Media Consolidation & Multiple Platforms Blog 1, Question 2 (Jan. 28th)
Who will be the big winners – and losers
– of the so-called “streaming wars”? Which companies will dominate and which do
you think will struggle to find audiences over the next two years? Limit: 11 responses
It is no secret that consumers should expect the so-called “streaming wars” to pick up in intensity throughout the 2020s. Long gone are the days where Netflix existed as the only primary streaming service utilized by consumers. With more choices than ever before in the streaming business, not everyone can come out on top in the long run. Though many may feel that increased competition in the industry spells doom for Netflix, there is evidence which points to the contrary. Netflix may not be the obvious first choice in the streaming service industry anymore. However, it will still continue to be very popular. While Netflix’s library is shrinking compared to years ago, its’ choices are still extensive across many different genres (Lawler, 2019) The difference is that Netflix now focuses their attention primarily on their original programming. Many popular program choices such as “Friends” or “Parks and Recreation” are moving off of Netflix. (Lawler, 2019) Yes, the Netflix library may be changing in some capacity, but that doesn’t mean Netflix is now set up to fail. In fact, Netflix is still a very valuable service, and the biggest name in the streaming game. (Lawler, 2019) Internet analyst John Blackledge remains optimistic on Netflix’s outlook in the coming years. He says that Netflix will “remain the leader” among U.S. subscription services, because none of the new entrants into the mix are true substitutes for Netflix’s depth of content. (Szalai, 2019) I believe Netflix will adapt to the increasing competition in the industry. Their sought-after originals and variety of content options will allow them to remain a top consumer choice throughout the 2020s.
One of Netflix’s newest competitors is Disney+. Disney+ created a ton of buzz when it first burst onto the scene in November. Though, analyst Todd Juenger says that the new service should not doom Netflix in the long run. Juenger says that Disney+ is merely a complement to Netflix, because it is a relatively narrow product targeted at a rather specific audience. (Szalai, 2019) In addition, I think it is fair to wonder if the nostalgia of Disney+ programming will wear off for some people eventually. Disney + should always keep young children engaged, but how long can it keep teens and young adults engaged? Not surprisingly, all content on Disney+ will have the same kid-friendly tone and style to it. For that reason, I do question how exactly Disney+ will evolve over time and compete in the streaming wars. I am also skeptical of Apple TV in the coming years. They currently hold the lowest price tag amongst the notable streamers, at $4.99/month (Clark, 2019) However, as Clark suggests, I think it will be a struggle for them to build an audience around a very limited selection of programming. With only four sub-par original shows available at launch, the service won’t provide much value even at a low price. (Clark, 2019) Though additional shows have debuted since, Apple TV’s scare amount of content makes it hard to believe they can be a sustainable force in the streaming wars. Plus, we know that the streaming game is not Apple’s specialty to begin with. Personally, I could see Apple TV getting lost in the shuffle of other streamers with more consumer benefits.
Works Cited
Lawler, K. (2019, October 29). Disney to Apple TV to Netflix: All the major streaming services, ranked. Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/
Szalai, G., & Bond, P. (2019, November 26). Should Streaming Services Expect Razor-Thin Profit Margins? Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/should-streaming-services-expect-razor-thin-profit-margins-
Clark, T. (2019, October 30). Even at only $5 per month, Apple TV Plus is a terrible deal compared to competitors like Netflix, Hulu, or HBO. Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://www.businessinsider.com/why-apple-tv-plus-will-struggle-in-the-streaming-war-2019-10
Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ will be the big winners of the “streaming wars,” while Apple TV+ will struggle. I believe Netflix will be one of the big winners of the streaming wars because it already dominates the streaming landscape. It is ranked second among major streaming services, according to USA Today (Lawler). Only Hulu tops Netflix in that ranking. Further, Netflix has 158.3 million subscribers globally (Pallotta). It has an established presence, originally built by its large catalog of titles and now skyrocketing because of its original programming, which will be hard for other streaming services to top. Hulu, which edged out Netflix as the top streaming service in USA Today’s ranking, is also poised for success in the streaming wars. Similarly to Netflix, it has an established presence that will be hard for other streaming services to draw away from. It has an appealing service, which includes a diverse catalog and the ability to watch episodes of shows that are currently in season. It also produces original content, in smaller quantities than Netflix, yet it might be of higher quality. Plus, it has the backing of major media conglomerates. Natalie Jarvey of the Hollywood Reporter wrote that “Disney assumed operational control over in May after acquiring Fox's stake and striking a deal with NBCU,” (2019). With Disney releasing its own streaming service, it will want to ensure that both platforms are successful so that there are two sources of streaming revenue. Disney’s own service, Disney+, is set to be successful in the streaming wars as well. Although it was just launched in November 2019, it immediately attracted subscribers due to the legacy of the brand. It doesn’t hurt that the service has a massive catalog due to Disney’s acquisitions over the last decade. It includes the Star Wars franchise, Marvel Studios’ films, 20th Century Fox films and television shows, National Geographic content, and more. While it doesn’t have much in original content, the service is proving that it can do it once it ramps up production. The Mandalorian, a series based in the Star Wars universe, received a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season (“The Mandalorian”). In sum, Disney is relying on its brand power to attract subscribers and then create more original content to push them to the next level. Apple is also relying on its brand power to attract viewers, but ultimately I believe it is not going to be a big winner in the streaming war. While Apple has major brand loyalty, they have nowhere near the catalog of other streaming services. Other services, such as Disney+, HBO Max, and Peacock can attract viewers because of their established catalog. Disney has Pixar films. HBO Max has Friends. Peacock has The Office. Instead, Apple TV+ has to rely on its original content in order to gain subscribers. There is some promise for this to work, as seen through The Morning Show, which features Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell. It was received well by fans and received a decent rating (61%) from Rotten Tomatoes (“The Morning Show”). It needs to build on that in order to be successful. If its original content can’t top that of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, or Disney, it will be doomed. Subpar original content coupled with no library will make it impossible for Apple TV+ to survive the streaming wars. In sum, the brand power and loyalty of Disney, Netflix, and Hulu have put these companies in a position to thrive, while Apple will struggle to compete.
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-bets-company-hollywood-s-future-streaming-1247663.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
“The Mandalorian: Season 1.” Rotten Tomatoes, 2020, www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_mandalorian/s01.
“The Morning Show: Season 1.” Rotten Tomatoes, 2020, www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_morning_show/s01.
Pallotta, Frank. “Netflix Misses on Subscribers, but Stock Is Up.” CNN, Cable News Network, 16 Oct. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/10/16/media/netflix-third-quarter-earnings/index.html.
I believe that the biggest loser of the streaming wars will be Apple TV. Although Apple TV has their own exclusive content, a few new shows are not enough to make viewers want to cut off their previous streaming subscriptions. Apple TV has also been slammed for the quality of their original content not being up to par with audience expectations. Apple TV has also failed to build a library of classic content or TV shows and movies that they did not produce themselves. USA Today says that “you could burn through their entire new catalogue in a few weeks”. Since Apple TV can’t rely on the quality of their content to bring in subscribers, it would seem reasonable that they would want to build a strong library of classics in place of that. Unfortunately, Apple has failed to do so and fails to offer anything that makes them a noteworthy competitor to other established streaming services. I also see Disney+ as more of a novelty service. Although Disney’s owned and original content is vast, everything still has a distinct Disney feel. This narrows their audience. Disney’s biggest struggle in the streaming war will be to persuade people to ditch other services in favor of only being able to stream Disney content. It’s difficult to predict whether or not Netflix will be able to stay on top. Many people find Netflix and streaming synonymous, while others are beginning to feel like the service’s output of original content is overkill. Even Netflix’s CFO Spence Neumann says that Netflix’s future is in originals (Forbes). Netflix may be choosing quantity of original content over quality in production, but it will still take a long time for any streaming service to surpass their legacy. Netflix is still viewed as the original streaming service, and it will take time for their faults to outweigh this status. As for winners, BMO Capital Markets entertainment analysist Daniel Salmon puts it best by saying, “the ‘streaming wars’ narrative is false and there will be multiple winners in global streaming” (Hollywood Reporter). Audiences want access to variety, which means that they will continue to spread their subscriptions across multiple platforms. Those who are currently able to offer the best balance between original and classic, as well as multiple different genres, themes, and styles of content are Hulu and Amazon. Both of these streaming services have strong reputations for their award winning content as well as their freedom to produce and house a wide variety of content. This is why the streaming war is no war at all; all of these platforms have something different to offer. However, the strongest streaming services are those that can find a balance between original and classic content, quality of production, and an array of choices for their subscribers.
Works Cited Csathy, Peter. “Netflix's Q4 2019 U.S. Subscriber 'Miss': The Storm After The Calm?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 22 Jan. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/petercsathy/2020/01/21/netflixs-q4-2019-us-subscriber-missthe-storm-after-the-calm/#2e5dbb7529af.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
It’s time we talk about the most divisive conflict to ever be fought on U.S. soil—the “streaming wars.” Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you have heard about the predictions of power struggles between streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video (Big 4). Along with these streaming juggernauts are newcomers like Apple TV+, Peacock, and HBO Max attempting to join the fight. Consumers, investors, and the general public are all placing bets on who will be victorious in this war, so I’d like to contribute my prediction for the top streaming service of 2022.
I know with the current excitement over Disney+ that it seems like Netflix’s days are numbered, but I have high hopes for the streaming service that began this new age of video entertainment. Research by MoffettNathanson suggests that Netflix is not expected to lose a huge number of subscribers just because Disney+ and Apple TV+ have launched (Vlessing). Michael Nathanson believes that streamers are going to have to compete with creative content to keep up with the pace Netflix has established. I agree that Disney+, Apple TV+, and newer streamers are going to have to catch up with original content. Disney+ users are loving the nostalgic content and the Star Wars spinoff, but audiences are always going to want newer and more original content. Netflix has been preparing for the rise of other streamers with its Netflix Originals over the past few years. There have been some hits and misses with Netflix Originals, but Netflix currently has more experience in streaming original content than Disney.
Not only do I think Netflix is going to be just fine in the “streaming wars,” but I believe Hulu and Amazon Prime Video could be balanced competition against Disney+. While Hulu is owned by Disney, this streamer has an advantage to Disney+—mature content. Hulu has some award-winning dramas, decent original content, and a library of currently airing TV shows (Lawler). I think Disney+ may have some difficulty with reaching a wider audience because of its family friendly business model. Hulu offers Disney another outlet to really expand its creative content to all audiences. Amazon Prime Video also seems like a worthy competitor to Disney+ and Netflix, but it will need more emphasis on its original content and the fact that Amazon offers a video streaming service. A majority people are still using Prime for shipping purposes and the video entertainment aspect is a bonus.
