Welcome to 2026. Versant, the Comcast spinoff, has seen its value plummet. TV OEMs are pursuing AI. NFL games set a streaming record in 2025, and the Hulu app is being sunsetted.
Versant’s Wall Street debut fails to wow investors (1:00)
After Versant attempted to wow Wall Street in December, the company was hoping for a strong showing when it launched on the NASDAQ on Tuesday. It didn’t get it. We discuss why people aren’t convinced that the company’s growth businesses can offset declines in traditional TV.
AI emerges as the innovation platform for television (6:00)
Samsung’s Vision AI Companion allows people to interact with the TV and what they are watching in a natural way. Hisense’s V is out to do the same thing for its smart TVs. We discuss what they are doing, why AI is emerging as the platform for TV innovation, and how it might finally put the smart into Smart TVs.
NFL sets streaming records on Amazon and Netflix (12:40)
Amazon saw spectacular growth in the audience for Thursday Night Football. Netflix also saw strong audience growth for its pair of Christmas Day games. Their audience sizes are as big, and, depending on how you count, even bigger than traditional TV. Not only that, but many people are enjoying a better quality experience!
Disney will shut down the Hulu app in early 2026 (19:20)
Disney says it will sunset the Hulu app and require all subscribers to use the Disney+ app. The transition will begin next month. The move leaves many questions unanswered, including how exactly Hulu+Live fits in.
