del Toro, Frankenstein. In Netflix Jafar Panahi, a simple accident Joachim Trier, Sentimental value Chloé Zhao, Hamnet Best foreign language film A simple accident (France) No Other Choice (South Korea) Secret Agent (Brazil) Sentimental value (Norway) Sound of Falling (Germany) Hind’s voice (Tunisia) Sirāt (Spain). In Movistar Plus+ Best animated film Best Film – Drama Frankenstein. In Netflix Hamnet a simple accident secret agent sentimental value The sinners. In HBO Max Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Blue Moon Bugonia Marty Supreme No other choice New Wave One battle after another Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement In Xataka | This new Netflix movie is so brutal that it has achieved an unusual milestone: sweeping the K-pop music charts…

Netflix buys Warner Bros, stays with HBO and completes one of the most important movements in the history of streaming

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Warner Bros. knew what it was saying when it commented that it wanted to have a buyer before the end of 2025. After a few weeks in which it seemed that Paramount was going to take the lead, it was finally Netflix, which has acquired the oldest film production company, although we will have to wait: for now, Warner has to conclude its global networks division (which includes CNN and Discovery) in a new company. 82.7 billion dollars. Netflix has closed the largest acquisition in its history and one of the most significant operations in the entertainment industry: the purchase of the centenary Warner Bros studio, along with the streaming platform HBO Maxin a deal valued at $82.7 billion in terms of total enterprise value. Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders will receive compensation of $27.75 for each title they own, structured as a payment of $23.25 in cash plus $4,501 in Netflix shares. Organic growth is over. The transaction represents a radical shift in corporate strategy for Netflix, which for two decades had shunned large acquisitions in favor of organic growth. Just two months ago, co-CEO Greg Peters had criticized media megamergers. The agreement concludes an intense bidding war of three rounds in which Netflix beat competitors such as Paramount-Skydance (which sought to buy all of WBD) and Comcast (interested only in the streaming and studio assets). Netflix’s final proposal includes a breakup penalty clause of $5 billion in case regulators block the operation. Just yesterday, Paramount-Skydance accused to the process having been “rigged” with a “predetermined outcome” that favored a single bidder. Netflix’s victory is partially attributed to the close professional relationship between David Zaslav and Ted Sarandos. It still remains. The final closure will not occur until Warner Bros. Discovery completes the separation of its traditional networks division (which includes CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery Channel, TBS and the European broadcast television channels, in addition to the Discovery+ service and Bleacher Report) into a new independent company called Discovery Global. This process is scheduled to end in the third quarter of 2026, at which point Netflix will be able to take effective control of the acquired assets, according to the official calendar broadcast by Netflix itself. What does Netflix have now? With this operation, Netflix will incorporate into its corporate structure the production companies Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group and Warner Bros. Television, DC Studios (responsible for the superhero franchises that rival Marvel and that have just experienced a welcome resurrection), the entire HBO programming including emblematic series such as ‘Game of Thrones’ or the future reinvention of ‘Harry Potter’, and a historical library that includes approximately 12,500 feature films and 2,400 series. All of this, of course, in addition to universally famous franchises and IPs like those mentioned, FriendsThe Lord of the Rings or the entire Looney Tunes catalog, among other things Hanna-Barbera. The deal also gives Netflix physical production infrastructure, including Warner’s legendary Burbank studios in California. In Xataka | Using Netflix in 2018 was much better than now: we have normalized degrading experiences

13 premiere movies and series to watch in December 2025 on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and streaming

