HBO MAX coming to NZ .- Sky to drop HBO Max content from June

Forums › Online streaming services › HBO MAX coming to NZ .- Sky to drop HBO Max content from June

wellygary

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#324019 17-Feb-2026 10:04

From SkyTV this morning...

Guess Sky's Shares will take a hit when they open today as they death by 1000 cuts continues...

"Sky announces it will not renew its agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) in relation to HBO Max content when the current agreement concludes mid-June 2026. Sky has decided not to pursue a co-exclusive content arrangement as WBD prepares to launch its direct-to-consumer service in New Zealand."

https://www.nzx.com/announcements/467551

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#3462147 17-Feb-2026 10:47

Another subscription, yarr...

richms

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#3462148 17-Feb-2026 10:52

You mean I might be able to get 4k HDR atmos content without sailing the seas now?

Just need paramount to get their own service.

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sen8or

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#3462149 17-Feb-2026 10:54

So is that the likely end of Neon?

sen8or

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#3462150 17-Feb-2026 10:55

Isn't there a lot of Paramount content on Prime?

gzt

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#3462153 17-Feb-2026 11:00

sen8or: So is that the likely end of Neon?

Nope. It won't necessarily help them but it's far from the end.

richms

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#3462154 17-Feb-2026 11:00

sen8or:

Isn't there a lot of Paramount content on Prime?

In degraded quality, so no loss if they lose it.

They have had about a decade to roll out 4k and decent quality, and yet things still look and sound like they are 20 years old.

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#3462179 17-Feb-2026 11:52

Interesting.. Brave of them to think kiwi's will pay for another subscription service.

SKT shares barely moved so far this morning, it will be interesting to keep an eye on them.

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Groucho

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#3462180 17-Feb-2026 11:53

Curious. Was watching Neon last night and saw Last Week Tonight with John Oliver appear with a new episode. The series was added to the list before Sky lost the rights to it.

openmedia

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#3462216 17-Feb-2026 13:15

boosacnoodle:

Another subscription, yarr...

Don't worry - Netflix will end up bundling it.

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wellygary

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#3462224 17-Feb-2026 13:31

openmedia:

boosacnoodle:

Another subscription, yarr...

Don't worry - Netflix will end up bundling it.

Either them or a bolt on to Paramount plus, :)

nztim

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#3462232 17-Feb-2026 14:02

I am so over having to subscribe to so many streaming services for different shows I want to watch, all together they end up costing more than Sky does, it's getting so out of hand.

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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#3462241 17-Feb-2026 14:18

https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/screens/tv/new-zealand-is-getting-a-new-streaming-service-hbo-max-is-coming

So confusing as to how this will all land with Netflix and Paramount trying to acquire WBD in the background. Maybe Sky saw the writing on the wall and just walked away?

davidcole

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#3462242 17-Feb-2026 14:19

So will sky lower their prince now given their catalogue is getting smaller as all these studios take content inhouse?

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#3462243 17-Feb-2026 14:20

davidcole:

So will sky lower their prince now given their catalogue is getting smaller as all these studios take content inhouse?

It won't affect my Sky bill as I only have starter and sport. Will be interesting what happens with Neon.

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geek3001

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#3462245 17-Feb-2026 14:32

nztim:

I am so over having to subscribe to so many streaming services for different shows I want to watch, all together they end up costing more than Sky does, it's getting so out of hand.

Agree.

The upside is that the majority of streaming services provide proper 1920 x 1080 HD or 4K picture quality, and high-quality surround sound audio.

When I cancelled Sky a couple of years ago, their picture quality on most of their own channels (ie: not the Freeview channels they bundle) was only marginally better than SD, and nowhere near proper 1920 x 1080. Their sound was either mono or 2.0 at best on the movie channels. The lady I spoke with in the retention team asked me why I was cancelling and I told her this. She agreed and said many people were of the same view.

I can recall Sky broadcasting Star Trek TOS on one of their Jones channels in very poor quality SD, while the same content was available concurrently on Netflix in 1920 x 1080 HD having been digitally scanned and remastered from the original film stock.

I help my elderly neighbour with a range of issues, and continue to be amazed at how poor the picture and sound quality of Sky's own channels are on their TV, compared with streaming media and the Freeview channels eg: TV1 / TV2, on the very same TV.

My eyes and ears have become used to high-quality pictures and high-quality audio respectively from streaming sources, even including YouTube.

Sky used to advertise their product as It's all in here or words to that effect.

Edit: Is one reason Sky is losing HBO content the fact that they cannot deliver it to a standard that HBO requires?

I would consider re-subscribing to Sky if they delivered pictures and audio of a standard expected in 2026 rather than what we were used to in the old analog TV days.

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