I’m not too sure how other streamers like Peacock, HBO Max, and Apple TV+ will compete with the Big 4. NBCUniversal’s Peacock and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max seem like they are being created to make sure their content stays relevant in streaming and cable. HBO Max is speculated to have a high subscription prices, but the streamer aims to provide original content (Faughnder). I’m not sure how Warner Bro’s will stack up against Disney and Netflix in terms of older content and originals. The same concern goes for Peacock which I’m worried may fall flat because it’s offering a free ad supported subscription but does not have much original content planned. Lastly, I think Apple’s streamer is going to need a lot of work because Apple hasn’t dabbled too much in video content so it’s going to need to build a strong library.
For my official prediction: Netflix and Hulu will come out on top while Disney+ and Amazon Prime lag close behind the two. The rest of the streaming services will survive but will struggle to be as relevant as the Big 4.
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020.
Alexis Tinney “Streaming wars” are becoming more competitive than ever with so many different options. Disney+, Hulu and Netflix will be the big winners of the “streaming wars,” while Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ will quickly fall behind. I think Disney+ will be one of the big winners because of their original, and kid-friendly shows that many people grew up watching. Disney+ has originals such as (“The Mandalorian), “Toy Story” spinoff “Forky Asks a Question” and plenty more. (Lawler). Disney+ allow users a one-week free trial, or one year free through Verizon. By Disney+ offering this free trial, it is reeling in users so they want to purchase it themselves once the trial is up. After Disney executives presented their plans at an April investor, they projected attracting 60 million to 90 million subscribers by 2024 (Faughnder). I think Hulu will be another big winner of the streaming wars due to its variety of content. Hulu gives viewers the ability to watch TV shows airing currently or past Hulu originals. According to USA Today, Hulu is ranked first ranked among major streaming services and projected to grow in the next few years (Lawler). Being Hulu is already ranked number one they have a chance to grow even more and be hugely successful this year. Right behind Hulu is Netflix ranked second among major streaming services according to USA Today. Netflix has been around for years and is all most people knew for a while. Netflix is a valuable service and the biggest name in the game, only slightly edged out by Hulu (Lawler). Netflix also has the largest crop of originals, which means the biggest mix of quality. When speaking on the competition, Bernstein said, “Disney+ should not hurt Netflix, it is not a substitute, it is a compliment” (Faughnder). Together Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+ will be the ones to be in 2020. On the other hand, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video might have a tough year ahead of them. To start Apple TV+ comes in last at number six among major streaming services according to USA Today. The only benefit of Apple TV+ really seems to be the price. Although with that price you dont get any back library of classic shows or movies (Lawler). It seems Apple TV+ is lacking and it doesn’t appear worth it to see one or two shows. “Apple's biggest challenge might be convincing users that it has enough content to justify a subscription, even if the first year is free” (Jarvey, Goldberg). At the moment Apple TV+ goal isn’t to compete with Netflix but just to get their name out there. They realize that people won’t pay right away, but they will set up an account for free (Jarvey, Goldberg). Amazon Prime Video is not a name that gets thrown around often. Amazon Prime comes with two-day shipping, but what people dont realize is it also includes Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Video has a better selection than Apple TV+ but still needs work. Unlike Netflix and Hulu, it can’t replace your cable subscription all on its own (Lawler). Something like that could be what separates the big winners from the companies falling behind. Overall, I think Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ will dominate this year and continue to bring new things to the table. Over the next two years, Apple and Amazon Prime will get left behind and struggle to find an audience unless they improve their content.
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Jarvey, Natalie, and Lesley Goldberg. “Apple's TV Goal Becomes Clear: Sell More IPhones.” The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apples-tv-goal-becomes-clear-sell-more-iphones-1238806.
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Jarvey, Natalie, and Lesley Goldberg. “Apple's TV Goal Becomes Clear: Sell More IPhones.” The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apples-tv-goal-becomes-clear-sell-more-iphones-1238806.
The current streaming wars taking place include well known names like Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, Amazon Prime and Apple TV+. A team at Cowen is forecasting that U.S. consumers will spend $19 billion on streaming services in 2019 and $41.2 billion in 2024, which represents a 17 percent compound annual growth rate (Szalai, 2019). These numbers will experience a shift with the various streaming services that have been announced to start streaming. However, not all of these services will come out on top. It is no surprise that Netflix and Hulu are at the top of the list for streaming services. Netflix currently has 139 million subscribers, and Hulu has 28.5 million (Molla & Kafka, 2019) USA Today put Hulu at the top of their list for best streaming services. Hulu has been a long standing competitor with Netflix with their biggest advantage being the ability to watch shows that are airing live on ABC, NBC and Fox. USA Today talked about their prediction for the service’s success saying, “Hulu’s value is likely to grow in the next few years, now that Disney effectively owns the service. Adult Marvel content will likely gravitate here…” (Lawler 2019). Netflix is one of the biggest names in streaming services. The platform has been providing services since 2007, and has continued to grow. Out of all of the services in the streaming wars, Netflix has the largest selection of original series. Some of their most notable series are Stranger Things, Queer Eye and The Irishman. The platform also includes originals like The Office and Parks and Recreation. Fans of the services were disappointed when Friends was removed, and also disappointed by the news that The Office and Parks and Rec would be leaving as well, but it does not seem to be a large concern for loss of subscribers. Disney + is the newest and biggest threat to existing streaming services (Lawler 2019). Disney is currently the largest conglomerate in Hollywood. While most of the content on Disney + is aimed towards a younger generation, there is content that can appeal to older viewers as well. Disney + includes the Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar series which all have very large fan bases. As mentioned earlier, not all of the streaming services can come out on top of the streaming wars. Apple TV+ is a new platform created by Apple. What’s attractive about the service is its low cost, or being able to stream one year for free when you purchase an apple product. The biggest disadvantage for Apple TV + is that they only have original content, there is no library of classics. This probably would turn people away from choosing this service over one like Netflix or Hulu. I think that Amazon Prime Video will also struggle going forward. A large attraction to this service is the two day shipping that comes with Amazon Prime. The platform does include old series and movies, but also has a few originals. Their most notable programs are probably The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fleabag, both award winning series. Amazon Prime Video is also talking about an upcoming Lord of the Rings series that could attract viewers, but I don't see it having the same success of a series like The Mandalorian.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney to Apple TV to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Szalai, Georg, and Paul Bond. “Should Streaming Services Expect Razor-Thin Profit Margins?” The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/should-streaming-services-expect-razor-thin-profit-margins-1257572?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR's Today in Entertainment_2019-11-27 07:19:00_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Streaming has become the most popular way to consume television over the past few years. With all these new options to choose from, it is inevitable that only the best will survive. I think Netflix and Disney+ will survive, leaving Amazon and Hulu behind in the coming years. Amazon is notably difficult to navigate and has many shows that aren’t actually free. They must be paid in order to rent or view them, which can be a negative for many users. Amazon is still better known for its 2-day free shipping than its streaming content. Hulu, on the other hand, has less original content than Netflix and Disney+ and still has a level where ads are shown. Netflix and Disney+ are a favorite among users due to their original, exclusive content and ad-free format. They have also both been noted to be user friendly and more visually appealing, a subconscious factor that plays a big role in determining where we spend our money.
Netflix is considered a staple in many homes. Content can be downloaded for times when Wi-Fi is not available. Disney+ serves many different generations and long-term Disney fans. The content ranges from Disney classics to current Disney Channel shows, to Pixar and Marvel favorites (Lawler). The reason that I believe both Netflix and Disney+ will survive in many homes is because of all the Disney content that was moved from Netflix to Disney+. They complement each other. Loyal Netflix fans enjoyed having on-demand access to their favorite classics and are willing to pay separately for Disney+. Aside from being “all the rage” at the moment, Verizon is offering one free year of Disney+ to their customers who are paying for unlimited data. This is a great way to get consumers hooked and wanting to continue with a paid subscription after their first year is up. We will see whether this turns out to be true after the free one year subscriptions end next year
USA Today’s article breaks down the monthly subscription prices and options as well as the types of content that each provides. Although I do believe Hulu will struggle to find audiences over the next few years, the article makes a good point of saying that Hulu is now owned by Disney and some consumers may opt for the package deal of both services. The article also mentions that Netflix’s content library is shrinking every year as individual streaming services pop up and remove their content for their own personal use again (Lawler). For example, we saw that happen this year with the removal of Disney owned content.
Jarvey writes in the Hollywood Reporter about Disney’s struggle to launch their own streaming service. “But it would take some time before Disney was ready to go all in on its own streaming platform. For one thing, it had its relationship with the cable providers to worry about. For another, it was in the middle of a multiyear film output deal with Netflix estimated to be worth between $200 million and $300 million,” (Jarvey). Although Disney was worried about the effects of the streaming service on their relationship with the cable providers, they seemed to rise above this with the increase of cord cutters. They succeeded by waiting out the Netflix deal and then pulling the content. Even though it took Disney a bit longer than other services to launch, these carefully calculated moves are what have made them stand the test of time.
Levenson also uses the term “cutting the cord” in his article, which we discussed in class as consumers deciding to limit or get rid of cable entirely and transition to streaming for all of their content needs (Levenson). This behavior seems to summarize the streaming wars quite well.
Works Cited
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-bets-company-hollywood-s-future-streaming-1247663.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Levenson, Josh. “Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon Prime: Battle of the Streaming Giants.” Digital Trends, Digital Trends, 22 Jan. 2020, www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-on-demand-streaming-services/.
The “streaming wars” competitors are arguably divided into three key groups battling it out. There are winners, losers and underdogs (or the ones to watch). First, the biggest winner is still Netflix. It’s the tried and true, and for years it’s been the only option. This has strengthened its name recognition, and it has even gained “meme status” (“Netflix and chill”). Netflix is synonymous with streaming. It even seems to have a solution in place for one of its biggest problems, which is using debts to finance its multi-billion-dollar production budget. “Netflix has so far relied on debt to fund this so-called negative free cash flow amid its spending spree” (Szalai). However, this is supposedly set to be combatted in the next few years, projecting that “Netflix will reduce its cash shortfall to $1.88 billion in 2021” (Szalai). Moreover, the hefty price tag is worth it. According to Whitten, “Netflix earned 24 nominations for the Academy Awards, more than any other media company this year.” And Szalai notes that this could allow Netflix to justifiably charge more for subscriptions due to the high-quality, critically-acclaimed content it releases. Raising the fees could then, in turn, help the service get out of the red and back into black. There’s also something to be said for consumers’ fatigue. When overwhelmed with options, I think most customers will stick to Netflix and make no change. CBS News interviewed Roseann Ramirez about her current subscriptions. Her family uses traditional cable and Netflix. When asked about the new services coming out, she says, “I just don’t see the point in paying for so much streaming and cable and everything all at the same. I think that’s just too many--too many networks, too many streaming shows, just too many overall.” But, many beloved series are set to leave Netflix, including The Office and Parks and Recreation. “Netflix’s biggest flaw is that it is abandoning its archival content in favor of an ever-more-mediocre slate of originals across all genres of TV and film” (Lawler). Next, the representative of the losers seems to be clear. Apple TV+ doesn’t present much of a threat to anyone, especially Netflix. Apple’s newest strategy seems to be selling more devices, rather than competing in any digital war (Jarvey). “Apple will give away a year of TV+ for free to anyone who buys a qualifying device, including an iPhone, Apple TV or Mac” (Jarvey). This bait-and-hook strategy could be effective. The idea is that if people get a taste for free, they might pay to stick around. Additionally, a low price point could work in its favor. It’s either too cheap to pass up or too cheap to bother cancelling. But, this ignores the point—the content. With such a limited library even $5.99 might not be worth it. “Apple has a distinct disadvantage in value because it has no back library of classic shows or films. You could burn through their entire new catalog in a few weeks” (Lawler). Apple TV+ seems to be using the same model seen with Amazon Prime Video. It’s a bonus that comes with the real service (2-day, prime shipping or a swanky new iPhone). If anything, Apple TV+ would be fun for a free year.
