The 2024 Emmy nominations are here, and the results pretty much confirm the success of Disney’s 2019 acquisition of FX. Its partnership with Hulu brought major awards attention to shows like Shōgun and The Bear. Plus, a new Bank of America report on Warner Bros. Discovery suggests ways the company can reshuffle its assets. Might it bode a pivot to… unbundling? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni break it all down.
Is Disney’s FX an Emmys gamechanger? FX dominated the Emmy nominations this week. The Japanese historical drama Shōgun got the most of any series, 25, including best drama series. Acclaimed comedy The Bear broke the record of most nominations of a comedy series with 23 nods. It’s great news for Disney, which was hesitant when it acquired FX back in 2019.
But, FX’s partnership with streaming giant Hulu has been the key to its success. “Because FX has been attached to Hulu, it's really been a game changer. And we see it now with this huge Emmy run,” Belloni says.
An unsettling report card for Warner Bros. Discovery? A new media analysis by Bank of America out this week urges the company to do something to change the trajectory of the company. The report suggests many potential ideas, including a merger with a major broadcaster and possibly selling its TV brands. “It's up to David Zasloff and his team to figure out what the best path forward is,” says Belloni. The consensus: something needs to happen soon.