Walmart Taps TV Exec Mark Greenberg To Explore New Streaming Service

July 28, 2018 9:18am

Walmart is collaborating with veteran television executive Mark Greenberg on a new video streaming service that would challenge the dominance of Netflix and Amazon by targeting Middle American tastes in programming.

The venture is in the early stages of development and has not been formally greenlit by Walmart, according to reports. The company isn’t expected to make a decision on moving forward until late summer or early fall.

Greenberg left his role last year as chief executive of Epix . He has also held senior positions at Showtime and HBO.

If Walmart creates the service, it will enter a crowded field of contenders that includes Hulu, AT&T and the aforementioned Netflix and Amazon. Those familiar with the plans say Walmart, famous for its price-cutting, would offer a lower-priced monthly subscription than its competitors and target audiences outside of large cities.

Walmart has already dipped its toe into streaming movies through Vudu, an online film streaming service it bought in 2010. Any new subscription service would reportedly be separate from that venture, which has lagged behind its rivals in the space.

Whether the proposed Walmart channel would produce original content, license existing programming, or do a combination of same is still unclear.