Finally, I think it’s important to point out an underdog or a “platform to watch.” Disney is definitely an underdog rather than a winner, although you might not think so at first. The Disney+ service has nostalgia and franchises burning a hole in its pocket. But, as notable as Disney’s library claims to be, it is still maintaining a fairly niche audience. “Everything here will be very Disney in tone and style, and the service has no plans for mature programming and mindless reality TV, which has its time and place” (Lawler). The service is still very much a place for the nerd or child inside us all. The service is good for families with small children. But even then, the kids go to bed and there’s still a need for content to justify a parent’s payment. A better option would be Hulu. Its library is actually high-up on the list for kid-friendly content while still housing more adult content as well (Lawler). Disney’s major, or only, claim right now is exclusive access to its precious, nostalgic IP. But, after a while exclusivity isn’t cool. After the first round of subscriptions, all the loyalists have already signed up. Then where do you go? “Disney+ and Apple TV+ will complement and not doom Netflix, MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson said Friday” (Vlessing).
Works Cited
Jarvey, Natalie, and Lesley Goldberg. “Apple's TV Goal Becomes Clear: Sell More IPhones.” The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apples-tv-goal-becomes-clear-sell-more-iphones-1238806. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Accessed 26 January 2020.
“Streaming Wars Escalate with Disney+ Launch, and It's ‘Netflix's Game to Lose.’” CBS News, 12 Nov. 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/disney-plus-streaming-wars-escalate-with-latest-launch-and-its-netflixs-game-to-lose-2019-11-12/. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Szalai, Georg. “When Will Netflix Finally End Its Cash Burn?” The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-netflix-finally-end-cash-burn-1250782?utm_source=Sailthru&%3Butm_medium=email&%3Butm_campaign=THR%27s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2019-10-30%2B07%3A15%3A10_aweprin&%3Butm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Whitten, Sarah. “Netflix Leads Oscar Nominations with 24 Nods-a First for a Streaming Service.” CNBC, 13 Jan. 2020, www.cnbc.com/2020/01/13/oscars-2020-netflix-leads-oscar-nominations-with-24-nods.html. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Streaming has turned into a dominating force in the media industry. Well-known names like Netflix and Hulu have grown and expanded over the years, while newcomers like Disney+ and NBC’s Peacock look to join the craze and potentially jump ahead of the big organizations. Over the next two years, some companies will continue to thrive while others could struggle to maintain an audience. Veteran corporation Netflix and the newly launched Disney+ will lead the pack, while Amazon Prime Video and potentially Peacock will have to fight to keep up.
Netflix has big plans coming for 2020 specifically, from producing its own original content to making contracts with other companies to keep new shows and films coming. According to Variety, Netflix spent $15 billion on original content in 2019, which was below Disney with $27.8 billion and Comcast with 15.4 billion (Spangler). While there was some concern with Netflix taking a bit hit after Disney+ was announced, the company does not seem to be showing much concern and has instead introduced a number of new projects. “Recently announced projects include Netflix’s multi-year pact with Nickelodeon for animated originals; a multiyear film and TV deal with “Game of Thrones” duo David Benioff and Dan Weiss; and a three-year deal with South Korean media conglomerate CJ ENM’s Studio Dragon for originals and licensed titles as well as a pact with Korean producer JTBC Content Hub” (Spangler). A big key to Netflix’s deals is that they are spread out across a number of regions so there is a bigger market for income.
The arrival of Disney+ brought a website crash the day of its launch, new social media memes and content that wasn’t expected to be as successful as it was. Fans can look back on their childhood and watch Disney Channel Original Movies, check out a spinoff of their favorite series or go “into the vault” and relive the classics. Disney+ brought many questions about how this could change the world of streaming because it allows for every company to start joining in, but it also seems to get some of its success by complimenting Netflix. The newly launched streamer is not a carbon copy nor does it put out the exact same content. This could allow people to go to Disney+ for their family-friendly movies and shows, but still be able to go back to Netflix for the classic action or romantic comedy. According to Hollywood Reporter, the launch of Disney+ did not directly cause damage to the so-called “hierarchy” of streaming, and it did not cause Netflix to take a significant hit (Vlessing).
While Netflix and Disney+ are using each other’s success to grow their own, other companies may not be as lucky. For example, Amazon Prime Video is included in your Prime membership, but many people that have prime either don’t know what Prime Video is, or don’t care to use it since they have other streaming platforms to watch from instead. This sounds counterintuitive because normally you would want to take advantage of a benefit you’re getting in a paid membership, but that just doesn’t work for Amazon. There are some popular TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and you can rewatch shows like Law & Order SVU or Bones. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to reach the success of the bigger companies. Now that Disney+ is in the mix, it’s going to be even harder for Amazon to keep up.
One service that I also expect to struggle is NBC’s new service, Peacock. As of right now the biggest positives have to do with one show and a free portion of its service. Now this is nothing to brush over, but it may not be enough to keep the streamer going. Fans of The Office were heartbroken to hear that their beloved show will be taken off Netflix, but then elated to find out Peacock is where its headed. However, is one show enough to run an entire service? When it launches in April, a free subscription will be offered to hopefully draw more people. According to Clark, “The free tier, which will be ad-supported, will have more than 7,500 hours of current season series, movies, TV classics, as well as live streaming news and sports channels” (Cole). A big reason that people choose to pay for streaming is because commercials are frequent and aggravating. It’s definitely a new strategy to better compete with other companies, but I don’t see it being too successful this year.
WORKS CITED
Cole, Nick. “Peacock: NBC's New Streaming Service Will Be Free.” Clark, 16 Jan. 2020, clark.com/streaming-tv/peacock-nbc-streaming-service/.
Spangler, Todd. “Netflix Projected to Spend More Than $17 Billion on Content in 2020.” Variety, 16 Jan. 2020, variety.com/2020/digital/news/netflix-2020-content-spending-17-billion-1203469237/.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney , Apple TV Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
The “streaming wars” are heating up with many new streaming services being launched and the competition between all of them. They are all fighting for consumers subscriptions and with this competition, there is sure to be some winners and losers over the next few years. Each streaming service has different prices, content offered, and new content released. With that being said, I believe two winners of the “streaming wars” will be Hulu and Netflix in the next few years. Let’s start with Hulu. Hulu seems to be a winner for the next few years because of the wide variety of content and the low price that is offered. According to USA Today, “it's a broadly appealing service that offers plenty of genres and styles without scraping the bottom of the barrel for new content” (Lawler). Besides the wide variety of content, it offers a $5.99 per month or $11.99 per month with no ads. This gives consumers the option to choose their viewing experience while being able to have a wide variety of content including some of the best archival TV series and the ability to watch in-season shows (Lawler). Next, I believe Netflix will be a winner in the next few years. Although a lot of content has been moved off of the service to new streaming services like Disney+, Peacock, and HBO who have the rights to their shows/movies, Netflix is still one of the best in the industry of producing their own original content. There is a wide variety of content that users can select from which will help keep users always finding new content to stream. Netflix, like Hulu, also offers different pricing options to fit the consumer needs. According to MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson, the launch of Disney+ and Apple TV+ “DID NOT immediately inflict significant damage to the streaming market structure. Rather than serving as substitutes, perhaps multiple major SVOD services will serve as complements and augment the penetration of streaming as a whole," (Vlessing). Nathanson then later went on to state that Disney+ and Apple TV+ will need to aggressively compete on content in order to keep pace with Netflix (Vlessing). Also, Disney+ and Apple TV+ are both offering free-year promotions which could hinder their revenue in the first few years. People may not renew their subscription to these services after seeing what they had to offer for an entire year, especially because of the limited content they have at the moment. With winners in the industry there must come losers. The space is simply not large enough for every streaming service to have an equal share of consumers money. Consumers will have to pick and choose which service they want because it is unlikely that the majority of streamers will subscribe to all of them. I believe HBO will be a loser in the next few years. HBO is newly a part of WarnerMedia Entertainment and I can see them struggling in the next few years. Besides the fact of the limited content on the service, it is also overpriced. According to Barry Ritholtz, “HBO gets $15 for its streaming HBO Now, and another $10-$20 for HBO Go if subscribers care to view content offline (Ritholtz). That pricing is steep and I believe that will play a major factor in what service consumers decide to subscribe to. Furthermore, Game of Thrones is over, VEEP is over, and Curb Your Enthusiasm is most likely in its final season (Ritholtz). All of these factors don’t sound too exciting to consumers when deciding where to spend their hard earned money. The streaming wars in the upcoming years are sure to be exciting and each service will be taking different approaches in order to gain consumers attention. I believe Hulu and Netflix will continue to dominate the industry and I believe HBO will fall flat on its face in the next few years.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Ritholtz, Barry. “Who Loses in the Streaming Wars?” Ritholtz.com, 18 Nov. 2019, https://ritholtz.com/2019/11/who-loses-in-the-streaming-wars/
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020,www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Ritholtz, Barry. “Who Loses in the Streaming Wars?” Ritholtz.com, 18 Nov. 2019, https://ritholtz.com/2019/11/who-loses-in-the-streaming-wars/
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Who will reign at the end of the brutal fight? A fight that wages between multiple companies, trying to take advantage of how the world currently works? Netflix is the pioneer in the streaming industry and there’s no doubt it will remain the king. With the launch of both Apple TV+ and Disney+ everyone has stated how Netflix is dying. With hit shows such as the office leaving its platform and moving to the Peacock service, everyone states this pioneer is done for. The exact opposite actually, If anything this opens up the market for Netflix produce more and more original content. Not only that but when anyone thinks streaming services nowadays, they all think of Netflix. What about Apple TV+ and Disney+? Doesn’t Netflix have to worry about them? Obviously yes, but people will have you believe they have already taken over. “The data clearly shows that the 4Q 2019 launches of both Disney+ and Apple TV+ DID NOT immediately inflict significant damage to the streaming market structure. Rather than serving as substitutes, perhaps multiple major SVOD services will serve as complements and augment the penetration of streaming as a whole," the MoffettNathanson wrote.
