As the ‘Streaming Wars’ continue to disrupt the wider broadcasting industry, it’s a race to the top for traditional broadcasters and content providers who are expanding their offering into the OTT space.
Streaming our way out of a pandemic
It has been hard to imagine a life without streaming service subscriptions and binge watching in recent months. In April, it was reported that Disney Plus had already racked up a whopping 50 million subscribers in the space of 5 months. It’s not surprising – as a result of the ongoing pandemic, providers like Disney Plus, Amazon Prime and Netflix have experienced increased viewing figures, and even all-time record subscriber increases. But why? You might have already guessed – such platforms have provided a valuable escape to millions of people confined to their homes during worldwide lockdowns, acting as an entertainment lifeline to the isolated.
NAB Show Express 2020: IABM Online State of the Industry Conference
Get the inside track on key trends and technologies shaping the future of Broadcast and Media
EPAM WhitePaper: Five Keys to Delivering a Personalized Viewing Experience
The subscription economy is booming, and media and entertainment giants are steering the change. Even as Disney and Apple prepare to enter the market with premium offerings alongside direct-to-consumer platforms from HBO Max, NBCUniversal, BritBox and Quibi, the global subscription-based video on-demand (SVOD) business still has room for further growth [per Ampere Analysis].
It’s no coincidence that pay TV service viewership continues to decline as more consumers prefer to curate their own content packages by stacking subscription services and watching video content on social media.2 Yet the very same forces that are driving the SVOD non-linear phenomenon risk undermining its success.
