Netflix's planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery for $83 billion is one of the biggest deals in the streaming industry. The deal raises a number of questions, especially for Apple TV, which sources several of its most successful series from Warner. Initial statements from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos suggest that key parts of the existing business will remain unchanged.
With Netflix's potential acquisition of HBO Max and Warner Bros., the balance of power within the market is shifting. Warner has been producing content for various streaming services for years, including many titles that are crucial for Apple TV. The main concern was whether Netflix would want to keep these productions exclusive to its own platform after the acquisition. Recent statements from the company provide an initial indication of how Netflix intends to handle the Warner studio.
Netflix plans to continue the licensing business
At the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference, Ted Sarandos spoke at length about Netflix's position. He clarified that Warner Bros. Television Group would continue to license content to other streaming providers even after a potential acquisition. Sarandos, who is known not only as co-CEO but also as an actor in the Apple TV series "The Studio," praised the studio's work and described it as a "healthy business" that had not previously been part of Netflix's core operations.
Sarandos described licensing series to external streaming services as a stable and functioning area. Netflix had previously focused little on this, as its own streaming model had grown faster. However, with the acquisition, this business would transfer to Netflix, and the internal approach would change. The Warner TV group, led by Channing Dungey, a former Netflix employee, would continue to operate as before.
Meaning for Apple TV
This position is of great importance to Apple TV. Some of the platform's most successful titles are Warner Bros. productions, including Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Presumed Innocent, and Bad Monkey. All four series have new seasons in the works. They are exclusive to Apple TV, even though they weren't produced by Apple itself, but rather licensed.
Following the announcement of the Netflix deal, the question arose whether Netflix might prevent such productions from appearing on competing services in the future. Sarandos' statements make this scenario less likely. The licensing model is to remain in place, meaning that Apple TV can continue to use externally produced content that is essential to its own offering.
Apple TV currently costs €9.99 per month and is also available through Apple One. The service focuses heavily on high-quality, exclusive series and films. Much of this content is not produced in-house, but in collaboration with studios like Warner. Continuing this collaboration remains a key factor for the service.
Impact on the industry
Should the acquisition be approved by regulators, it would have far-reaching consequences. Netflix would not only expand its offerings but also integrate a significant production studio that has been working for various streaming services for years. This could lead to major changes in the market, such as new forms of licensing or a shift in the competitive landscape.
Despite the potential changes, the current situation suggests that Netflix does not intend to isolate the studio. Instead, the licensing business is to be continued, thus maintaining stable competition. For the industry, this would signal that successful productions will still be possible across multiple platforms, even if one of the largest studios gets a new owner.
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Series for Apple TV will remain available
Netflix's planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery raises many questions, but one key point seems to have already been settled. Netflix plans to continue Warner TV's existing licensing model. Series like Ted Lasso and Shrinking, which play a central role for Apple TV, will therefore continue to be produced and licensed independently. The coming months will reveal how the authorities decide on the deal and how significantly the industry will actually change as a result of this acquisition. (Image: Apple)
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