As you can see by that analysts its simple. With the new services comes a bit of intrigue, you obviously want to see what they have to offer. Me personally I see no interest in Apple Tv+ and I use Disney+ the least out of all my services currently. You can only watch the Lion King so many times before I get bored. The article I referred to previously also goes on to state how both services need to continue to produce original content. Disney already has something beautiful with The Mandolorian but they need to continue that momentum. They either need to come up with something either original or related to the many properties they currently own. Knowing them they will go with the latter.
Who is currently number one though? By far its Hulu. But wait I just said Netflix would remain king. Yes, but they are currently in a rebranding phase. Hulu has been consistent, but Netflix is currently fixing the issues they have come to face since losing all the popular shows that people loved to stream. Hulu currently holds countless TV shows from ABC, NBC and Fox. This also includes the many original shows such as “the Handmaids Tale” and “the Act”. As stated, Netflix is definitely suited to win the entire war, but Hulu currently holds the throne.
Over time though we will start to see Netflix continue to create amazing content that puts them back on top. Between them losing the Office and “Friends” we are looking at a lot of money that will be saved from Netflix that they can put into more original content. Disney+ and Apple TV+ are viable contenders to take the crown however they need to put a lot more focus into their original content, especially Disney. With that said the current king is Hulu by far because they have the best balance between both original content and network television shows
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
The streaming wars has become a major issue today with companies constantly releasing their own streaming services. This so called “war” is a constant fight to prove why one streaming service might be worth it over another one. At this rate, it seems that there’s no way to be completely satisfied with just one service, but a few services seem to be succeeding more than others. Although we were all concerned by Netflix’s situation but according to an article by The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix isn’t as threatened as we thought. In fact, Netflix is expected to stay in the running in this war as they continue to pour money into original programming. Data also suggested that the release of Disney Plus and Apple Tv did not have any major effects on Netflix so there is no immediate concern that Netflix will be dying off anytime soon. Although Netflix has been in debt for some time, another article from The Hollywood Reported written by Georg Szalai explained how this debt will eventually pay off as Netflix continues to put billions into their original shows such as Stranger Things. Hulu is a great competitor against Netflix and was deemed #1 for streaming services by an article on USA today. Hulu has a wide variety of tv and movies, but they were able to find the balance between original and regular programs unlike Netflix who has been pouring all their money into original content. Hulu also has a very reasonable price at $5.99/month with the exception of a few advertisements. Overall, it seems that Hulu and Netflix are neck and neck. Disney Plus is also in the running for major success. With the release of some Disney originals such as The Mandalorian and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, have made Disney Plus quite the competitor. A major plus to this service as noted by USA today is that it is extremely kid-friendly and nostalgia they bring to their audience of all of our most beloved Disney movies. The issue that targets them most, however, is that they attract mostly one demographic which is mostly children and families. Their competitors such as Netflix and Hulu have much more to offer and can cater to basically every audience member while Disney Plus has mainly children friendly content.
Some streaming services that are falling behind in this war are mainly Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. Amazon Prime Video has some remarkable options for their original content which has kept them afloat, however it isn’t exactly worth the money if you aren’t already an Amazon Prime member, according to an article from Time Magazine. Apple TV+ is only $4.00/month but they have a much smaller selection of programs to watch. They also have a much smaller selection of kid-friendly content which could be a major factor for families looking to purchase a streaming service. The largest problem is the fact that they have no library containing classic movies or programs so although the price is very cheap, it basically has nothing to offer.
Works Cited:
Dockterman, Eliana. “Best Streaming Services: Which Ones Should You Buy?” Time, Time, 12 Nov. 2019, time.com/5703656/best-streaming-services/. Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Szalai, Georg. “When Will Netflix Finally End Its Cash Burn?” The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-netflix-finally-end-cash-burn-1250782?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2019-10-30%2B07%3A15%3A10_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie. Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Katerina Bressette The so-called “Streaming Wars” have only just begun. Debuting in 2019, the top media conglomerates continue to battle it out amongst other streaming services in a clash of power and control over entertainment. The new year has brought more tension and even more power plays from each of the major players: Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon, and others, like HBO Max, that are jumping into the fray while they still can. But who will come out on top? Will there be one streaming service that dominates the platform, or will they all crash and burn? According to USA Today’s ranking of the top six streaming services, Hulu is number one, followed by Netflix and then Disney+. Hulu currently remains on top due to their lower costs per month, as well as an extensive library that includes award-winning dramas and TV shows airing on ABC, NBC and Fox. (Lawler) With Netflix and Disney+ closing the ranks, the pressure has only increased in 2020 to rise to the top. Netflix continues to remain in the fight due to their increase in creating original content, rather than adding older shows or movies to their site. Disney+, who has a cheaper monthly cost than Netflix, especially with the one-year promotion, is holding its own due to its extensive library that targets all age demographics. Disney continues to pull all of its content from other available platforms, hoping to ensure that “all things Disney” are streamed in one place. With each platform fighting for viewers, each is continuing to make more and more of its own content. In particular, “Netflix will now have to rely more on addictive original content, including “Dead to Me” and “Queer Eye,” to maintain its status as a must-have for viewers.” (Faughnder) If each of the platforms continues on this trend, I think that it is likely that there will be no one winner of the “Streaming Wars.” Everyone will most likely have a subscription with Netflix to watch its original shows, with Disney+ to watch their childhood favorites as well as for each of the other streaming services. “We continue to believe the ‘streaming wars’ narrative is false and there will be multiple winners in global streaming and thus continue to recommend buying Netflix (NFLX), Amazon (AMZN), and Discovery (DIS) together.” (Vlessing) This sudden influx of original content from each of the streaming services also correlates with the publics’ increased use of streaming services on different devices. Television watching has transitioned from a family event to a ‘separated’ family event. “Co-viewing has changed. It’s not everybody in front of one TV at the same time watching the same program. People are still there together but watching different things on different devices.” (Jarvey) This creates a need for more than one streaming service if each continues to create its own original content. Everyone in the family could appeal to a different streaming service, for example, the kids favor Disney+, while the college student loves Netflix and the parents rely on their Hulu dramas each week. It is becoming apparent that each streaming service might need the other to continue to gain viewers. While one remains on top, for now, I don’t think there will be one overall winner of the “Streaming Wars.” It appears that the increase in “addictive” original content from all of the players will create a need for each of their individual streaming services. The public will need to subscribe to each service and instead of those services fighting for control. The top streaming services will ultimately have to work together to remain popular in the upcoming years.
Works Cited Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv. Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-bets-company-hollywood-s-future-streaming-1247663. Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Maeve Hennigan With the recent increase in streaming platforms available to access entertainment content, users have been met with a difficult choice of which streaming platform to subscribe to. Though some users will subscribe to more than one, certain streaming service companies will end up being more successful than others. I believe that the big winners of the streaming wars will be Netflix and Disney Plus due to their content and the public’s familiarity with the companies. Disney Plus will be especially successful due to the amount of content that they have and their ability to appeal to a wide range of audiences. In fact, Disney “signed up over 10 million users” after only one day after it launched (Spangler). According to USA Today, “Disney is flexing its considerable muscle by offering its classic films paired with original series from its biggest brands: Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel,” (Lawler). With its ability to offer consumers content from three of the most popular movie franchises in the world, there is no doubt that Disney Plus will be able to continue to grow successfully throughout the next two years. This success is expected by Disney, who, according to The Hollywood Reporter, “is projecting between 60 million and 90 million global subscribers by 2024,” (Jarvey). Considering that Netflix, the most popular streaming service at the moment, has 83 million global subscribers, these numbers prove Disney's apparent projected success (Jarvey). Similarly, I believe Netflix will continue to be successful due to its popularity and people’s familiarity with the platform. However, even though Netflix is “a really valuable service and the biggest name in the game,” their content has decreased in number since the streaming wars started. However, the platform has been dominating with its original content and will continue to do so over the next few years. Though USA Today claims some originals are subpar, many are nationwide hits like Stranger Things and Bird Box. The introduction of Disney Plus also did not hinder Netflix’s success, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Although USA Today ranked Hulu as their top choice out of all the streaming options, their content is less popular than the content on Netflix and Disney Plus. Moreover, Hulu currently has “28 million U.S. members,” which Disney Plus is expecting to double and possibly triple in the next two years (Jarvey). Since Disney owns so much of the content on their platform, there isn’t much for Hulu to expand viewership with besides originals. Though The Handmaid's Tale is very popular, its only one title, in comparison to the hundreds of majorly popular titles Disney is offering. Other streaming services involved in the streaming wars, such as Amazon Prime Video, CBS All Access, and Apple TV Plus will not do as well in the upcoming years. Considering that these three were amongst the bottom three spots in USA Today’s streaming platform ranking, and their lack of popular content, I don’t think they will be nearly as successful as Netflix, Disney Plus, and even Hulu. Besides The Morning Show, Apple TV Plus does not have much to offer when compared to everything that Netflix and Disney Plus can offer consumers, and the same goes with the other two platforms. With even more streaming services added to the mix like HBO Max and Peacock, there will be no point for people to subscribe to any of them when they have all the content they need with Disney Plus and Netflix.
Szalai, Georg. “When Will Netflix Finally End Its Cash Burn?” The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2019, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-netflix-finally-end-cash-burn-1250782?um_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%20Today%20in%20Entertainment_now_2019-10-30%2007:15:10_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020. Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the major streaming services, ranked.” USA Today, 29 Oct. 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020.
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2019 https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020.
Spangler, Todd. “Disney Says Disney Plus Has Over 10 Million Sign-Ups After Launch Day.” Variety,https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/disney-says-disney-plus-has-over-10-million-signups-1203403515/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020
Anthony Galler
ReplyDeleteIt is no secret that consumers should expect the so-called “streaming wars” to pick up in intensity throughout the 2020s. Long gone are the days where Netflix existed as the only primary streaming service utilized by consumers. With more choices than ever before in the streaming business, not everyone can come out on top in the long run. Though many may feel that increased competition in the industry spells doom for Netflix, there is evidence which points to the contrary. Netflix may not be the obvious first choice in the streaming service industry anymore. However, it will still continue to be very popular. While Netflix’s library is shrinking compared to years ago, its’ choices are still extensive across many different genres (Lawler, 2019) The difference is that Netflix now focuses their attention primarily on their original programming. Many popular program choices such as “Friends” or “Parks and Recreation” are moving off of Netflix. (Lawler, 2019) Yes, the Netflix library may be changing in some capacity, but that doesn’t mean Netflix is now set up to fail. In fact, Netflix is still a very valuable service, and the biggest name in the streaming game. (Lawler, 2019) Internet analyst John Blackledge remains optimistic on Netflix’s outlook in the coming years. He says that Netflix will “remain the leader” among U.S. subscription services, because none of the new entrants into the mix are true substitutes for Netflix’s depth of content. (Szalai, 2019) I believe Netflix will adapt to the increasing competition in the industry. Their sought-after originals and variety of content options will allow them to remain a top consumer choice throughout the 2020s.
