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I'm still worried about G4.


FirePuppy

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Generation 4 is and will always be the generation of My Little Pony that was Hasbro's biggest success and created a huge fandom worldwide, especially on the Internet. The big issue is, it's currently under a joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery, and right now, both Hasbro and WBD (the two owners of the channel where MLP and EG were produced for) are suffering huge losses based on revenue.

 

And now I'm getting really nervous (and scared) about these three things:

1. Warner Bros. Discovery's renewal with Hasbro over Discovery Family

"Hasbro Inc. (“Hasbro”) had the right to put the entirety of its remaining 40% interest in Discovery Family to the Company at any time during the one-year period beginning December 31, 2021, or in the event the Company's performance obligation related to Discovery Family is not met. Embedded in the redeemable noncontrolling interest is also a Warner Bros. Discovery call right that is exercisable for one year after December 31, 2021. Neither the put nor call was exercised in 2022. In December 2022, Hasbro and WBD signed an amendment to the previous agreement extending the put-call election to the period January 31, 2025 to March 31, 2025."

Warner Bros. Discovery 2023 Annual Report, page 110

This is the ONLY mentioning of Hasbro that there was on WBD's last five annual reports from 2019 to 2023. Aside from that, there has still been no other announcements at all since this one:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hasbro-mulls-possible-sale-of-discovery-family-channel-stake-1235088026/

2. Jason the Cartoon Fan's predictions on what will happen to MLP

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3. 22ndCenturyMan's prediction on what will happen to MLP

"The US is a massive country (the most-populated developed country) and very spread out.

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As of 2023, 42 million Americans still don't have access to broadband at all, and even if they do, it's not equally developed in every area of the country. Rural areas are underdeveloped in this regard. That's why Discovery Family is still airing MLP, one of the biggest kids' shows of the 2010s if not ever. Not everybody can access streaming and, while people in rural areas and on fixed incomes often use library DVDs to watch media, there aren't DVDs of the last three seasons. Cable-cutters can pirate the show if it's not on streaming -- I'm talking a dedicated site to MLP piracy and even straight-up YouTube. But people without broadband can't."

 

But honestly, this isn't good for Hasbro itself, the franchise as a whole, or most importantly, the fanbase. If the show keeps staying on Discovery Family indefinitely, it's just going to prevent the G4 characters from making any more appearances outside of whitelisted YouTube channels owned by Hasbro, cause even bigger losses to both owners of the channel, and potentially cause the fanbase to plummet. And besides, I don't think any of the rural areas shown above probably even have Discovery Family Channel or maybe even watch MLP anyways, not to mention all the movies and specials no longer airing on the channel. For these reasons, I'm still hoping Discovery Family will admit defeat and let go of their rights for G4 MLP, so fans can rejoice again and also make things easier for Hasbro.

  • Brohoof 2

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