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Good! Christmas right there and unless you work as Santa’s elf, everything indicates that you will be able to dig out the blanket from the attic where you have it and organize some good sessions with the stove, slippers and streaming. As these parties usually come loaded on the platforms, here are some ideas so that you don’t miss out on any news. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Among the many franchises that Disney found with the purchase of Fox was Percy Jackson, which had already given rise to two films at the beginning of the last decade that sought, like so many of the time, to find a new Harry Potter. Although they did reasonably well at the box office, their departure from Rick Riordan’s original novels earned them quite a bit of antipathy, which seemed to be moderated with a more faithful Disney+ series. Now comes the second season, where a teenager with a destiny bigger than he imagines travels across the United States fighting monsters and gods to return his lightning bolt to Zeus. On Disney+ from December 10 Mad Men – Complete Series There are series that never go out of style, and ‘Mad Men’ is, indisputably, one of them. After a time away from our screens (unless you subscribed to Lionsgate+), now you have the opportunity to binge the almost one hundred episodes of this satirical epic that perfectly portrays New York in the sixties. Donald Draper, executive of a major advertising firm, is the protagonist of this series that helps us understand each and every one of the vices of the society we live in now, sixty-odd years later. On Disney+ from December 14 The last outburst Is one of the best films in the history of Spanish cinema. Many say that it is the best: a mix of experimental cinema, vampire film and desperate and addictive love letter to cinema. Converted into a cult film, ‘Arrebato’ is the core of this unclassifiable (like its object of study) mix of documentary and fiction that investigates the strange black hole that the film represents for all those who see it and worked on it. ‘The Last Rapture’ follows the clues that would explain the disappearance of Iván Zulueta and his film, accompanied by Jaime Chávarri and the original actors of the classic, Eusebio Poncela, Cecilia Roth and Marta Fernández-Muro. On Movistar Plus+ from December 3 relay Among Movistar’s more or less unreleased releases, this thriller that seems to seek inspiration from the conspiracy thrillers of the seventies especially draws our attention. But updated, of course: now the target is anonymity in the internet age. Directed by the always reliable David Mackenzie, whom we remember from ‘Comanchería’, it stars Lily James, Riz Ahmed and Sam Worthington, and we will follow a scientist who has been fired after warning about the side effects of the project she was working on. But she has evidence that the company is hiding information and believes she is being persecuted. On Movistar Plus+ from December 26 good boy A simple and direct horror gem, practically silent, that in just 72 minutes tells a story told from the perspective of Indy, a dog who, together with his owner, faces supernatural phenomena in an isolated house. Continuously at the height of the dog, giving us a unique immersion in the story, the film avoids the typical anthropomorphic vision of the animal in a minimal budget experiment that plays with atmosphere and sound to create a feeling of constant threat. It took years to film, since the dog is the director’s real pet and is not trained to act. On Filmin since December 19 Zodiac Killer Project Only a killer like Zodiac could spark a documentary true crime like this one, where the important thing is, obviously, not the investigation and the identity of the criminal, but rather a deep reflection on the codes and topics of the genre. We will walk through the typical true crime scenarios, but stripped of all spectacularity, accompanied by a deep reflection on a completely saturated style and taking as a starting point, precisely, an abandoned documentary about the Zodiac Killer. On Filmin since December 26 F1: The Movie The movie that has turned around finances from Apple’s audiovisual division after a series of failures is this fast-paced sports film focused on Formula 1. We will learn the story of the most promising driver of the 90s until an accident is about to put an end to him. Thirty years later, he has become a kind of driver for hire who receives a proposal from a former teammate, owner of a Formula 1 team on the brink of closure. An authentic visual spectacle thanks to the realistic immersion in the races through first-person shots and effects without CGI tricks. On Apple TV from December 12 Fallout T2 One of the most popular science fiction series returns funny and praised in recent timesand also a production that has lifted the curse of video game adaptations, demonstrating that no project is sufficiently ambitious when it is done with knowledge of the facts. We also leave the first season at a very interesting point: Lucy searching for her father after being betrayed and the Ghoul searching for his family, who may have survived the Holocaust. And their steps take them to a mythical location. None other than New Vegas, legendary setting for the franchise. On Prime Video from December 17 Palm Springs Although it has been roaming around on all types of platforms for some time now, this cult comedy is always a delight that can be reviewed again and again thanks to how it reinvents the concept of a time loop with a contemporary tone and melancholic atmosphere. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti have perfect chemistry and together they go a step further than what we have already seen in classics like ‘Trapped in Time’. Here, Samberg is locked in a loop that repeats the same day over and … Read more

Apple TV has decided to swim against the current of all streaming platforms with a singular decision: not to put ads

