Greetings from NYC. I wasn’t going to weigh in on the Tyson-Paul fight — dissecting staged spectacles isn’t usually my thing — but as advanced media lessons go, this one delivered a knockout.
Let’s start with Netflix. They were a big winner (not the winner, but let’s give credit where it’s due). What did they win? A crash course in network topology and a live case study on what it takes to deliver 60-65 million concurrent streams over the public internet. They have some homework to do. Sure, they stumbled on production value, but no one cared—that wasn’t the main event. As a bonus, they won a place in the global news cycle for several days. As you know, education is expensive; when you add it all up (purse, gate, streaming costs, production costs), this "win" probably cost Netflix between $75-$100 million, which is why they were not the "big" winner.
Now, Jake Paul. Love him or hate him, the guy understands the game better than most. He didn’t just win the fight—he delivered a masterclass in social video, social media, and shameless self-promotion. In doing so, he drove the final nail into the coffin of traditional media. Streaming isn’t the future; it’s the present. Watching this completely fabricated event rake in cash and attention was like watching Monet… if Monet painted clout-chasing YouTubers. Yes, Jake got paid to beat up an old man. I'm sure he's fine with it.
And then there’s Iron Mike Tyson. At 58, Tyson won by crushing the meta-game. He reminded us that age is just a number if you have the discipline to train like a madman for six months. Did he really win or lose? Who cares? The fight was rigged, or at least heavily choreographed, because… boxing. The outcome didn’t matter. Tyson really couldn’t lose: if he survived, he won; if he won, he really won. Win/win for Tyson.
So… what’s the real takeaway? Traditional media is officially "out for the count," and no amount of nostalgia for the "good old days" will resurrect it.
As always your thoughts and comments are both welcome and encouraged. Just reply to this email. -s
P.S. CES© is just around the corner (Las Vegas, January 7-10, 2025). Are you going? If you are, our executive briefings and floor tours are the best way to experience the show. .
ABOUT SHELLY PALMER
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named he covers tech and business for , is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular . He's a , and the creator of the popular, free online course, . Follow or visit .