One of Netflix’s newest competitors is Disney+. Disney+ created a ton of buzz when it first burst onto the scene in November. Though, analyst Todd Juenger says that the new service should not doom Netflix in the long run. Juenger says that Disney+ is merely a complement to Netflix, because it is a relatively narrow product targeted at a rather specific audience. (Szalai, 2019) In addition, I think it is fair to wonder if the nostalgia of Disney+ programming will wear off for some people eventually. Disney + should always keep young children engaged, but how long can it keep teens and young adults engaged? Not surprisingly, all content on Disney+ will have the same kid-friendly tone and style to it. For that reason, I do question how exactly Disney+ will evolve over time and compete in the streaming wars. I am also skeptical of Apple TV in the coming years. They currently hold the lowest price tag amongst the notable streamers, at $4.99/month (Clark, 2019) However, as Clark suggests, I think it will be a struggle for them to build an audience around a very limited selection of programming. With only four sub-par original shows available at launch, the service won’t provide much value even at a low price. (Clark, 2019) Though additional shows have debuted since, Apple TV’s scare amount of content makes it hard to believe they can be a sustainable force in the streaming wars. Plus, we know that the streaming game is not Apple’s specialty to begin with. Personally, I could see Apple TV getting lost in the shuffle of other streamers with more consumer benefits.
Works Cited
Lawler, K. (2019, October 29). Disney to Apple TV to Netflix: All the major streaming services,
ranked. Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/
Szalai, G., & Bond, P. (2019, November 26). Should Streaming Services Expect Razor-Thin
Profit Margins? Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/should-streaming-services-expect-razor-thin-profit-margins-
Clark, T. (2019, October 30). Even at only $5 per month, Apple TV Plus is a terrible deal
compared to competitors like Netflix, Hulu, or HBO. Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://www.businessinsider.com/why-apple-tv-plus-will-struggle-in-the-streaming-war-2019-10
Michael Reilly (1/2)
ReplyDeleteNetflix, Hulu, and Disney+ will be the big winners of the “streaming wars,” while Apple TV+ will struggle. I believe Netflix will be one of the big winners of the streaming wars because it already dominates the streaming landscape. It is ranked second among major streaming services, according to USA Today (Lawler). Only Hulu tops Netflix in that ranking. Further, Netflix has 158.3 million subscribers globally (Pallotta). It has an established presence, originally built by its large catalog of titles and now skyrocketing because of its original programming, which will be hard for other streaming services to top. Hulu, which edged out Netflix as the top streaming service in USA Today’s ranking, is also poised for success in the streaming wars. Similarly to Netflix, it has an established presence that will be hard for other streaming services to draw away from. It has an appealing service, which includes a diverse catalog and the ability to watch episodes of shows that are currently in season. It also produces original content, in smaller quantities than Netflix, yet it might be of higher quality. Plus, it has the backing of major media conglomerates. Natalie Jarvey of the Hollywood Reporter wrote that “Disney assumed operational control over in May after acquiring Fox's stake and striking a deal with NBCU,” (2019). With Disney releasing its own streaming service, it will want to ensure that both platforms are successful so that there are two sources of streaming revenue. Disney’s own service, Disney+, is set to be successful in the streaming wars as well. Although it was just launched in November 2019, it immediately attracted subscribers due to the legacy of the brand. It doesn’t hurt that the service has a massive catalog due to Disney’s acquisitions over the last decade. It includes the Star Wars franchise, Marvel Studios’ films, 20th Century Fox films and television shows, National Geographic content, and more. While it doesn’t have much in original content, the service is proving that it can do it once it ramps up production. The Mandalorian, a series based in the Star Wars universe, received a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season (“The Mandalorian”). In sum, Disney is relying on its brand power to attract subscribers and then create more original content to push them to the next level.
Apple is also relying on its brand power to attract viewers, but ultimately I believe it is not going to be a big winner in the streaming war. While Apple has major brand loyalty, they have nowhere near the catalog of other streaming services. Other services, such as Disney+, HBO Max, and Peacock can attract viewers because of their established catalog. Disney has Pixar films. HBO Max has Friends. Peacock has The Office. Instead, Apple TV+ has to rely on its original content in order to gain subscribers. There is some promise for this to work, as seen through The Morning Show, which features Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell. It was received well by fans and received a decent rating (61%) from Rotten Tomatoes (“The Morning Show”). It needs to build on that in order to be successful. If its original content can’t top that of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, or Disney, it will be doomed. Subpar original content coupled with no library will make it impossible for Apple TV+ to survive the streaming wars. In sum, the brand power and loyalty of Disney, Netflix, and Hulu have put these companies in a position to thrive, while Apple will struggle to compete.
Michael Reilly (2/2)
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-bets-company-hollywood-s-future-streaming-1247663.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
“The Mandalorian: Season 1.” Rotten Tomatoes, 2020, www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_mandalorian/s01.
“The Morning Show: Season 1.” Rotten Tomatoes, 2020, www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_morning_show/s01.
Pallotta, Frank. “Netflix Misses on Subscribers, but Stock Is Up.” CNN, Cable News Network, 16 Oct. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/10/16/media/netflix-third-quarter-earnings/index.html.
I believe that the biggest loser of the streaming wars will be Apple TV. Although Apple TV has their own exclusive content, a few new shows are not enough to make viewers want to cut off their previous streaming subscriptions. Apple TV has also been slammed for the quality of their original content not being up to par with audience expectations. Apple TV has also failed to build a library of classic content or TV shows and movies that they did not produce themselves. USA Today says that “you could burn through their entire new catalogue in a few weeks”. Since Apple TV can’t rely on the quality of their content to bring in subscribers, it would seem reasonable that they would want to build a strong library of classics in place of that. Unfortunately, Apple has failed to do so and fails to offer anything that makes them a noteworthy competitor to other established streaming services. I also see Disney+ as more of a novelty service. Although Disney’s owned and original content is vast, everything still has a distinct Disney feel. This narrows their audience. Disney’s biggest struggle in the streaming war will be to persuade people to ditch other services in favor of only being able to stream Disney content. It’s difficult to predict whether or not Netflix will be able to stay on top. Many people find Netflix and streaming synonymous, while others are beginning to feel like the service’s output of original content is overkill. Even Netflix’s CFO Spence Neumann says that Netflix’s future is in originals (Forbes). Netflix may be choosing quantity of original content over quality in production, but it will still take a long time for any streaming service to surpass their legacy. Netflix is still viewed as the original streaming service, and it will take time for their faults to outweigh this status. As for winners, BMO Capital Markets entertainment analysist Daniel Salmon puts it best by saying, “the ‘streaming wars’ narrative is false and there will be multiple winners in global streaming” (Hollywood Reporter). Audiences want access to variety, which means that they will continue to spread their subscriptions across multiple platforms. Those who are currently able to offer the best balance between original and classic, as well as multiple different genres, themes, and styles of content are Hulu and Amazon. Both of these streaming services have strong reputations for their award winning content as well as their freedom to produce and house a wide variety of content. This is why the streaming war is no war at all; all of these platforms have something different to offer. However, the strongest streaming services are those that can find a balance between original and classic content, quality of production, and an array of choices for their subscribers.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Csathy, Peter. “Netflix's Q4 2019 U.S. Subscriber 'Miss': The Storm After The Calm?” Forbes,
Forbes Magazine, 22 Jan. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/petercsathy/2020/01/21/netflixs-q4-2019-us-subscriber-missthe-storm-after-the-calm/#2e5dbb7529af.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.”
USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood
Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Liana DiMitri
ReplyDeleteIt’s time we talk about the most divisive conflict to ever be fought on U.S. soil—the “streaming wars.” Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you have heard about the predictions of power struggles between streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video (Big 4). Along with these streaming juggernauts are newcomers like Apple TV+, Peacock, and HBO Max attempting to join the fight. Consumers, investors, and the general public are all placing bets on who will be victorious in this war, so I’d like to contribute my prediction for the top streaming service of 2022.
I know with the current excitement over Disney+ that it seems like Netflix’s days are numbered, but I have high hopes for the streaming service that began this new age of video entertainment. Research by MoffettNathanson suggests that Netflix is not expected to lose a huge number of subscribers just because Disney+ and Apple TV+ have launched (Vlessing). Michael Nathanson believes that streamers are going to have to compete with creative content to keep up with the pace Netflix has established. I agree that Disney+, Apple TV+, and newer streamers are going to have to catch up with original content. Disney+ users are loving the nostalgic content and the Star Wars spinoff, but audiences are always going to want newer and more original content. Netflix has been preparing for the rise of other streamers with its Netflix Originals over the past few years. There have been some hits and misses with Netflix Originals, but Netflix currently has more experience in streaming original content than Disney.
Not only do I think Netflix is going to be just fine in the “streaming wars,” but I believe Hulu and Amazon Prime Video could be balanced competition against Disney+. While Hulu is owned by Disney, this streamer has an advantage to Disney+—mature content. Hulu has some award-winning dramas, decent original content, and a library of currently airing TV shows (Lawler). I think Disney+ may have some difficulty with reaching a wider audience because of its family friendly business model. Hulu offers Disney another outlet to really expand its creative content to all audiences. Amazon Prime Video also seems like a worthy competitor to Disney+ and Netflix, but it will need more emphasis on its original content and the fact that Amazon offers a video streaming service. A majority people are still using Prime for shipping purposes and the video entertainment aspect is a bonus.
I’m not too sure how other streamers like Peacock, HBO Max, and Apple TV+ will compete with the Big 4. NBCUniversal’s Peacock and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max seem like they are being created to make sure their content stays relevant in streaming and cable. HBO Max is speculated to have a high subscription prices, but the streamer aims to provide original content (Faughnder). I’m not sure how Warner Bro’s will stack up against Disney and Netflix in terms of older content and originals. The same concern goes for Peacock which I’m worried may fall flat because it’s offering a free ad supported subscription but does not have much original content planned. Lastly, I think Apple’s streamer is going to need a lot of work because Apple hasn’t dabbled too much in video content so it’s going to need to build a strong library.
For my official prediction: Netflix and Hulu will come out on top while Disney+ and Amazon Prime lag close behind the two. The rest of the streaming services will survive but will struggle to be as relevant as the Big 4.
