In this discussion with Ross McCray, Co-founder and CEO of VideoAmp, we look at some of the problems faced by the video ad industry. We also look ahead to what may happen in 2018.

Charter CEO engaged in some irrational exuberance this week. Here are four reasons why. Netflix is shocked, shocked at the success of the download feature. Facebook does an about-face and embraces video pre-roll ads.

The top theme of the Shift conference was that TV needs a better ad experience if it is to stop the audience leaking away to ad-free SVOD. Is there a solution to this intractable problem?

We discuss the new cable channel owned Philo vMVPD service and some of the cool things we spotted in the results reported by Roku after its first quarter as a public company.

Good

After five years, Netflix impact on Danish media has been profound. For example, 10% of TV revenue formally spent locally now comes to the US.

The Justice Department has decided to force conditions on the AT&T-Time Warner deal that make it unpalatable for both companies. There seems no real reason for this position, and the approach threatens to seriously hamper traditional TV companies as they seek to compete online.

Estimates put the losses of the pay TV industry in Q3 at 1 million subscribers. vMVPDs like Sling TV gained 0.9 million customers in Q3. Are people cutting the cord and switching to vMVPDs?

Hulu CEO Mark Hopkins left Hulu and several Amazon content executives left Amazon. What does it mean for both companies?

Netflix exceeded its own expectations in Q2 2017, gaining 5.3 million new subscribers. Was it the ballooning original content budget the delivered the subscribers? Execs at the company don’t seem to know.

In this round-the-horn podcast edition, we discuss four stories: Disney’s Movies Anywhere triumph, the rise and rise of on-demand viewing, Amazon’s shift toward ads, and streaming sports.