In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. purchased HBO and its whole catalog, including its relatively new streaming platform HBO Max. Discovery and HBO couldn’t be more different. The first is known as the leader in unscripted reality TV shows, such as the True Crime “The First 48”, Home show “Fixer Upper”, or Gordon Ramsey’s cooking show “Hell’s Kitchen.” HBO, on the other hand, is the master of scripted prestige television shows, such as “The Sopranos” or “Game of Thrones.”
On May 23, 2023, HBO Max will be replaced by Max, keeping all the current HBO catalogue while adding some of the flagship channels from Discovery such as HGTV and TLC. It will be available in three plans, ranging from $9.99/month for ad-supported plans to $19.99/month for 4K ad-free viewing, while also offering up front yearly subscriptions for a discount.
This consolidation of streaming platforms comes at a time when more and more Americans are “cutting the cord” by discarding expensive cable packages in favor of targeted streaming platforms that cater to their taste. In fact, there haven’t been as few American households with cable since 1992, according to Variety.
Competition within the streaming world has also gotten cutthroat, with all streaming providers such as Netflix, Disney+, and Paramount+ all struggling to keep subscriptions growing following an earlier upsurge during the COVID lockdowns, compounded by the recent Writer’s strike which has already delayed further release of content, says Vulture.