Works Cited
DeleteFaughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020.
Alexis Tinney
ReplyDelete“Streaming wars” are becoming more competitive than ever with so many different options. Disney+, Hulu and Netflix will be the big winners of the “streaming wars,” while Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ will quickly fall behind. I think Disney+ will be one of the big winners because of their original, and kid-friendly shows that many people grew up watching. Disney+ has originals such as (“The Mandalorian), “Toy Story” spinoff “Forky Asks a Question” and plenty more. (Lawler). Disney+ allow users a one-week free trial, or one year free through Verizon. By Disney+ offering this free trial, it is reeling in users so they want to purchase it themselves once the trial is up. After Disney executives presented their plans at an April investor, they projected attracting 60 million to 90 million subscribers by 2024 (Faughnder). I think Hulu will be another big winner of the streaming wars due to its variety of content. Hulu gives viewers the ability to watch TV shows airing currently or past Hulu originals. According to USA Today, Hulu is ranked first ranked among major streaming services and projected to grow in the next few years (Lawler). Being Hulu is already ranked number one they have a chance to grow even more and be hugely successful this year. Right behind Hulu is Netflix ranked second among major streaming services according to USA Today. Netflix has been around for years and is all most people knew for a while. Netflix is a valuable service and the biggest name in the game, only slightly edged out by Hulu (Lawler). Netflix also has the largest crop of originals, which means the biggest mix of quality. When speaking on the competition, Bernstein said, “Disney+ should not hurt Netflix, it is not a substitute, it is a compliment” (Faughnder). Together Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+ will be the ones to be in 2020.
On the other hand, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video might have a tough year ahead of them. To start Apple TV+ comes in last at number six among major streaming services according to USA Today. The only benefit of Apple TV+ really seems to be the price. Although with that price you dont get any back library of classic shows or movies (Lawler). It seems Apple TV+ is lacking and it doesn’t appear worth it to see one or two shows. “Apple's biggest challenge might be convincing users that it has enough content to justify a subscription, even if the first year is free” (Jarvey, Goldberg). At the moment Apple TV+ goal isn’t to compete with Netflix but just to get their name out there. They realize that people won’t pay right away, but they will set up an account for free (Jarvey, Goldberg). Amazon Prime Video is not a name that gets thrown around often. Amazon Prime comes with two-day shipping, but what people dont realize is it also includes Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Video has a better selection than Apple TV+ but still needs work. Unlike Netflix and Hulu, it can’t replace your cable subscription all on its own (Lawler). Something like that could be what separates the big winners from the companies falling behind. Overall, I think Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ will dominate this year and continue to bring new things to the table. Over the next two years, Apple and Amazon Prime will get left behind and struggle to find an audience unless they improve their content.
(2/2)
DeleteWorks Cited
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Jarvey, Natalie, and Lesley Goldberg. “Apple's TV Goal Becomes Clear: Sell More IPhones.” The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apples-tv-goal-becomes-clear-sell-more-iphones-1238806.
(2/2) Alexis Tinney
DeleteWorks Cited
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Jarvey, Natalie, and Lesley Goldberg. “Apple's TV Goal Becomes Clear: Sell More IPhones.” The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apples-tv-goal-becomes-clear-sell-more-iphones-1238806.
The current streaming wars taking place include well known names like Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, Amazon Prime and Apple TV+. A team at Cowen is forecasting that U.S. consumers will spend $19 billion on streaming services in 2019 and $41.2 billion in 2024, which represents a 17 percent compound annual growth rate (Szalai, 2019). These numbers will experience a shift with the various streaming services that have been announced to start streaming. However, not all of these services will come out on top. It is no surprise that Netflix and Hulu are at the top of the list for streaming services. Netflix currently has 139 million subscribers, and Hulu has 28.5 million (Molla & Kafka, 2019) USA Today put Hulu at the top of their list for best streaming services. Hulu has been a long standing competitor with Netflix with their biggest advantage being the ability to watch shows that are airing live on ABC, NBC and Fox. USA Today talked about their prediction for the service’s success saying, “Hulu’s value is likely to grow in the next few years, now that Disney effectively owns the service. Adult Marvel content will likely gravitate here…” (Lawler 2019). Netflix is one of the biggest names in streaming services. The platform has been providing services since 2007, and has continued to grow. Out of all of the services in the streaming wars, Netflix has the largest selection of original series. Some of their most notable series are Stranger Things, Queer Eye and The Irishman. The platform also includes originals like The Office and Parks and Recreation. Fans of the services were disappointed when Friends was removed, and also disappointed by the news that The Office and Parks and Rec would be leaving as well, but it does not seem to be a large concern for loss of subscribers. Disney + is the newest and biggest threat to existing streaming services (Lawler 2019). Disney is currently the largest conglomerate in Hollywood. While most of the content on Disney + is aimed towards a younger generation, there is content that can appeal to older viewers as well. Disney + includes the Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar series which all have very large fan bases. As mentioned earlier, not all of the streaming services can come out on top of the streaming wars. Apple TV+ is a new platform created by Apple. What’s attractive about the service is its low cost, or being able to stream one year for free when you purchase an apple product. The biggest disadvantage for Apple TV + is that they only have original content, there is no library of classics. This probably would turn people away from choosing this service over one like Netflix or Hulu. I think that Amazon Prime Video will also struggle going forward. A large attraction to this service is the two day shipping that comes with Amazon Prime. The platform does include old series and movies, but also has a few originals. Their most notable programs are probably The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fleabag, both award winning series. Amazon Prime Video is also talking about an upcoming Lord of the Rings series that could attract viewers, but I don't see it having the same success of a series like The Mandalorian.
ReplyDelete
DeleteReferences:
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney to Apple TV to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Szalai, Georg, and Paul Bond. “Should Streaming Services Expect Razor-Thin Profit Margins?” The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/should-streaming-services-expect-razor-thin-profit-margins-1257572?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR's Today in Entertainment_2019-11-27 07:19:00_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Streaming has become the most popular way to consume television over the past few years. With all these new options to choose from, it is inevitable that only the best will survive. I think Netflix and Disney+ will survive, leaving Amazon and Hulu behind in the coming years. Amazon is notably difficult to navigate and has many shows that aren’t actually free. They must be paid in order to rent or view them, which can be a negative for many users. Amazon is still better known for its 2-day free shipping than its streaming content. Hulu, on the other hand, has less original content than Netflix and Disney+ and still has a level where ads are shown. Netflix and Disney+ are a favorite among users due to their original, exclusive content and ad-free format. They have also both been noted to be user friendly and more visually appealing, a subconscious factor that plays a big role in determining where we spend our money.
ReplyDeleteNetflix is considered a staple in many homes. Content can be downloaded for times when Wi-Fi is not available. Disney+ serves many different generations and long-term Disney fans. The content ranges from Disney classics to current Disney Channel shows, to Pixar and Marvel favorites (Lawler). The reason that I believe both Netflix and Disney+ will survive in many homes is because of all the Disney content that was moved from Netflix to Disney+. They complement each other. Loyal Netflix fans enjoyed having on-demand access to their favorite classics and are willing to pay separately for Disney+. Aside from being “all the rage” at the moment, Verizon is offering one free year of Disney+ to their customers who are paying for unlimited data. This is a great way to get consumers hooked and wanting to continue with a paid subscription after their first year is up. We will see whether this turns out to be true after the free one year subscriptions end next year
USA Today’s article breaks down the monthly subscription prices and options as well as the types of content that each provides. Although I do believe Hulu will struggle to find audiences over the next few years, the article makes a good point of saying that Hulu is now owned by Disney and some consumers may opt for the package deal of both services. The article also mentions that Netflix’s content library is shrinking every year as individual streaming services pop up and remove their content for their own personal use again (Lawler). For example, we saw that happen this year with the removal of Disney owned content.
Jarvey writes in the Hollywood Reporter about Disney’s struggle to launch their own streaming service. “But it would take some time before Disney was ready to go all in on its own streaming platform. For one thing, it had its relationship with the cable providers to worry about. For another, it was in the middle of a multiyear film output deal with Netflix estimated to be worth between $200 million and $300 million,” (Jarvey). Although Disney was worried about the effects of the streaming service on their relationship with the cable providers, they seemed to rise above this with the increase of cord cutters. They succeeded by waiting out the Netflix deal and then pulling the content. Even though it took Disney a bit longer than other services to launch, these carefully calculated moves are what have made them stand the test of time.
DeleteLevenson also uses the term “cutting the cord” in his article, which we discussed in class as consumers deciding to limit or get rid of cable entirely and transition to streaming for all of their content needs (Levenson). This behavior seems to summarize the streaming wars quite well.
Works Cited
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-bets-company-hollywood-s-future-streaming-1247663.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Levenson, Josh. “Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon Prime: Battle of the Streaming Giants.” Digital Trends, Digital Trends, 22 Jan. 2020, www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-on-demand-streaming-services/.
The “streaming wars” competitors are arguably divided into three key groups battling it out. There are winners, losers and underdogs (or the ones to watch).
ReplyDeleteFirst, the biggest winner is still Netflix. It’s the tried and true, and for years it’s been the only option. This has strengthened its name recognition, and it has even gained “meme status” (“Netflix and chill”). Netflix is synonymous with streaming. It even seems to have a solution in place for one of its biggest problems, which is using debts to finance its multi-billion-dollar production budget. “Netflix has so far relied on debt to fund this so-called negative free cash flow amid its spending spree” (Szalai). However, this is supposedly set to be combatted in the next few years, projecting that “Netflix will reduce its cash shortfall to $1.88 billion in 2021” (Szalai). Moreover, the hefty price tag is worth it. According to Whitten, “Netflix earned 24 nominations for the Academy Awards, more than any other media company this year.” And Szalai notes that this could allow Netflix to justifiably charge more for subscriptions due to the high-quality, critically-acclaimed content it releases. Raising the fees could then, in turn, help the service get out of the red and back into black.
There’s also something to be said for consumers’ fatigue. When overwhelmed with options, I think most customers will stick to Netflix and make no change. CBS News interviewed Roseann Ramirez about her current subscriptions. Her family uses traditional cable and Netflix. When asked about the new services coming out, she says, “I just don’t see the point in paying for so much streaming and cable and everything all at the same. I think that’s just too many--too many networks, too many streaming shows, just too many overall.” But, many beloved series are set to leave Netflix, including The Office and Parks and Recreation. “Netflix’s biggest flaw is that it is abandoning its archival content in favor of an ever-more-mediocre slate of originals across all genres of TV and film” (Lawler).
