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Issue 9: March 2, 2020

AT&T's new HBO Max streaming service is just 2 months away from launch, but the company has failed to make a solid case for why you need it --- or what it even is.  Read on to find out more in this week's Stream Report.

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Streamer's Spotlight: What is HBO Max, Anyway?

If you head over to the

HBO Max website

, you'll find fairly attractive promotional material. Movies! TV Shows! Nostalgia! It's all yours! Still, AT&T fails to make a particularly compelling for why you should sign up. It also doesn't help disambiguated the service from regular HBO.

What is HBO Max?

HBO Max is an on-demand streaming service from AT&T that will carry a large selection of new-release movies, old-release TV shows, and a fair selection of HBO's original content, like

Watchmen

and

Westworld

. Among the nostalgia catalog (which we're deeming a new term, as it seems to be a selling point for services these days), you'll find

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

and

Friends

.

Are HBO Max and HBO Now Different?

Yes...and no. HBO Max and HBO Now will have different catalogs...but not remarkably so. For example, HBO Max will have a heavier nostalgia catalog, so you won't find a fresh-faced Will Smith getting into 1990s hijinx on HBO Now. And HBO Max will not have the complete HBO/HBO Now catalog of original content. In fact, don't expect to get the newest HBO content on HBO Max. There will likely be quite a delay.

Can You Combine HBO Now and HBO Max

It appears that you can. AT&T plans to allow access HBO Max at no additional cost if you're a new or existing HBO Now subscriber getting billed through hbonow.com. This only appears to be a special offer for those who sign up to HBO Now prior to the May launch. Afterward, you will likely need to pay an additional cost for both services.

So...How Exactly Are They Different?

That's the question many of us are still asking. The key is the content libraries. HBO Max is effectively WarnerMedia's library, which AT&T purchased. But it also includes HBO's library. But it's not HBO. And you won't find WarnerMedia's library on HBO...unless you sign up early for HBO Now, in which case, you will, but through the separate HBO Max library.

Confused? We sure are (sort of). But so is everyone else. AT&T has done a poor job of distinguishing its different services. If AT&T TV Now and AT&T WatchTV and T&T TV are any indications (yes, they're all different services), the company doesn't seem to know how to

not

confuse subscribers.

This Week's Streaming Guide

1. 'Viking Women: The Real Valkyries' Streaming on Smithsonian Channel TONIGHT

Explore the truth behind the real Valkyries tonight on Smithsonian Channel starting at 8 PM. -

Flixed

2. Nik Wallenda Tight Rope Walks Over a Volcano this WEDNESDAY

Daredevil acrobat Nik Wallenda is back this week to perform his latest stunt: Tightrope walking over an active volcano. Watch live on ABC this Wednesday at 8 PM. -

Flixed

News and Industry Developments

1. Sling TV Reported Subscriber Losses for the First Time

Competition is finally taking its toll as Sling TV announced its first-ever decline in subscribers. -

TechCrunch

2. YouTube TV Keeps Fox Regional Sports Amid Sinclair Negotiations

YouTube TV announced its Fox regional sports will stay put as it continues to negotiate with Sinclair for broadcast rights. -

TheVerge