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The common note among all streaming platforms, beyond catalog details, seems to be in the search for profit by raising cheaper rates in exchange for advertising interruptions. Apple, however, seems determined to differentiate itself, which can undoubtedly bring benefits at an economic and image level. Which is exactly what would benefit you the most at this moment. No ads. Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Apple Services, has confirmed in an interview with Screen International that the company has no plans to launch an Apple TV subscription with ads. The refusal is not indefinite, but at this time that is Apple’s decision. Cue states that “we will not include them for now. It is not a forever negative, but at the moment there are no plans”, and it comes in a context where practically all of its large competitors are expanding their advertising strategies, with more and more rates with ads. Because. He streaming has entered into something we could call his “advertising era“But Apple wants to differentiate itself from there: it believes that if it can maintain a competitive price, consumers will value not having their content interrupted by ads. It is a position that connects directly with the brand’s DNA: control over the user experience, frictionless design, and a commitment to the perception of premium value even if the price is not the highest on the market. It is the same philosophy that applies with Apple Musicwhich has never competed with free, ad-supported versions. What is coming. Apple’s decision takes on its true dimension when you look at what is happening in the rest of the industry. One of the next trends that is going to reach us are ads that fire even if the content is paused. At the moment, in the United States it is Peacock that is experimenting with this way of displaying ads, as well as Netflix in some territories. Disney+ has also shown interest in incorporating it into its catalog. That is to say, what is coming for the more immediate future are increasingly invasive ads, in the style of YouTube or Spotify on their cheaper accounts, and which undoubtedly revalue decisions like Apple’s. Prices: competitive but quality. AppleTV It currently costs 9.99 euros per month in Spainwhile in the United States the price has reached $12.99. At first glance, it might seem expensive compared to competitors’ basic plans. But this is where Apple has executed an interesting positioning maneuver: it does not compete in the low end of the market, but instead offers premium features at an intermediate price. The key is that all content is available in 4K HDR quality with spatial audio, at no additional cost and without advertising interruptions. But also, there are no steps, no temptation to “improve” the plan. You pay a single fee and access the full experience. It’s a radically simple model in a market that has become increasingly (unnecessarily) complicated. Comparison with other services. Apple’s tactic is evident: for 9.99 euros, Apple TV offers an experience equivalent to competing premium planswhich cost between 13.99 and 19.99 euros. It is not the cheapest option on the market (that happens with the ad-supported plans of Disney+, €5.99, or Netflix, €6.99) but it offers superior features at an average price: accessible enough to not seem exclusive, premium enough to justify the quality. What Apple TV offers. If we stay with the numbers, Apple TV loses by a landslide: just 226 titles in its catalog, a microscopic figure compared to Netflix’s 5,720, Prime Video’s 5,354, Disney+’s 2,461 or even HBO Max’s 2,300. according to recent calculations. It only makes sense if the catalog is measured by the quality of the content. While Netflix and Prime Video invest millions in producing and acquiring piece-rate content, Apple TV focuses on fewer productions, but ones that convey exclusivity. Although Apple is far from having series with the impact of ‘Stranger Things’, its biggest hits (‘Separation’, ‘Silo’, ‘F1’), convey that feeling of “there is no filler” that compensates for the smaller amount. The decision to dispense with advertisements for the moment moves along the same lines: to provide the viewer with something that no one else does, an experience of enjoying the series without interruptions or noise. Even if you have to pay something more (and even though the platform accounts they are not at their best). In Xataka | If the question is “where to watch all sports on a single platform”, one company wants to have the answer: Apple

13 premiere movies and series to watch in November 2025 on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and streaming