Next, the representative of the losers seems to be clear. Apple TV+ doesn’t present much of a threat to anyone, especially Netflix. Apple’s newest strategy seems to be selling more devices, rather than competing in any digital war (Jarvey). “Apple will give away a year of TV+ for free to anyone who buys a qualifying device, including an iPhone, Apple TV or Mac” (Jarvey). This bait-and-hook strategy could be effective. The idea is that if people get a taste for free, they might pay to stick around. Additionally, a low price point could work in its favor. It’s either too cheap to pass up or too cheap to bother cancelling. But, this ignores the point—the content. With such a limited library even $5.99 might not be worth it. “Apple has a distinct disadvantage in value because it has no back library of classic shows or films. You could burn through their entire new catalog in a few weeks” (Lawler). Apple TV+ seems to be using the same model seen with Amazon Prime Video. It’s a bonus that comes with the real service (2-day, prime shipping or a swanky new iPhone). If anything, Apple TV+ would be fun for a free year.
Finally, I think it’s important to point out an underdog or a “platform to watch.” Disney is definitely an underdog rather than a winner, although you might not think so at first. The Disney+ service has nostalgia and franchises burning a hole in its pocket. But, as notable as Disney’s library claims to be, it is still maintaining a fairly niche audience. “Everything here will be very Disney in tone and style, and the service has no plans for mature programming and mindless reality TV, which has its time and place” (Lawler). The service is still very much a place for the nerd or child inside us all. The service is good for families with small children. But even then, the kids go to bed and there’s still a need for content to justify a parent’s payment. A better option would be Hulu. Its library is actually high-up on the list for kid-friendly content while still housing more adult content as well (Lawler). Disney’s major, or only, claim right now is exclusive access to its precious, nostalgic IP. But, after a while exclusivity isn’t cool. After the first round of subscriptions, all the loyalists have already signed up. Then where do you go? “Disney+ and Apple TV+ will complement and not doom Netflix, MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson said Friday” (Vlessing).
DeleteWorks Cited
Jarvey, Natalie, and Lesley Goldberg. “Apple's TV Goal Becomes Clear: Sell More IPhones.” The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apples-tv-goal-becomes-clear-sell-more-iphones-1238806. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Accessed 26 January 2020.
“Streaming Wars Escalate with Disney+ Launch, and It's ‘Netflix's Game to Lose.’” CBS News, 12 Nov. 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/disney-plus-streaming-wars-escalate-with-latest-launch-and-its-netflixs-game-to-lose-2019-11-12/. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Szalai, Georg. “When Will Netflix Finally End Its Cash Burn?” The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-netflix-finally-end-cash-burn-1250782?utm_source=Sailthru&%3Butm_medium=email&%3Butm_campaign=THR%27s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2019-10-30%2B07%3A15%3A10_aweprin&%3Butm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Whitten, Sarah. “Netflix Leads Oscar Nominations with 24 Nods-a First for a Streaming Service.” CNBC, 13 Jan. 2020, www.cnbc.com/2020/01/13/oscars-2020-netflix-leads-oscar-nominations-with-24-nods.html. Accessed 26 January 2020.
Catherine Donmoyer
DeleteStreaming has turned into a dominating force in the media industry. Well-known names like Netflix and Hulu have grown and expanded over the years, while newcomers like Disney+ and NBC’s Peacock look to join the craze and potentially jump ahead of the big organizations. Over the next two years, some companies will continue to thrive while others could struggle to maintain an audience. Veteran corporation Netflix and the newly launched Disney+ will lead the pack, while Amazon Prime Video and potentially Peacock will have to fight to keep up.
ReplyDeleteNetflix has big plans coming for 2020 specifically, from producing its own original content to making contracts with other companies to keep new shows and films coming. According to Variety, Netflix spent $15 billion on original content in 2019, which was below Disney with $27.8 billion and Comcast with 15.4 billion (Spangler). While there was some concern with Netflix taking a bit hit after Disney+ was announced, the company does not seem to be showing much concern and has instead introduced a number of new projects. “Recently announced projects include Netflix’s multi-year pact with Nickelodeon for animated originals; a multiyear film and TV deal with “Game of Thrones” duo David Benioff and Dan Weiss; and a three-year deal with South Korean media conglomerate CJ ENM’s Studio Dragon for originals and licensed titles as well as a pact with Korean producer JTBC Content Hub” (Spangler). A big key to Netflix’s deals is that they are spread out across a number of regions so there is a bigger market for income.
The arrival of Disney+ brought a website crash the day of its launch, new social media memes and content that wasn’t expected to be as successful as it was. Fans can look back on their childhood and watch Disney Channel Original Movies, check out a spinoff of their favorite series or go “into the vault” and relive the classics. Disney+ brought many questions about how this could change the world of streaming because it allows for every company to start joining in, but it also seems to get some of its success by complimenting Netflix. The newly launched streamer is not a carbon copy nor does it put out the exact same content. This could allow people to go to Disney+ for their family-friendly movies and shows, but still be able to go back to Netflix for the classic action or romantic comedy. According to Hollywood Reporter, the launch of Disney+ did not directly cause damage to the so-called “hierarchy” of streaming, and it did not cause Netflix to take a significant hit (Vlessing).
While Netflix and Disney+ are using each other’s success to grow their own, other companies may not be as lucky. For example, Amazon Prime Video is included in your Prime membership, but many people that have prime either don’t know what Prime Video is, or don’t care to use it since they have other streaming platforms to watch from instead. This sounds counterintuitive because normally you would want to take advantage of a benefit you’re getting in a paid membership, but that just doesn’t work for Amazon. There are some popular TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and you can rewatch shows like Law & Order SVU or Bones. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to reach the success of the bigger companies. Now that Disney+ is in the mix, it’s going to be even harder for Amazon to keep up.
One service that I also expect to struggle is NBC’s new service, Peacock. As of right now the biggest positives have to do with one show and a free portion of its service. Now this is nothing to brush over, but it may not be enough to keep the streamer going. Fans of The Office were heartbroken to hear that their beloved show will be taken off Netflix, but then elated to find out Peacock is where its headed. However, is one show enough to run an entire service? When it launches in April, a free subscription will be offered to hopefully draw more people. According to Clark, “The free tier, which will be ad-supported, will have more than 7,500 hours of current season series, movies, TV classics, as well as live streaming news and sports channels” (Cole). A big reason that people choose to pay for streaming is because commercials are frequent and aggravating. It’s definitely a new strategy to better compete with other companies, but I don’t see it being too successful this year.
DeleteWORKS CITED
Cole, Nick. “Peacock: NBC's New Streaming Service Will Be Free.” Clark, 16 Jan. 2020, clark.com/streaming-tv/peacock-nbc-streaming-service/.
Spangler, Todd. “Netflix Projected to Spend More Than $17 Billion on Content in 2020.” Variety, 16 Jan. 2020, variety.com/2020/digital/news/netflix-2020-content-spending-17-billion-1203469237/.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney , Apple TV Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
The “streaming wars” are heating up with many new streaming services being launched and the competition between all of them. They are all fighting for consumers subscriptions and with this competition, there is sure to be some winners and losers over the next few years. Each streaming service has different prices, content offered, and new content released. With that being said, I believe two winners of the “streaming wars” will be Hulu and Netflix in the next few years. Let’s start with Hulu. Hulu seems to be a winner for the next few years because of the wide variety of content and the low price that is offered. According to USA Today, “it's a broadly appealing service that offers plenty of genres and styles without scraping the bottom of the barrel for new content” (Lawler). Besides the wide variety of content, it offers a $5.99 per month or $11.99 per month with no ads. This gives consumers the option to choose their viewing experience while being able to have a wide variety of content including some of the best archival TV series and the ability to watch in-season shows (Lawler). Next, I believe Netflix will be a winner in the next few years. Although a lot of content has been moved off of the service to new streaming services like Disney+, Peacock, and HBO who have the rights to their shows/movies, Netflix is still one of the best in the industry of producing their own original content. There is a wide variety of content that users can select from which will help keep users always finding new content to stream. Netflix, like Hulu, also offers different pricing options to fit the consumer needs. According to MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson, the launch of Disney+ and Apple TV+ “DID NOT immediately inflict significant damage to the streaming market structure. Rather than serving as substitutes, perhaps multiple major SVOD services will serve as complements and augment the penetration of streaming as a whole," (Vlessing). Nathanson then later went on to state that Disney+ and Apple TV+ will need to aggressively compete on content in order to keep pace with Netflix (Vlessing). Also, Disney+ and Apple TV+ are both offering free-year promotions which could hinder their revenue in the first few years. People may not renew their subscription to these services after seeing what they had to offer for an entire year, especially because of the limited content they have at the moment.
ReplyDeleteWith winners in the industry there must come losers. The space is simply not large enough for every streaming service to have an equal share of consumers money. Consumers will have to pick and choose which service they want because it is unlikely that the majority of streamers will subscribe to all of them. I believe HBO will be a loser in the next few years. HBO is newly a part of WarnerMedia Entertainment and I can see them struggling in the next few years. Besides the fact of the limited content on the service, it is also overpriced. According to Barry Ritholtz, “HBO gets $15 for its streaming HBO Now, and another $10-$20 for HBO Go if subscribers care to view content offline (Ritholtz). That pricing is steep and I believe that will play a major factor in what service consumers decide to subscribe to. Furthermore, Game of Thrones is over, VEEP is over, and Curb Your Enthusiasm is most likely in its final season (Ritholtz). All of these factors don’t sound too exciting to consumers when deciding where to spend their hard earned money.
The streaming wars in the upcoming years are sure to be exciting and each service will be taking different approaches in order to gain consumers attention. I believe Hulu and Netflix will continue to dominate the industry and I believe HBO will fall flat on its face in the next few years.
Zach LoCicero
DeleteWorks Cited
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Ritholtz, Barry. “Who Loses in the Streaming Wars?” Ritholtz.com, 18 Nov. 2019, https://ritholtz.com/2019/11/who-loses-in-the-streaming-wars/
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020,www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Works Cited
ReplyDeleteLawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Ritholtz, Barry. “Who Loses in the Streaming Wars?” Ritholtz.com, 18 Nov. 2019, https://ritholtz.com/2019/11/who-loses-in-the-streaming-wars/
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Who will reign at the end of the brutal fight? A fight that wages between multiple companies, trying to take advantage of how the world currently works? Netflix is the pioneer in the streaming industry and there’s no doubt it will remain the king. With the launch of both Apple TV+ and Disney+ everyone has stated how Netflix is dying. With hit shows such as the office leaving its platform and moving to the Peacock service, everyone states this pioneer is done for. The exact opposite actually, If anything this opens up the market for Netflix produce more and more original content. Not only that but when anyone thinks streaming services nowadays, they all think of Netflix. What about Apple TV+ and Disney+? Doesn’t Netflix have to worry about them? Obviously yes, but people will have you believe they have already taken over. “The data clearly shows that the 4Q 2019 launches of both Disney+ and Apple TV+ DID NOT immediately inflict significant damage to the streaming market structure. Rather than serving as substitutes, perhaps multiple major SVOD services will serve as complements and augment the penetration of streaming as a whole," the MoffettNathanson wrote.
