BritBox’s Post

#Netflix, #Amazon, #Disney, #Max - the major premium SVOD services have all figured out how to develop and deliver broad appeal blockbuster shows that drive subscription growth and engage infrequent viewers. Netflix’s #FoolMeOnce, Amazon’s #Racher, Disney+’s #PercyJackson, and HBO/Max’s #TrueDetective were prime examples of this over the first half of 2024. The problem is that the industry has over-emphasized this type of programming in the green light, renewal and cancellation process at the expense of retention and low risk subscribers. This imbalance poses problems for the long term viability of the streaming business model. My latest for Observer https://lnkd.in/dh_GwG4X

I love OTTs. The enriched value addition through diverse content and flexibility is humongous but.. nothing actually comes close to flipping through DTH channels and stumbling upon a show/movie. The surprise element or sometimes a bit of nostalgia play very strong hooks. A lot of brands across travel and food tech have been trying hard to capitalise on this feeling of serendipity. Perhaps the choice paradox also plays an important role- so much content on OTT vs a fixed set on DTH. Personalized recommendations (barring Netflix's) are very shallow and have to evolve a great deal to make the needle move. Also, a large part of the Linear TV viewing audience still resides in Tier 2 and beyond (and are perhaps 45+) and the single biggest hurdle OTTs will face in capturing this share isn't subscription but the way they facilitate the ease of discovery of their favourite serials.  #RandomWeekendMusings

Not just FAST but easy... One danger of being deeply embedded in the film/tv industry is that you risk losing touch with the tastes and needs of the audience you're ostensibly producing movies and series for. My wife and I are the kinds of media junkies who keep lists of movies (old and new) to watch, browse the "newly added" and "leaving soon" sections across multiple streaming services to make sure we don't miss anything, and generally put a lot of time, energy and money to curating our media diet. That's great for us but, I imagine, would be exhausting for most. Which is why I'm not surprised to see FAST services continue to grow. In a way, FAST's value proposition is akin to how binge exploded on SVODs. It's easy to sit back and let the next episode start rather than think about finding something else to stream. Likewise, it's easier to flip on a FAST channel devoted to your favorite show or genre—much like a generation ago you might flip on VH1 or Comedy Central as your default—than to spend minutes or more browsing in the hopes of finding something decent, plus the not-insignificant cognitive burden of having to make a choice. Don't get me wrong — I'm not saying one mode of viewership is better than the other. For those who get pleasure, like me, in curating their experience, great. But there's nothing wrong with taking the FAST and easy way, especially if that lets you spend more of your time and energy on things that matter to you more. The question for those in the industry trying to surf the FAST wave is: how do you get an audience's attention in an ecosystem with infinite channels — and with AI and algorithmic programming potentially offering more channels than there are total viewers! In that endless sea of choice, the old ways no longer cut it—even compared to the 500-channels-and-nothing-on heyday of peak cable. https://lnkd.in/eGtiduC7 (h/t to my former colleague Lou Fazio for previously sharing this link) #streaming #FAST #media

Nice turnout for Jennifer's FAST monetization panel at The StreamTV Show. Some great insights were shared by Amanda B. Hastings, Inderpreet Sandhu, Jeff Clanagan, Daniel Gagliardi and Bill Condon. Key takeaways? ⚖ The explosion of FAST channel availability has created a supply vs demand issue (hello, slates!) 💰 Keep it simple: "FAST" is just TV ... make it easy for agencies, advertisers, brands to understand 🤝 Partnerships are key ... lean in (tech, brands etc.) to help scale 🌎 International will catch up ... but 2-3 years out for many territories

Arms Merchant "“The media companies are scared to death that they’re seeing nothing in the future but a struggle,” Malone told Moffett in a report published Sept. 25. Moreover, as Netflix and other subscription streaming platforms have planted roots, the supply of shows available for second (or even third) monetization windows in syndication and international licensing has truly evaporated. Most of the biggest properties coming out of Disney, Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal are bound for streaming platforms that rely on retaining rights to their shows for years to come. In other words, the increasingly global business of TV is becoming a true “Game of Thrones” where only the strongest will be able to survive. Others may have to settle for what Malone called “the arms merchant” role of producing shows for a handful of top global buyers — most of them backed by giant tech firms a la Amazon and Apple. “You can’t monetize your own distribution if you don’t have [worldwide] scale,” Malone told Moffett. “So then you go back to being an arms merchant. And you know, I mean, there’s a good business in being an arms merchant, but it’s not big enough to meet the ambitions of the [WBD] management."

