Streaming Services

• Streaming services are releasing new content on August 11, including a docuseries focused on the career of football manager José Mourinho. • The Mourinho series highlights his success at elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester United, and features insights from Zlatan Ibrahimović. • Additionally, a new installment in the "Despicable Me" spin-off franchise is debuting, transporting viewers to 1920s Hollywood before the events of "Minions."

• A comprehensive guide has been released detailing all new movies, shows, and live events arriving on streaming platforms on August 7. • The guide covers major services including Netflix, Paramount+, and Prime Video to help viewers decide what to watch. • This serves as a curated resource for subscribers to track simultaneous content drops across multiple competing streaming ecosystems.

• UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has expressed support for expanding the BBC license fee to include users of streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. • Under the proposed plans, individuals who exclusively use streaming platforms and do not watch BBC content could be required to pay a smaller, tiered fee. • This move aims to modernize the BBC's funding model as traditional television viewership declines in favor of digital on-demand platforms.

• The European Audiovisual Observatory has released a new industry report mapping the expansion and increasing complexity of television, on-demand, and video-sharing services across Europe. • The report emphasizes the growing dominance of Video-on-Demand (VoD) platforms and the significant influence exerted by U.S.-based media conglomerates on the regional landscape. • This analysis matters as it highlights the shifting dynamics of distribution and exhibition, coinciding with events like the Sorrento Industry Days and the Europa Distribution Network Conference in Brussels.

• The New Zealand government is investigating new regulations for international streaming services to protect local broadcasters and content creators from financial devastation. • Proposed measures include implementing a levy on platforms, establishing local content quotas, or requiring direct investment into New Zealand-based productions. • Screen Producers NZ president Irene Gardiner noted that similar schemes were recently adopted in Australia, following precedents set by Canada, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Denmark.

• Orlando Magazine released a 2026 guide ranking the top 10 streaming services to help consumers manage the growing number of monthly subscriptions. • The publication highlights ESPN+ as an essential service for combat sports fans, noting it is the exclusive U.S. home for UFC Fight Night and preliminary cards. • While base subscriptions provide a high volume of content, the guide clarifies that main card pay-per-view events still require additional payments.

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featuring the top men's national soccer teams globally. • The tournament is set to be an expansive event, consisting of more than 100 matches played over the course of more than a month. • This event is significant as one of the most anticipated sporting competitions of the year, bringing international teams together every four years.

• Canada has reversed its plan to increase the Canadian-content levy for U.S.-based audiovisual streaming services. • The decision was announced on Wednesday, June 3, by Marc Miller, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. • This policy shift impacts how streaming platforms contribute to the funding of domestic content, potentially reducing the financial burden on foreign services.