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The passing of Halloween has left us with a few interesting horror films in the catalogs of all platforms, but the next thing is coming, which is inevitably Christmas. Many of you will already be noticing how the romances of divorced women in sweaters are flooding streaming, but let’s try to abstract ourselves from that tempting little candy with a brief review of other attractive news for the month of November. That there is everything. Frankenstein Guillermo del Toro he has finally made his dream come true to adapt Mary Shelley’s canonical science fiction novel, while being both very faithful and very personal and in line with her usual obsessions. A monster different from the one we are used to in cinema, a mad scientist more deranged than usual and sumptuous settings and special effects that are the best of the show. That and the extraordinary incarnations of Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac and Mia Goth, of course. On Netflix November 7 Stranger Things S5 The final season of ‘Stranger Things’, which will premiere divided into three parts between November 2025 and January 2026, promises to bring an epic closure to the saga. Set in the fall of 1987, the city is scarred by the rifts open to the Upside Down, and the group is tasked with finding and eliminating Vecna, who is still alive. The government has placed the town under military quarantine, making the task difficult. The season will have 8 full length episodesalmost like feature films, and will bring the entire group together for one last decisive battle. We return to Hawkins for the last time! On Netflix on November 26 Vallecas File A documentary series in three episodes that reviews the most famous and high-profile poltergeist case in Spain, which occurred after a mysterious death in the Madrid neighborhood 35 years ago. The production explores unpublished archives, to which key testimonies are added to show the human drama behind the myth. The series delves into the limits between parapsychology, the poltergeist phenomenon and the power of suggestion, in a series that attempts to delve into the real case that inspired Paco Plaza’s film ‘Veronica‘. On HBO Max on November 7 ozzy: No Escape From Now A documentary that offers an intimate and unvarnished portrait of the last years of Ozzy Osbournelegendary leader of Black Sabbath, in which he had to face the physical deterioration caused by Parkinson’s and other ailments, cope with the awareness of his own mortality and the desire to return to the stage for the last time. Avoiding easy tears by showing Ozzy’s fragility and humor in the face of adversity, it gives a unique testimony of the last bars of the life of one of the last rock stars we had left. His influence is also reviewed with the appearance of figures such as Slash, James Hetfield, Billy Idol and Tom Morello. On Skyshowtime on November 2 The Paper When we first heard about the idea, we raised an eyebrow: was there really a need to invoke the spirit of ‘The Office’ in an entirely new series? But when the first reviews arrived, apparently everything was going well: without being ‘The Office’ (remember that in its first seasons ‘The Office’ was not ‘The Office’ either), Greg Daniels, creator of the original series, seems to have correctly invoked the spirit of the classic: the team that made the mockumentary of that series focuses this time on a historic paper newspaper and its editor, who tries to keep it afloat. On Skyshowtime on November 14 Bat-Fam Did you like the Christmas special movie?Merry Mini Bat Christmas‘? Average: the best thing to come out of DC in years, if you ask us. Now, their characters return with a look at the intimacy of the Wayne family, especially the heir to the Mantle, young Damian Wayne, but with a lot of new characters and old acquaintances, all passed through a delicious visual filter. Our favorite is clearly Man-Bat, so you’ll have to choose another one. On Prime Video on November 10 All of the law None other than Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts and Glenn Close share the cast with… Kim Kardashian. Only the prolific Ryan Murphy could give rise to such a concoction, with a series of legal intrigue that distances itself (partially, because its usual casting returns, Kardasian included) from the grotesque horrors of ‘American Horror Story’ and company. A kind of ‘Suits’ in a feminine key where a group of lawyers specialized in divorces leave a firm dominated by men to open their own office. ANDn Disney+ on November 4 The Fantastic Four: Firsts Steps Although it was not the revolution that many expected (and that Marvel needs), the new Fantastic Four movie has reinitiated the presence of these iconic heroes on screen with a fresher approach and more faithful to the essence of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s comic. Adventure, science fiction and light family drama combine in a film that benefits from dispensing with close ties to the rest of the world. MCUalthough it cannot escape the style, tone, humor and, above all, the closed structure without much oxygen of the rest of the house’s films. Still, great finds like the new introduction of Galactus and his herald Silver Surfer, as well as a very appropriate leading quartet. ANDn Disney+ on November 5 Jakarta Two proper names usually linked to comedy, Diego San José (‘Come Juan’, ‘Eight Basque surnames’, ‘Vaya semanita’) and Javier Cámaraenter this time into dramatic territory with a series about disenchantment and second chances: a former Olympic badminton player finds himself becoming a physical education teacher, and finds in a problematic but talented girl the possibility of achieving a lost dream. It is about competing in Jakarta, where this sport has prestige and can rediscover some of the glory of the past, in a sporting drama without an epic of winners. ANDn Movistar Plus+ on November 6 Anatomy of a moment Directed by Alberto Rodríguez and based on the … Read more

