金融時報:HBO如何守護(hù)“鐵王座”

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2021年09月24日

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HBO如何守護(hù)“鐵王座”

不出意料《權(quán)力的游戲》打破艾美獎一部劇集獲獎的總數(shù)紀(jì)錄，“鐵王座”依然是HBO的。然而新媒體巨頭Netflix、Amazon在原創(chuàng)劇集上每年花費數(shù)十億美元，在強勢進(jìn)攻下，HBO如何避免“凜冬將至”。

測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識：

Emmy awards艾美獎（艾美獎是美國一項用于表彰其電視工業(yè)杰出人士和節(jié)目的獎勵，其重要程度與電影界的奧斯卡金像獎、音樂界的格萊美獎以及戲劇界的東尼獎一樣。）

covet垂涎；覬覦['k?v?t]

powerhouse精力旺盛的人；動力室；發(fā)電所['pa??ha?s]

acclaim稱贊；為…喝彩，向…歡呼[?'kle?m]

cable subscriptions有線電視訂閱

borne out證實；支持

HBO faces fresh competition after Emmy success （731words）

By Matthew Garrahan in New York

HBO swept the two most coveted Emmy awards on Sunday with Game of Thrones and Veep, continuing the Time Warner-owned network's 16-year run as television's creative powerhouse.

In total, HBO won 22 Emmys from 94 nominations at this year's awards, more than any other network.

But it faced stiff competition from rivals, namely 21st Century Fox's FX channel, which landed multiple wins for its The People Vs OJ Simpson mini-series, and Netflix and Amazon's digital streaming services.

The question facing HBO is whether it can continue to prosper in an increasingly digital world characterised by on-demand viewing and the emergence of two global competitors in Netflix and Amazon, which are spending billions of dollars a year on original programming.

HBO clearly thinks it can. Last year it launched HBO Now, its own over the top subscription service. It has since struck several big programming deals to broaden its range of content.

The deals underline how HBO is evolving, analysts say. The network used to be known primarily for its edgy dramas such as The Sopranos, which did not shy away from violence, profanity or sexual content.

It continues to produce such shows, garnering great critical acclaim for its recent crime thriller The Night Of, but has added other content to the mix, bringing characters such as Elmo, Cookie Monster and Big Bird to the network via a five-year deal with the non-profit Sesame Workshop to produce new episodes of Sesame Street.

HBO has also broadened its current affairs and comedy portfolio, snapping up Jon Stewart, the former host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show to make “short form” content for HBO Now. This month, HBO will also begin airing a nightly news show produced by Vice, the youth-focused media group.

“They are evolving their model,” says Rich Greenfield, analyst with BTIG Research. “They're not just creating content but buying it from Sesame Street and Vice so they can broaden out their programming in a direct to consumer world.”

Digital subscription services are easier to cancel than cable subscriptions, he adds, which means that HBO has to ensure that its digital platform has something for everyone. “That's why they're doing kids' programming and news.”

In this respect, HBO's digital approach is not dissimilar to Netflix, which has stocked its service with documentaries, kids shows and original series. However, the Time Warner-owned channel has several advantages, notably the rights to first run theatrical movies from some of Hollywood's biggest studios, including Warner Brothers and Universal Studios. These movies make up the bulk of viewing on the channel.

HBO also has no wish to sever ties with cable and satellite companies in the US and elsewhere that pay handsomely to carry its channel, and which has made it much more profitable than its digital rivals.

In the UK, for example, HBO programming is available on Sky via the Sky Atlantic channel. HBO has about 49m subscribers in the US and 131m globally; Netflix, by contrast, has 83m.

Still, the emergence of Netflix, Amazon and services such as Hulu, which is part owned by Walt Disney, 21st Century Fox and Comcast, has made original programming more expensive.

The new digital services are willing to write big cheques for the best projects and exclusive rights, as are cable channels, which have begun to use original programming to define themselves in an era of cord-cutting and fragmenting audiences.

This was borne out at the Emmys when Rami Malek won the best actor award for his role in Mr Robot, which airs on NBC Universal's USA Network — a channel which had not previously been known as a home of top quality drama.

The array of new buyers has put pressure on HBO and increased prices. The network remains the home of the best dramas and, thanks to its Emmy wins for Veep and John Oliver's Last Week Tonight, a force in comedy, too.

But with its biggest hit Game of Thrones only having two more seasons to go before coming to an end, HBO must ensure it has a full pipeline of top original content.

“HBO has always been known for being artist friendly and for being a place that can be a home for top talent,” says Christopher Vollmer, global entertainment and media advisory leader for Strategy&, which is part PwC. “I'm sure that will continue. But its rivals aren't putting any constraints on talent either.”

請根據(jù)你所讀到的文章內(nèi)容，完成以下自測題目：

1.How many Emmys did HBO win at this year's awards?

A.16

B.22

C.94

D.126

答案(1)

2.What kind of contents spend billions of dollars a year for Netflix and Amazon?

A.micro film

B.original programming

C.current affairs

D.comedy portfolio