The initiative is an ambitious play, but it makes sense. Spain has lower cable subscriber rates than the US and a large amount of online piracy. So HBO is sacrificing its licensing revenue to appeal to homes that either gave up on cable or never bought it in the first place. "We follow the money," HBO chief executive Richard Plepler told Bloomberg. "We’re making a determination of where we think the most profits lie." The company has 138 million subscribers, two thirds of which are located outside the US, where broadband-only rates are far higher than the US, according to research firm Parks Associates.
From the article "HBO Is Replacing Its Cable TV Option In Spain With A New Streaming Service" by Nick Statt.
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