The chaos of streaming is causing a phenomenon that we thought was in recession: downloads are increasing

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The market fragmentationhe price increase of subscriptions and a user experience increasingly less friendly are the main factors pointing to an uptick in unauthorized downloads. Since Netflix began raising rates and banning shared accounts, customers have raised the threat of a return to downloading. Now, for the first time in years, the numbers seem to back them up. Temporary drop. The emergence of services streaming like Netflix devoured unauthorized downloads. With the promise of a wide and accessible catalog for a fixed rate, the platforms significantly reduced the consumption of movies and series outside of conventional channels. However, the utopia of that completely legal market subject to companies has faded. Recent reports show an uptick in access to this type of content, reversing the trend of the previous decade. The data. According to the Observatory of Piracy and Consumer Habits of Digital Content of 2024, digital piracy in Spain increased by 9% last year, reaching a record figure of 42,782 million euros in value of content defrauded through 7,330 million illegal accesses. In addition, the study indicates that for the first time access to platforms has been recorded through apps, social networks and decoders, growing the aggregate figure even more (an additional 14% compared to the previous year).​ Because? As we pointed out, this rebound is due to a series of circumstances that have changed the outlook for the streaming: Streaming is no longer convenient. Although perhaps the main reason for the public’s disenchantment with the streaming is that the supply is increasingly dispersed– To access all relevant content, the user must subscribe to multiple services. The exclusivity strategy that studios use to attract and retain subscribers has broken that ideal convenience of accessing content legally thanks to the streaming. To watch a series with multiple seasons, the user may need to subscribe to different platforms or wait months for the service to change. This dynamic clashes head-on with the immediacy that consumers expect from digital content. All of this is made worse by the licensing war: each studio wants its own titles on its platform exclusively, and leads to the need to subscribe to very specific platforms to access such popular franchises as Marvel, Star Wars or Stranger Things, for example. Technically poorer service. In addition to price and fragmentation, the service offered by some platforms has also worsened, further eroding user loyalty. Many services They have reduced the bitrate in their transmissions to save costs, leading to worse image quality. This loss of quality is often a trigger for users to search for an illegal version that offers a better viewing experience, which makes no theoretical sense: an unauthorized copy of a film often looks and sounds much better than the one available online. streaming. lUnauthorized downloads have evolved. But in addition, traditional downloads by torrent consumption on websites is now added streaming built outside of unofficial platforms, unauthorized IPTV services and the distribution of content through social networks like Telegram and WhatsApp. 96% of movie and series consumption in 2023 was done through streaming Unauthorized: you no longer have to download anything, which reduces the risks. It is a very tempting panorama. Gabe already said it. Specifically in 2011, Gabe Newell said that “Piracy is not a price problem, it is a service problem“. Faced with a legal market that is expensive, fragmented and inconvenient, users see unauthorized downloads as a kind of alternative “service” that offers all the content with better quality and for free. It can be said that it is a problem that the industry itself has partly created. In Xataka | Spaniards “torrenteros” around the world: when you go to live in Germany and discover that you can’t download anything

When Disney canceled Kimmel for comments about Trump, the greatest victim was another: his streaming service

