Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Welcome to Cordkillers! Disney says it isn’t abandoning streaming for licensing—and it may use free, ad-supported channels and TikTok creator videos to widen the funnel into Disney+, Hulu, and its other subscription services.
Plus: Spaceship Earth, Love Island USA, Danny Boyle’s Ink, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming results, Roku’s growth, tougher YouTube monetization requirements, and more.
SUPPLY RUN
• Disney is considering launching free, ad-supported streaming television channels to reach price-sensitive viewers, expand its advertising inventory, and drive new Disney+ subscriptions.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/disney-free-streaming-channels-launch-josh-damaro-1236828249
• Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro says abandoning direct-to-consumer streaming in favor of licensing exclusively would leave Disney in an inferior strategic and financial position.
hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/should-disney-get-out-streaming-business-disney-plus-1236646511
• Disney and TikTok are launching a U.S. pilot that will bring participating creators’ Disney-focused fan videos into the “Verts” section of Disney+.
engadget.com/2230726/disney-partners-with-tiktok-fan-made-shorts-disney
SEARCH PARTY
• Disney+ ordered a pilot for a Spaceship Earth series inspired by the EPCOT attraction, with Jason Fuchs set to serve as showrunner.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/spaceship-earth-tv-series-epcot-disney-plus-pilot-1236829315
• Love Island USA Season 8 generated nearly 19 billion minutes viewed, becoming Peacock’s most-watched series ever. Phones and tablets accounted for 30% of the season’s viewing.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/love-island-usa-season-8-ratings-record-1236828613
• Danny Boyle’s Ink arrives in theaters December 11 before streaming on Netflix beginning January 8 in the U.S. and Latin America.
variety.com/2026/film/awards/ink-netflix-release-date-guy-pearce-rupert-murdoch-1236830133
• Disney licensed six iHeartMedia podcasts for Disney+ and Hulu, beginning with the Jonas Brothers’ Hey Jonas!
variety.com/2026/tv/news/jonas-brothers-podcast-disney-plus-hulu-iheartmedia-1236830393
BURIED TREASURE
Brian: President Curtis
SCANNING THE HORIZON
• The U.K. approved the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger with conditions protecting its linear channels, children’s brands, and Channel 5 News.
variety.com/2026/biz/global/paramount-uk-concessions-block-the-merger-1236830054
• Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming revenue rose 10%, but total revenue fell 11% as cable revenue, television advertising, and theatrical performance declined.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-q2-profit-slumps-nba-ads-write-downs-1236828837
• Starz reported subscriber growth despite raising its prices, but did not disclose the actual subscriber numbers.
deadline.com/2026/08/starz-q2-earnings-subscriber-gain-price-increase-1237028412
• Roku reported $1.35 billion in quarterly revenue, up 22%, as it prepares for its acquisition by Fox.
deadline.com/2026/08/roku-q2-2026-earnings-fox-deal-platform-revenue-1237028085
• The FCC voted 2–1 on enforcement of the congressionally mandated television ownership rule, prompting several groups to plan legal challenges.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/trump-fcc-kills-tv-ownership-cap-claiming-authority-over-limit-set-by-congress
• In Versant’s second quarter since separating from Comcast, revenue fell 4% and earnings per share dropped from $2.09 to $1.49.
deadline.com/2026/08/versant-q2-2026-earnings-advertising-1237027547
• Beginning February 1, YouTube will reportedly require 8,000 annual viewing hours for monetization, up from 4,000, while retaining its 1,000-subscriber requirement.
techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/youtube-now-requires-creators-to-have-twice-as-many-watch-hours-to-start-earning-money
THE FULL EXPERIENCE
Get Smart:
• Mr. Big
• A Spy for a Spy
• Ice Station Siegfried
• I Am Curiously Yellow
Remington Steele:
• License to Steele
• Scene Steelers
• Beg, Borrow or Steele
• Steeled with a Kiss, Parts 1 and 2
Support Cordkillers on Patreon:
patreon.com/cordkillers
Got something we should be watching?
Email cordkillers@gmail.com
Watch live every Tuesday at:
5:30 PM Eastern / 2:30 PM Pacific
twitch.tv/nightattack
youtube.com/modernrogue
More Cordkillers:
cordkillers.com
Welcome to Cordkillers! Disney says it isn’t abandoning streaming for licensing—and it may use free, ad-supported channels and TikTok creator videos to widen the funnel into Disney+, Hulu, and its other subscription services.
