In this photo illustration, the Disney+ logo is displayed on a smartphone screen.
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The bag is back.
disney and Warner Bros. Discovery The companies said Wednesday they plan to offer their streaming services — Disney+, Hulu and Max — in the same bundle as traditional cable TV packages.
The latest version of the bundle will launch this summer and will be available in ad-supported and ad-free tiers. Pricing has not been disclosed, but the option will be available at a discount, according to people familiar with the matter.
In this case, Disney would essentially act as a publisher, charging subscribers a subscription fee and paying Warner Bros. Discovery a percentage of the fee, the person added.
The integration of Max, Disney+ and Hulu will give streaming subscribers access to a wide range of content in cable TV bundles. It will include broadcast networks ABC and Fox (Fox does not have its own entertainment streaming subscription service but licenses its content on Hulu) as well as cable networks including TNT, TBS, CNN, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Disney Channel and more.
The offering, reminiscent of traditional cable TV bundles that have been upended in recent years and continue to lose customers at a rapid pace, is the latest partnership between the two media giants in recent months.
Warner Bros. Discovery Channel and Disney ESPN and Fox Corporation., are also teaming up to offer a sports streaming service, expected to launch this fall.
Earlier Wednesday, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said on an earnings call that he believed the sports streaming business could be bundled with other entertainment streaming services.
Disney has been offering its streaming services — Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ — in a bundle. ESPN+ will still co-exist with the sports streaming companies but will not be included in the Warner Bros. Discovery Channel and Disney bundles. Hulu content has also recently been integrated into the Disney+ platform, although they still require a separate subscription.
Max costs $9.99 per month with ads and $15.99 without ads. Disney+’s basic ad-free plan costs $7.99 per month, or $9.99 per month when bundled with Hulu, while its premium plan is $13.99 per month, or $19.99 when bundled with Hulu. Meanwhile, Hulu itself costs $7.99 with ads, or $17.99 without ads.