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Last week was frantic to Jimmy Kimmel: In just a few days, a joke about the Charlie Kirk murder He caused his dismissal, generated protests throughout the country and returned to the program. And, apparently unrelated, Disney raised prices of its streaming platform. Everything was connected in a process that may have cost the company more than she expected. What happened. Although reality bifurcó in multiple ways, summarizing, Late Night’s presenter Jimmy Kimmel was suspended on September 17 by Disney after jokes about the murder of Charlie Kirk in which accused the government of instrumentalizing his death. The dismissal generated immediate criticisms for alleged political censorship under pressure from the Trump administration and the Federal Communications Commission of the United States after the suspension were the pressures of the latter to companies that were waiting for the granting of permits for mergers. Kimmel returned on September 23after they accentuated The protests that accused the government of pressing private entities against political enemies. How much it cost Disney. The Boicot public ads by stars and Influencers They did Bag to Bag to Disneywith a cost of about 5,000 million dollars in stock value. The casualties were estimated around a million, but journalist Marisa Kabas has obtained more precise informationwhich has echoed media such as discussing film or engadget: they became 1.7 million subscribers who canceled their service between September 17 and 23, 436% above the usual cancellation rate. But the thing had to get worse, because Disney was about to make an unexpected ad. A climb. Kabas herself also advanced Monday night to the official announcement: Disney was about to announce an increase in prices of her services of streamingand possible, that could have accelerated the decision of ABC (property of Disney) to return the program to Kimmel. They are ups between two and three dollars for the different Disney+ and Hulu packages, and obviously, it was planned long before the death of Charlie Kirk: the avalanche of cancellations due to the problem with Kimmel was only an addition to those that the company would already foresee when announcing the increases. Too much for a single company, which has rushed to return the presenter as an emergency measure. The question is … why didn’t they delay the announcement of the climbs? Throw forward. There is talk of several possible reasons to, despite the image crisis, continue with the ads, most of the Disney category as a great corporation with hardly any waist to quickly react to these viral phenomena. On the one hand, Disney traditionally announces this type of increase in Octoberwith the beginning of his new fiscal year. This calendar has been respecting for years, it is a rigid program that does not fit for image crisis. On the other hand, it was possibly notified of clients and interested parties, without contemplating postponements. Finally, there is the most important thing: it is a calculated risk, and Disney needs money. Despite the cancellations, the company decided to maintain the increase in the hope of stabilizing income. In addition, he avoided setting a dangerous precedent, to give in external pressures. Disney, Annus horribilis. It is not being a good year for Disney’s finances. Kimmel is only the last disaster (and all the fall remains) of a 2025 that started with a couple of powerful cinematographic failures: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’with lower performance than expected, and ‘Snow White‘, A critical and box office puncture that has even led to rethinking the future of some remakes of real image classics. Neither ‘Thunderbolts‘He has won the expected. And Pixar and Star Wars, the other powerful franchises of the house, go through a popular pothole. Of course, not everything has been disasters: ‘Lilo & Stitch‘It has been one of the box office pumps of the year and a good 2026 is expected, with the new deliveries of’Avatar‘(which arrives in December this year) and’Avengers‘(already for December that comes). Header | Anthony Quintano In Xataka | The streaming economy is completely broken and things will only get worse within the coming years