Plus: Spaceship Earth, Love Island USA, Danny Boyle’s Ink, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming results, Roku’s growth, tougher YouTube monetization requirements, and more.
SUPPLY RUN
• Disney is considering launching free, ad-supported streaming television channels to reach price-sensitive viewers, expand its advertising inventory, and drive new Disney+ subscriptions.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/disney-free-streaming-channels-launch-josh-damaro-1236828249
• Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro says abandoning direct-to-consumer streaming in favor of licensing exclusively would leave Disney in an inferior strategic and financial position.
hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/should-disney-get-out-streaming-business-disney-plus-1236646511
• Disney and TikTok are launching a U.S. pilot that will bring participating creators’ Disney-focused fan videos into the “Verts” section of Disney+.
engadget.com/2230726/disney-partners-with-tiktok-fan-made-shorts-disney
SEARCH PARTY
• Disney+ ordered a pilot for a Spaceship Earth series inspired by the EPCOT attraction, with Jason Fuchs set to serve as showrunner.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/spaceship-earth-tv-series-epcot-disney-plus-pilot-1236829315
• Love Island USA Season 8 generated nearly 19 billion minutes viewed, becoming Peacock’s most-watched series ever. Phones and tablets accounted for 30% of the season’s viewing.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/love-island-usa-season-8-ratings-record-1236828613
• Danny Boyle’s Ink arrives in theaters December 11 before streaming on Netflix beginning January 8 in the U.S. and Latin America.
variety.com/2026/film/awards/ink-netflix-release-date-guy-pearce-rupert-murdoch-1236830133
• Disney licensed six iHeartMedia podcasts for Disney+ and Hulu, beginning with the Jonas Brothers’ Hey Jonas!
variety.com/2026/tv/news/jonas-brothers-podcast-disney-plus-hulu-iheartmedia-1236830393
BURIED TREASURE
Brian: President Curtis
SCANNING THE HORIZON
• The U.K. approved the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger with conditions protecting its linear channels, children’s brands, and Channel 5 News.
variety.com/2026/biz/global/paramount-uk-concessions-block-the-merger-1236830054
• Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming revenue rose 10%, but total revenue fell 11% as cable revenue, television advertising, and theatrical performance declined.
variety.com/2026/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-q2-profit-slumps-nba-ads-write-downs-1236828837
• Starz reported subscriber growth despite raising its prices, but did not disclose the actual subscriber numbers.
deadline.com/2026/08/starz-q2-earnings-subscriber-gain-price-increase-1237028412
• Roku reported $1.35 billion in quarterly revenue, up 22%, as it prepares for its acquisition by Fox.
deadline.com/2026/08/roku-q2-2026-earnings-fox-deal-platform-revenue-1237028085
• The FCC voted 2–1 on enforcement of the congressionally mandated television ownership rule, prompting several groups to plan legal challenges.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/trump-fcc-kills-tv-ownership-cap-claiming-authority-over-limit-set-by-congress
• In Versant’s second quarter since separating from Comcast, revenue fell 4% and earnings per share dropped from $2.09 to $1.49.
deadline.com/2026/08/versant-q2-2026-earnings-advertising-1237027547
• Beginning February 1, YouTube will reportedly require 8,000 annual viewing hours for monetization, up from 4,000, while retaining its 1,000-subscriber requirement.
techcrunch.com/2026/08/10/youtube-now-requires-creators-to-have-twice-as-many-watch-hours-to-start-earning-money
THE FULL EXPERIENCE
Get Smart:
• Mr. Big
• A Spy for a Spy
• Ice Station Siegfried
• I Am Curiously Yellow
Remington Steele:
• License to Steele
• Scene Steelers
• Beg, Borrow or Steele
• Steeled with a Kiss, Parts 1 and 2
Support Cordkillers on Patreon:
patreon.com/cordkillers
Got something we should be watching?
Email cordkillers@gmail.com
Watch live every Tuesday at:
5:30 PM Eastern / 2:30 PM Pacific
twitch.tv/nightattack
youtube.com/modernrogue
More Cordkillers:
cordkillers.com