ReplyDeleteAs you can see by that analysts its simple. With the new services comes a bit of intrigue, you obviously want to see what they have to offer. Me personally I see no interest in Apple Tv+ and I use Disney+ the least out of all my services currently. You can only watch the Lion King so many times before I get bored. The article I referred to previously also goes on to state how both services need to continue to produce original content. Disney already has something beautiful with The Mandolorian but they need to continue that momentum. They either need to come up with something either original or related to the many properties they currently own. Knowing them they will go with the latter.
Who is currently number one though? By far its Hulu. But wait I just said Netflix would remain king. Yes, but they are currently in a rebranding phase. Hulu has been consistent, but Netflix is currently fixing the issues they have come to face since losing all the popular shows that people loved to stream. Hulu currently holds countless TV shows from ABC, NBC and Fox. This also includes the many original shows such as “the Handmaids Tale” and “the Act”. As stated, Netflix is definitely suited to win the entire war, but Hulu currently holds the throne.
Over time though we will start to see Netflix continue to create amazing content that puts them back on top. Between them losing the Office and “Friends” we are looking at a lot of money that will be saved from Netflix that they can put into more original content. Disney+ and Apple TV+ are viable contenders to take the crown however they need to put a lot more focus into their original content, especially Disney. With that said the current king is Hulu by far because they have the best balance between both original content and network television shows
Brett Gosselin
DeleteVlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood
Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.”
USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Faughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Kayla Gaudet
ReplyDeleteThe streaming wars has become a major issue today with companies constantly releasing their own streaming services. This so called “war” is a constant fight to prove why one streaming service might be worth it over another one. At this rate, it seems that there’s no way to be completely satisfied with just one service, but a few services seem to be succeeding more than others. Although we were all concerned by Netflix’s situation but according to an article by The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix isn’t as threatened as we thought. In fact, Netflix is expected to stay in the running in this war as they continue to pour money into original programming. Data also suggested that the release of Disney Plus and Apple Tv did not have any major effects on Netflix so there is no immediate concern that Netflix will be dying off anytime soon. Although Netflix has been in debt for some time, another article from The Hollywood Reported written by Georg Szalai explained how this debt will eventually pay off as Netflix continues to put billions into their original shows such as Stranger Things. Hulu is a great competitor against Netflix and was deemed #1 for streaming services by an article on USA today. Hulu has a wide variety of tv and movies, but they were able to find the balance between original and regular programs unlike Netflix who has been pouring all their money into original content. Hulu also has a very reasonable price at $5.99/month with the exception of a few advertisements. Overall, it seems that Hulu and Netflix are neck and neck. Disney Plus is also in the running for major success. With the release of some Disney originals such as The Mandalorian and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, have made Disney Plus quite the competitor. A major plus to this service as noted by USA today is that it is extremely kid-friendly and nostalgia they bring to their audience of all of our most beloved Disney movies. The issue that targets them most, however, is that they attract mostly one demographic which is mostly children and families. Their competitors such as Netflix and Hulu have much more to offer and can cater to basically every audience member while Disney Plus has mainly children friendly content.
Some streaming services that are falling behind in this war are mainly Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. Amazon Prime Video has some remarkable options for their original content which has kept them afloat, however it isn’t exactly worth the money if you aren’t already an Amazon Prime member, according to an article from Time Magazine. Apple TV+ is only $4.00/month but they have a much smaller selection of programs to watch. They also have a much smaller selection of kid-friendly content which could be a major factor for families looking to purchase a streaming service. The largest problem is the fact that they have no library containing classic movies or programs so although the price is very cheap, it basically has nothing to offer.
Works Cited:
Dockterman, Eliana. “Best Streaming Services: Which Ones Should You Buy?” Time, Time, 12 Nov. 2019, time.com/5703656/best-streaming-services/.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Szalai, Georg. “When Will Netflix Finally End Its Cash Burn?” The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-netflix-finally-end-cash-burn-1250782?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2019-10-30%2B07%3A15%3A10_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Katerina Bressette
ReplyDeleteThe so-called “Streaming Wars” have only just begun. Debuting in 2019, the top media conglomerates continue to battle it out amongst other streaming services in a clash of power and control over entertainment. The new year has brought more tension and even more power plays from each of the major players: Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, Hulu, Amazon, and others, like HBO Max, that are jumping into the fray while they still can. But who will come out on top? Will there be one streaming service that dominates the platform, or will they all crash and burn?
According to USA Today’s ranking of the top six streaming services, Hulu is number one, followed by Netflix and then Disney+. Hulu currently remains on top due to their lower costs per month, as well as an extensive library that includes award-winning dramas and TV shows airing on ABC, NBC and Fox. (Lawler) With Netflix and Disney+ closing the ranks, the pressure has only increased in 2020 to rise to the top. Netflix continues to remain in the fight due to their increase in creating original content, rather than adding older shows or movies to their site. Disney+, who has a cheaper monthly cost than Netflix, especially with the one-year promotion, is holding its own due to its extensive library that targets all age demographics. Disney continues to pull all of its content from other available platforms, hoping to ensure that “all things Disney” are streamed in one place. With each platform fighting for viewers, each is continuing to make more and more of its own content. In particular, “Netflix will now have to rely more on addictive original content, including “Dead to Me” and “Queer Eye,” to maintain its status as a must-have for viewers.” (Faughnder) If each of the platforms continues on this trend, I think that it is likely that there will be no one winner of the “Streaming Wars.” Everyone will most likely have a subscription with Netflix to watch its original shows, with Disney+ to watch their childhood favorites as well as for each of the other streaming services. “We continue to believe the ‘streaming wars’ narrative is false and there will be multiple winners in global streaming and thus continue to recommend buying Netflix (NFLX), Amazon (AMZN), and Discovery (DIS) together.” (Vlessing) This sudden influx of original content from each of the streaming services also correlates with the publics’ increased use of streaming services on different devices. Television watching has transitioned from a family event to a ‘separated’ family event. “Co-viewing has changed. It’s not everybody in front of one TV at the same time watching the same program. People are still there together but watching different things on different devices.” (Jarvey) This creates a need for more than one streaming service if each continues to create its own original content. Everyone in the family could appeal to a different streaming service, for example, the kids favor Disney+, while the college student loves Netflix and the parents rely on their Hulu dramas each week.
It is becoming apparent that each streaming service might need the other to continue to gain viewers. While one remains on top, for now, I don’t think there will be one overall winner of the “Streaming Wars.” It appears that the increase in “addictive” original content from all of the players will create a need for each of their individual streaming services. The public will need to subscribe to each service and instead of those services fighting for control. The top streaming services will ultimately have to work together to remain popular in the upcoming years.
Works Cited
DeleteFaughnder, Ryan. “Who Will Win the Streaming Wars?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2019-10-10/streaming-wars-winners-and-losers-disney-plus-netflix-hbo-max-peacock-quibi-apple-tv.
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2019, www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bob-iger-bets-company-hollywood-s-future-streaming-1247663.
Lawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the Major Streaming Services, Ranked.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 12 Nov. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/.
Vlessing, Etan. “Disney+, Apple TV+ Are No Netflix Killers, Says Analyst.” The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2020, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-apple-tv-are-no-netflix-killers-says-analyst-1270642.
Maeve Hennigan
ReplyDeleteWith the recent increase in streaming platforms available to access entertainment content, users have been met with a difficult choice of which streaming platform to subscribe to. Though some users will subscribe to more than one, certain streaming service companies will end up being more successful than others. I believe that the big winners of the streaming wars will be Netflix and Disney Plus due to their content and the public’s familiarity with the companies.
Disney Plus will be especially successful due to the amount of content that they have and their ability to appeal to a wide range of audiences. In fact, Disney “signed up over 10 million users” after only one day after it launched (Spangler). According to USA Today, “Disney is flexing its considerable muscle by offering its classic films paired with original series from its biggest brands: Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel,” (Lawler). With its ability to offer consumers content from three of the most popular movie franchises in the world, there is no doubt that Disney Plus will be able to continue to grow successfully throughout the next two years. This success is expected by Disney, who, according to The Hollywood Reporter, “is projecting between 60 million and 90 million global subscribers by 2024,” (Jarvey). Considering that Netflix, the most popular streaming service at the moment, has 83 million global subscribers, these numbers prove Disney's apparent projected success (Jarvey).
Similarly, I believe Netflix will continue to be successful due to its popularity and people’s familiarity with the platform. However, even though Netflix is “a really valuable service and the biggest name in the game,” their content has decreased in number since the streaming wars started. However, the platform has been dominating with its original content and will continue to do so over the next few years. Though USA Today claims some originals are subpar, many are nationwide hits like Stranger Things and Bird Box. The introduction of Disney Plus also did not hinder Netflix’s success, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Although USA Today ranked Hulu as their top choice out of all the streaming options, their content is less popular than the content on Netflix and Disney Plus. Moreover, Hulu currently has “28 million U.S. members,” which Disney Plus is expecting to double and possibly triple in the next two years (Jarvey). Since Disney owns so much of the content on their platform, there isn’t much for Hulu to expand viewership with besides originals. Though The Handmaid's Tale is very popular, its only one title, in comparison to the hundreds of majorly popular titles Disney is offering.
Other streaming services involved in the streaming wars, such as Amazon Prime Video, CBS All Access, and Apple TV Plus will not do as well in the upcoming years. Considering that these three were amongst the bottom three spots in USA Today’s streaming platform ranking, and their lack of popular content, I don’t think they will be nearly as successful as Netflix, Disney Plus, and even Hulu. Besides The Morning Show, Apple TV Plus does not have much to offer when compared to everything that Netflix and Disney Plus can offer consumers, and the same goes with the other two platforms. With even more streaming services added to the mix like HBO Max and Peacock, there will be no point for people to subscribe to any of them when they have all the content they need with Disney Plus and Netflix.
Szalai, Georg. “When Will Netflix Finally End Its Cash Burn?” The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2019, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-netflix-finally-end-cash-burn-1250782?um_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%20Today%20in%20Entertainment_now_2019-10-30%2007:15:10_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020.
DeleteLawler, Kelly. “Disney+ to Apple TV+ to Netflix: All the major streaming services, ranked.” USA Today, 29 Oct. 2019,
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/29/apple-tv-netflix-disney-all-streaming-services-ranked/2484448001/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020.
Jarvey, Natalie. “Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on
Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2019 https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020.
Spangler, Todd. “Disney Says Disney Plus Has Over 10 Million Sign-Ups After Launch Day.” Variety,https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/disney-says-disney-plus-has-over-10-million-signups-1203403515/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020