In a 2011 memo, Kilar stunned the TV world by writing then-shocking things like "traditional TV has too many ads" and "consumers want TV to be more convenient for them." He also predicted the end of the cable bundle. "Kilar hasn’t been a big player in the streaming wars since he exited Hulu," says Josef Adalian. "He started a short-form streaming service called Vessel (shades of Quibi) in 2015; in 2016, it was bought by Verizon and shut down. But the knowledge he gained launching Hulu, combined with his previous career moving Amazon into the business of selling DVDs online, is clearly why AT&T execs believe he’s the right person to move WarnerMedia more fully into the streaming era via HBO Max."
TOPICS: Jason Kilar, HBO Max, Hulu, WarnerMedia