Daniel Frankel and David Bloom close out a momentous 2025 with a wide-ranging Next TMT Talks episode covering the collision of AI, Hollywood consolidation, streaming wars, and legacy media economics.

From Netflix’s high-stakes battle with Paramount and Warner Bros to Disney’s surprising $1B partnership with OpenAI, this episode explores how power, money, and technology are reshaping entertainment faster than regulators — or studios — can react .

• Netflix faces bipartisan antitrust pressure as the Warner Bros deal drags on
• Paramount–Skydance’s hostile bid sparks DC scrutiny over foreign investors
• Disney invests $1B in OpenAI and integrates Sora — with heavy guardrails
• Why AI video is improving faster than anyone expected (Coca-Cola’s AI ads)
• The future of user-generated content in games, film, and TV (Overwolf)
• Why mid-budget adult dramas are disappearing — and why Netflix may save them
• Fallout from Golden Globes “shakedown” tactics and awards-season economics
• Pay TV posts its first growth quarter in years — is linear stabilizing?
• Cloud gaming, Samsung TVs, Fallout, GTA Online, and Microsoft’s big bet
• College football playoffs land on HBO Max — a new sports distribution reality

🎙 Hosted by Daniel Frankel & David Bloom
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Chapter List:

00:00 Introduction to Next TMT Talks

01:17 Warner Brothers Acquisition and Regulatory Challenges

04:05 Disney's Investment in OpenAI and AI in Media

08:11 Coca-Cola's AI Christmas Ads and Video Evolution

10:33 The Future of Video Entertainment and Mergers

17:53 Antitrust Concerns and Foreign Investments in Media

21:34 The Decline of Mid-Budget Films and Industry Changes

25:25 The Golden Globe Controversy

29:32 The Impact of Awards on Film Careers

33:51 The State of Pay TV and Streaming

39:13 Emerging Trends in Streaming and Gaming