All that time, money, hard work, disruption, and revolution, and what have we got? The ala carte revolution collided with economic reality and resurrected the cable bundle (minus the actual cable). The subscription-only model collided with economic reality, allowing advertisers to penetrate spaces that were once seen as allergic to ads (Netflix, HBO, Showtime, et al.) I checked my files recently. I worked on thought leadership campaigns for more than a dozen CTV companies over the past decade. Most of them ran out of runway -- start-ups, amirite? But a few of them made it inside the gates. The winners and loser all liked to talk about "revolution" and "disruption." I suppose we saw a lot of that, but if you had told 2014 Michael that it would all result in ad-supported bundles, he would've laughed at you. And if 2014 Michael had pitched a future-looking piece about ad-supported bundles, his clients would've laughed at him. Just goes to show you that smart people who believe that the best way to predict the future is to make (and then set about making it) often get it wrong. But then again, right or wrong, if you don't put your vision out there, you're not even really in the game. #thoughtleadership #streaming #CTV https://lnkd.in/g4bTYTB4

A great article by John Koblin https://lnkd.in/gDCTpzWK "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝘆𝘀. 𝗜𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴." As always, let’s break things down with Reelgood's catalog data 🤓 Niche services like Hallmark+, AMC+, and BritBox may have smaller catalogs, but 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝟯.𝟳𝗞 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟯.𝟬𝗞 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀—almost rivaling 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅’𝘀 𝟰.𝟯𝗞 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮.𝟴𝗞 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀—and start as low as $3.99/month. Unlike Netflix’s broad appeal, these platforms cater to specific tastes, attracting dedicated audiences. Niche platforms are also getting creative in their ways to partner with streaming giants to grow their revenue and audience. 𝗔𝗠𝗖+ 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟯 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗳𝗹𝗶𝘅, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝟳𝘅 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 for those titles on Reelgood. This highlights the potential for smaller services to drive revenue and visibility through cross-platform licensing. The future of streaming is about unique value, partnerships, and connecting with niche audiences.

Hub's 2024 survey reveals that consumers are indeed pulling together more than a handful of TV sources - both traditional and digital - to get what they want. In fact, this year saw a bounce back to an average of 7.4 services used, after a dip in 2023. The number of viewers "stacking" three or more of the major streamers (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu & Max) grew to half of users in 2024, with even more growth coming from the nearly two-thirds of people using FAST services (like TUBI or Pluto) to round out their TV diet. https://lnkd.in/gkfxvfS2

🎬 Remember when Redbox ruled the rental world with these iconic kiosks? But times have changed, and so have we! Here's how Redbox lost its footing to giants like Netflix: 1. Convenience Overhaul: Redbox didn't adapt to the shift toward online streaming quick enough. Netflix offered movies at home—no extra trips needed! 🚗💨 2. Content is King: Netflix invested heavily in original content and diverse selections, giving them an unbeatable edge. 📺👑 3. Streamlined Technology: While Redbox stuck with physical rentals for too long, Netflix perfected user accessibility through intuitive streaming technology. 📱💻 4. Marketing Dynamics: If the only way you market is: - Only posting free on social media - Dropping your link in comments - Marketing to everyone - Tagging everyone on social media Then you're Redbox. Time to rethink and evolve! #StreamingEra #DigitalRevolution #NetflixNarrative #AdaptingToChange

New Post: A Step-by-Step Guide to Max: What to Watch & How to Join for Free - https://lnkd.in/gE8knke4 - All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Curious about Max? From hit shows and movies to documentaries, comedy specials and more, the streaming giant has enough content to keep everyone in the household entertained. Keep reading to learn more about Max, including membership plans, pricing, streaming deals and how to get a free trial. What Is Max? Max is a relatively new streaming platform that combines HBO and Discovery channels including, Max Originals, B/R Sports, CNN, DC, ID Network, TNT, TCM, TLC, Discovery, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, OWN, Food Network, HGTV, and Trvl Channel. HBO Max launched by Warner Bros in 2020, replacing HBO Go. The streamer gained a massive following during the beginning of the pandemic, namely because every 2021 Warner Bros. movie arrived on HBO Max the same day as its theater release. Last year, HBO Max and its sister streamer, Discovery+, ballooned to a combined 96.1 million subscribers. Max Limited Promo 7-day free trial Warner Bros. Discovery decided not to merge HBO Max and Discovery+ into one streaming platform and instead launched Max, a mega-streamer combining programming from HBO and Discovery. Discovery+ is still available as a standalone platform, but there could be another expansion in the works. Disney and Warner are planning to launch a streaming bundle featuring Disney+, Hulu and Max, according to Deadline. What to Watch on Max Whether you love television, movies or a blend of both, Max has the kind of streaming library tailormade for binge watchers. Some of the new and upcoming releases to hit Max include Hacks Season 3 and the new series, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, which premiered on May 9, along with current seasons of The Regime, True Detective, Selena + Restaurant and House of the Dragon Season 2, which premiered on June 16, Lady Gaga’s Chromactica Ball concert tour, and a new season of Euphoria, which is expected to premiere in 2025. Max Limited Promo 7-day free trial TV lovers can also binge episodes of fan favorites such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Succession, The Last of Us, The White Lotus, …And Just Like That, Barry, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, Selena + Chef, along with must-watch movies and documentaries such as The Jinx: Part Two, Quiet on Set, Wonka, Priscilla, Aquaman: And the Lost Kingdom, The Color Purple, Oprah & The Color Purple: Journey, Blue Beetle, Barbie, The Gilded Age, The Sympathizer, Girls on the Bus, Conan Must Go, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks,