A new report suggests that the new streaming service combining HBO Max and Discovery+ services will likely be titled “Max.” According to CNBC, people familiar with the matter have said that the lawyers belonging to Warner Bros. Discovery are vetting the proposed name. Though the likely choice, executives haven’t finalized the decision yet and it might still change.
This information comes from sources who asked not to be named due to the discussions being private. Two of the people spoken to have said that some executives are still debating a final name, and Warner Bros. Discovery has given the new service a code name of “BEAM” while a final name is being debated. Besides Max, Lawyers are vetting other names as well.
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Whatever its eventual name, the app itself will be similar to Disney+’s platform, the streaming site launched on November 12, 2019. That would include “ Warner Bros. Discovery’s brands as individual tiles, the people said.” The people also added that HBO, Discovery, DC Comics, and Warner Bros. would be among the landing hubs on the platform.
Last year CNBC reported that WarnerMedia executives wanted a new name for the combined streaming service. Branding HBO Max with HBO might have crystalized the prestige image of the product, but several executives felt that the name might eventually dilute the HBO brand as consumers conflated it with everything on the streaming service.
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Other Things That Are Being Discussed
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Something that has helped reform HBO’s branding is Chief Executive David Zaslav cutting back on HBO Max original series spending. However, HBO still has a limited audience that’s primarily U.S. based, with the streaming service offering more than HBO. Such as reality TV from Discovery, news documentaries from CNN, movies from Warner Bros., kids programming, and possibly even sports, eventually.
According to people familiar with the group’s thinking, Zaslav and his team see the value in making HBO a sub-brand within the larger streaming offering. However, removing the name will also end a run of HBO-branded streaming services that have confused consumers, with HBO Go and HBO Now preceding HBO Max.
The launch for the combined service has been pushed to the spring of 2023, which Warner Bros. Discovery management announced during its most recent earnings call in November. Zaslav also said during an earnings conference call that a team has been preparing for the launch of the combined offering while also experimenting with changes “in large part to address some of the deficiencies of the existing platform.”
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery said a name was still being discussed. The pricing for the combined streaming service is still being discussed as well. Currently, commercial-free monthly subscriptions to HBO Max and Discovery+ cost $14.99 and $6.99, respectively. Both streaming services also offer cheaper ad-supported tiers.
“These early green shoots bolster our strategic thesis that the two content offerings work well together and when combined, should drive greater engagement, lower churn and higher customer lifetime value,” Zaslav said on the call.