streaming loses identity in exchange for catalog

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One of the Main own content factories From the Spanish audiovisual panorama and one of the largest streaming platforms thanks to its exclusive distribution of franchises such as Marvel, ‘Star Wars’, Pixar or Disney itself have reached an agreement with which both will see their audiences and catalogs extended. However, after this firm between Atresmedia and Disney+ there is an indisputable trend of international audiovisual: less and less exclusive names that provide unique content, more and more brands that match each other in search of the maximum common denominator of the audience. 300 hours per year. That is what Atresmedia will provide to Disney+ with this treatment. He current television leader In terms of audience, he gives a selection of its catalog to Disney+ from September, which will have an independent space within the platform that will be renewed regularly. It will not be, of course, the Atresmedia’s full catalogwhich belongs to your payment option (and also can be seen from prime video) and that reaches thousands of hours of content and practically all the own production programs that are broadcast on Antena 3. The novelty with Disney+ is that this selection of its catalog will be included in the Disney+ Rates. What will we see. Even with everything, the catalog that will be available in Disney+ will be wide: from original Atresplayer series as ‘Mar outside’ (premiere on September 14) talent shows well known by the general public, such as ‘La Voz’ or ‘Your face sounds to me’. There will also be series that have passed in Antena 3 such as ‘La Crucijada’ or ‘Dreams of freedom’, and classic series of the Atresmedia catalog, such as ‘vis a vis’, ‘physical or chemical’ or ‘here there is no one who lives’, which have long circulated through different platforms of streaming. Touch contact. It is not the first time that contact shots between large Spanish audiovisual groups and platforms of streaming. Recently, Netflix has begun to broadcast Movistar Plus+ series as the comedy ‘Dead SL’, the youth ‘Merlí’ and ‘The least thought day’. On the other hand, Mediaset series such as ‘Influencers’, ‘Scandal’, ‘The one that is coming’, ‘The people’, ‘The Prince’ or ‘Interdías’ have been seen on platforms such as Netflix or Prime Video. And we should not understand it only as an understandable attempt by the producers that their material reaches beyond the channels in open and enjoy second and third lives (sometimes more successful than the original paths, there is the spectacular and unusual case of ‘The Money Heist‘, by Atresmedia), but also of an attempt to “normalization” by the platforms of streaming. Everyone wants to be mostly. For years, streaming platforms have abandoned their intention to offer an alternative product to major televisions, In search of a broader audience. There are examples as clear as the purchase of brands as ‘Operation Triunfo’ by Prime Videobut the fact that ‘the one that is coming’ is One of the main successes of the Amazon Canal It makes it clear that the public is often transversal: there are no two watertight compartments, where or it looks Netflix or looks Telecinco. Many times there are two audiences, but with the same interests. The law asks. To this trend is added that eThere is European legislation that requires platforms on demand since 2018 that a part of its content when they operate in Europe is of European origin. It is the European Directive of Audiovisual Communication Services, and at least 30% of the platform catalog must be reserved for European works. This requirement must be incorporated into the national legislation of the Member States, and part of this content must be available in one of the official languages ​​of the country where the platform operates. In this way, Disney+ is fulfilling its share of this directive, adding to, as they have told today, “recent agreements in the United Kingdom with ITVX and in Germany with ZDF.” Be normal. Payment platforms have long ceased to be a paid land for experimentation. For leaving, even They ceased to be a television space without advertising. There are redoubts like HBO or Filmin, which often (although not always: there is nothing more massive than ‘Game of Thrones’) play more exquisite audiences. But what we have seen is a trend that forces us to create content without rest: if the rhythm of consumption is multiplied and the budgets of the Disney series are too high to release at the speed of Netflix … Doesn’t it have all the meaning they call at the door of Atresmedia in search of more and more material to emit? Header | Disney+ In Xataka | When analyzing the most viewed films of Netflix during this year, the notes and opinions throw a devastating verdict

Streaming has been chasing shared accounts for years. The AI does not have that problem: our conversations embarrass us

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Dylan Patel He has nailed it. He says he never paid for Netflix or HBO because he always parasitized alien accounts, but now he has subscriptions to Chatgpt, Perpleplexity and Gemini. And without sharing them with anyone. We have been watching Netflix, Disney, Spotify and company setting devices, home verification, SMS codes to verify that you are the one who pays, geolocation to confirm that you live where you say living. A surveillance device for Avoid cases in the ten relatives enjoy what only one pays. There is a lot of money spent on anti-comparting technology, they have eroded experience. And yet, the accounts continue to share. Total, what else does your brother -in -law know what have you seen ‘The squid game‘This weekend. With the generative AI, no control system is needed. Shame does all dirty work: Nobody wants a partner to discover that he asks ChatgPT to how to write a sad three -line mail. Nobody wants your partner to read the conversations at two in the morning where you consult what to do before a vital and intimate doubt. The history of a Chatgpt or Claude account is an intimate, professional and personal newspaper in equal parts. A record of many insecurities disguised as Prompts. Something too revealing happened recently: When Openai charged GPT-4o for the arrival of GPT-5 there was a small revolt. Too many people had become accustomed to a warmer and more empathetic chatbot (perhaps more servile and complicating), and did not want to lose it. Openai had to reculate. There were people confessing without shame that he needed to recover his digital confidant, to That imaginary friend who will be imaginary but does not judge or yawn. Who always has time and is able to remember every detail of previous conversations. The imaginary friend of the 21st century. IA platforms have discovered the perfect business model: you don’t need to spend money on locks when People prefer to pay before admitting to what extent it depends on a machine. Or let others see their intimacies. Netflix, Spotify and the rest will continue to invest a lot in complicating the lives of those who share their account. Openai only needs to continue believing that no one else talks to Chatgpt As you do. And they are right: nobody else asks him the same shameful things as you. That is why none share the account. In Xataka | Chatgpt has been a tool. If you start remembering all our conversations, it will be something else: a relationship Outstanding image | Solen Feyissa

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