Philo vs STARZ

Philo in the News - Philo Press

The page lists recent press mentions, including Page Six's Virtual Reali-Tea Awards streaming exclusively on Philo, and other coverage from The Hollywood Reporter, Parade, and more.

USPI Adds Popularity Score; Owning Content Wins

State of Streaming updated its Unified Streaming Power Index (USPI) in August by adding a new Popularity Score vector, developed with Reelgood, that ranks streaming services by consumer interest across their full catalogs. The Popularity Score averages how often a service's titles appear in the national Top 100 each day over a month, creating a forward-looking index aimed at projecting where audience attention is headed. The USPI separates services into 'owners' (catalog-first platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max) and 'renters' (wrappers/resellers like Philo, Fubo, Roku Premium) to signal stability risks tied to content ownership. The August edition argues that services reselling third-party content can post strong short-term numbers but are vulnerable to carriage changes, while owners show more durable demand signals.

• The Unified Streaming Power Index (USPI) added a new Popularity Score metric for August.
• The Popularity Score was built in partnership with Reelgood and averages daily Top 100 presence per title over a month.
• Philo and Fubo scored highly in August despite not owning the content driving demand.

Philo vs Frndly TV: Best Budget Live TV 2026

This Cord Cutters News article (by Jess Barnes, published August 22, 2026) compares two budget live TV streaming services: Philo and Frndly TV. It summarizes available plans and pricing for each service (Philo: Free tier, Essential $25/month, Bundle+ $33/month with add-on services; Frndly: Basic $8.99, Classic $10.99, Premium $12.99), channel counts and examples, DVR and streaming quality differences, and device compatibility. The piece lists channel lineups side-by-side and notes both services support major devices including iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. The article includes affiliate disclosures and links.

• Philo offers a Free streaming lineup, an Essential plan at $25/month, and a Bundle+ plan at $33/month.
• Philo’s Essential plan includes 70+ live TV channels, 150+ free streaming channels, 80,000+ movies and shows on demand, and unlimited DVR with one-year storage.
• Frndly TV offers three plans: Basic $8.99/month (40+ channels, SD, 1 screen), Classic $10.99/month (HD, 2 screens, 3-month DVR retention), and Premium $12.99/month (HD, 4 screens, 9-month DVR retention).

Legendary Revives Lionsgate Acquisition Talks

Lionsgate Studios shares surged over 15% on reports that Legendary Entertainment revived acquisition talks and submitted a formal takeover offer, lifting the stock above $12 and market cap near $3.6 billion. Legendary, backed by Apollo Global Management, previously explored a bid after Lionsgate's separation from Starz. A deal would give Legendary theatrical distribution and access to Lionsgate's library of 20,000+ titles. No financial terms disclosed; both companies declined to comment. Lionsgate, led by Jon Feltheimer, has long been seen as an acquisition target amid industry consolidation.

• Lionsgate Studios shares rose more than 15% after Legendary Entertainment revived acquisition talks with a formal takeover offer.
• Lionsgate's market capitalization reached nearly $3.6 billion following the stock surge.
• Legendary is jointly owned by Apollo Global Management and its management team; it distributes theatrical releases through Paramount.

STARZ and Verizon reach distribution agreement

STARZ has announced a new distribution agreement with Verizon, restoring all STARZ channels, STARZ On Demand, and the STARZ app on Verizon Fios. The agreement gives subscribers access to STARZ's programming lineup, including the full "Power" Universe, "Power: Origins," "Fightland," "Outlander," "Outlander: Blood of my Blood," "P-Valley," "S.W.A.T. Exiles," and "Tip Toe." STARZ also highlighted its upcoming movie slate. The deal follows a previous loss of access for Verizon Fios customers, indicating a resolution of negotiations. Alison Hoffman, President of STARZ Networks, expressed satisfaction with the mutually beneficial agreement, emphasizing STARZ's commitment to delivering bold storytelling for women and underrepresented audiences.

• STARZ and Verizon have reached a new distribution agreement.
• The agreement restores all STARZ channels, STARZ On Demand, and the STARZ app on Verizon Fios.
• Subscribers will have access to programming including the 'Power' Universe, 'Outlander', and upcoming titles.

8-K Financial Filing Analysis for STARZ (2026-10-06)

On October 1, 2026, Starz Entertainment, LLC, a subsidiary of Starz Entertainment Corp., entered into a new multi-year employment agreement with Jason Wyrick to continue serving as Executive Vice President, Technology. The agreement extends through September 30, 2028, with an optional one-year extension by the company through September 30, 2029. Under the contract terms, Mr. Wyrick receives an annual base salary of $735,000, a target annual bonus of 90% of base salary, and recommended annual equity awards targeted at 50% of base salary. The agreement secures technological leadership continuity for the premium streaming platform, outlining defined severance provisions (18 months base salary and COBRA continuation upon a qualifying termination) and double-trigger change-in-control equity acceleration provisions. This executive retention contract aligns technological execution with medium-term platform objectives.

• Jason Wyrick secured a renewed term as EVP, Technology effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2028, with an optional company extension to September 30, 2029.
• Compensation structure includes an annual base salary of $735,000, an annual target bonus of 90% ($661,500), and target annual equity awards equal to 50% of base salary ($367,500).
• Severance terms provide 18 months of base salary, 18 months of COBRA coverage, and partial equity acceleration upon a qualifying termination within six months of a change in control.