HBO Max: one of the newer streaming platforms to be released in 2020 that is shrouded in the most mystery. After all, why would a nearly fifty year old premium network, with its own non-cable based subscription plans, need a new outlet for streaming?
Fully named the Home Box Office Incorporated, HBO is a cable television company responsible for both producing and broadcasting a variety of media content around the world. With a headquarters in midtown Manhattan and locations in both Los Angeles and Seattle, it’s no wonder they boast diversity as a company foundation for innovation along with their eco-industrial decor.
Where those are in charge are concerned, however, it’s a pretty standard lineup made of their parent companies own executives. Robert “Bob” Greenblatt was recently put in charge of HBO as a chairman of Warner Media, and most current executives are especially relevant in the program curation for the network. Such include Casey Bloys as the President of Programming, Michael Ellenberg as Executive Vice President of Programming, and Michael Kopelman as Senior Vice President of Finance. John Stankey is, of course, the boss of the boss as President and Chief Operating Officer of supreme overlord AT&T Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Media LLC.
Though belonging to a considerably broadband telecommunication company, HBO’s content is only viewable through variety of paid subscription services, the most common of those being its cable addition. They boast over 140 million subscribers across the globe and across a variety of apps and platforms including the traditional HBO and HBO GO, Cinemax, Cinemax Go, and the non-cable option of HBO NOW.
The channels existence dates back to a rather quiet release in 1972 for sports broadcasting purposes and only transforming into what it is today by the early nineties. Now, HBO is proud of the award recognition for its originals that only increases by the years. Their lineups are, admittedly, deserving of the many gold statues it receives and reflective of the diversity they claim to chase in their pool of workers. Their system is arguably flawless and is only on its way up, so again: why the push to the max?
HBO never was, and never will be, alone in the media journey onwards. Consider its media overlord, Warner Media, caregiver to networks and studios certainly not few and far between. HBO Max offers a neat combination of both HBO’s own originals and features along with popular Warner productions from Pretty Little Liars to Friends. Max, unlike the earlier HBO only subscriptions, expands the streaming library of subscribers by including more movies and shows as produced by the companies many subsidiaries in studios and networks alike. The competition it raises comes from the act of removing popular titles from already popular platforms like Netflix and Hulu. It, much like NBC’s Peacock, is waging a terrifying war on my wallet.
The network is evolving naturally from its original sports broadcasts and in light of its position on the Warner Media food chain. Where Max falls on my own is to be determined upon release in the summer. For a platform review and more, be sure to subscribe to the blog to get the latest updates of complaints at a moments notice all from the comfort of your sinking couch.
THE SINKING COUCH 