Mars Reel Secures $4.7M in Funding From Otter Media, Hip Hop Artist Drake; Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Media Partners with American Family; Apple TV

Daily news updates on the video business and must-know headlines. [View this email in your browser]( This section includes stories that can be accessed and read by Members Only. Want to become a member? Keep scrolling. Already a member!? *High five yourself* then...keep scrolling. [Linear Channels on Twitch Struggle to “Hit”, Publishers Say “Game Over.”]( [How]( Murdoch]( Vertical Networks Took its Snapchat Series to Broadcast]( [Fresh Off Its $25M Acquisition of AwesomenessTV, Viacom Reduces Staff]( [Become a Member]( More from VideoInk (free content) This section of headlines is original from VideoInk but not behind our paywall. [Mars Reel Secures $4.7M in Funding From Otter Media and Hip Hop Artist Drake]( [Twitch Competitor Caffeine Hires Former AppleTV Exec Jen Folse as VP of Product]( [Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Media Pushes Deeper into the Branded Content G]( In Case You Missed It [5Qs with...Bustle’s SVP of Video Kate Robinson on Measuring the Success of Social Video]( [Why Netflix Needs Promotional Videos (Commercials) on its Platform]( [Giphy Launches its Own Snapchat-Like Stories Feature]( [From Saturday Morning Cartoons to Smosh: Building World-Class Media Brands (Podcast)]( [Pulled From VideoInk's]( Bank]( The typical premium video viewing session lasts 77 minutes on a connected TV and only 32 minutes on the smartphone. [-]( Brief News - Highlights + Must-Know Snippets This section of headlines is for newsletter subscribers only - brief, to the point, and not needing the deeper industry analysis you'll find on VideoInk's homepage. Netflix is Bypassing the iOS App Store in 33 Countries Netflix is testing how to bypass iTunes in 33 countries, according to TechCrunch. Until September 30, new or lapsed subscribers in selected markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia will be unable to pay using iTunes. Instead, they will be redirected to the mobile web version to log payment details directly with Netflix. Netflix’s iOS test was first spotted by NDTV in India last week, according to TC. An Increasing Number of Millennials are Sharing SVOD Passwords An estimated 35% of millennials share passwords for streaming services. That's compared with 19% of Generation X subscribers and 13% of Baby Boomers according to research firm Magid (per CNBC). "I wish I had a solution, because it's really hurting the business model and monetization of these premium high-value services," said Jill Rosengard Hill, executive president at media research firm Magid Eastern Europe OTT Revenues Sky Rocket Over-the-top revenues from TV shows and movies in Easter Europe is expected to more than triple from US$1.01 billion in 2017 to US$3.51 billion in 2023, according to Digital TV Research estimates (per Digital TV Europe). According to the study, subscription video-on-demand was the region’s largest OTT revenue source in 2017 accounting for 51% of total OTT revenues. Gleam Futures Signs Australia’s Kane And Pia Australian duo Kane Vato and Pia Muehlenbeck, who combined have nearly 3 million followers across its social channels have signed to digital-first talent management company, Gleam Futures. In partnership with Australian management company, 22 Management, Gleam Futures will be responsible for protecting, developing and monetizing Kane and Pia outside of the Australia and New Zealand markets – with a particular focus on the US and UK. Send Us Your Digital Release Dates Premiering your series on go90? Facebook? YouTube? All of the above? We're tracking all digital releases and will be including this on our site and in our newsletter. Submitting takes 5 seconds -- [do so here](. [Check out sample here.]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [Google Plus]( [Google Plus]( [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2016 VideoInk Inc, All rights reserved. You're on this list because you've either subscribed via VideoInk or because you're on our VI-P list. Our mailing address is: VideoInk Inc 75 West End Avenue, New York, NY R14D New York, NY 10023 [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences](