Physical & Digital EST: The Future of Home Video Discussion Thread

[JohnAV]

How Are Streaming Services Attracting and Maintaining Subscribers? - CordCuttersNews 6/26/20

The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 showed us a few things about the streaming industry – primarily that people are more ready to embrace streaming over traditional television than ever before.

But even though streaming is on the rise, streaming churn (or customers canceling one service for another over and over again) is also rising.

Which brings an important question – why are people switching services so often? What really matters when choosing a streaming service?

Analytics company Deloitte posed this question in two surveys (in January and May of 2020) as part of their Digital Media Trends study.

It turns out, content really is king.

When asked to choose the three most important reasons for selecting a streaming service:
51% of people chose “a broad range of shows and movies.”
45% was “new, original content not available elsewhere.”
27% was “previously released content not available elsewhere.”
24%, a free trial or a discounted rate”
17% of people chose “ad-free viewing experience” as one of their driving factors 16% said “shows and movies appropriate for children” were important.
15% was the ability to bundle with other services.

When most streaming services cost in the same general range – $6 to $12 a month, it makes sense that people churning subscriptions don’t really mind spending an extra $5 a month to have one service over another. But it’s still surprising to see price be that much of a non-factor.

This article pointing to how consumers really prioritize content over a little money, and the one above where some of these new streaming services lack of new content are looking towards sports exclusives show how fragile the online streaming environment actually is.

It really wouldn't take much IMHO to see a rapid consolidation of streaming assets if the marketplace is full of temporary streaming watching consumers just abiding their time until other entertainment avenues reappear, then the number of subscribers disappears.

Just look at all of us, how many streaming subscriptions do you really need to supplement what your use to for entertainment.

[Boccaccio]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

How Are Streaming Services Attracting and Maintaining Subscribers? - CordCuttersNews 6/26/20



This article pointing to how consumers really prioritize content over a little money, and the one above where some of these new streaming services lack of new content are looking towards sports exclusives show how fragile the online streaming environment actually is.

It really wouldn't take much IMHO to see a rapid consolidation of streaming assets if the marketplace is full of temporary streaming watching consumers just abiding their time until other entertainment avenues reappear, then the number of subscribers disappears.

Just look at all of us, how many streaming subscriptions do you really need to supplement what your use to for entertainment.

Probably won't take long for them to get rid of the monthly subscription option and make you take a minimum of 6 months or a year.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by Boccaccio

Probably won't take long for them to get rid of the monthly subscription option and make you take a minimum of 6 months or a year.

Yes I guess you are right, lots of people like to play that Free Month Game and bounce around. I tend to pick the Providers I like, and stick with them. I have Amazon Prime, MA, Netflix, and Vudu. I'm also Linked to Google Play and FandangoNow, but really don't use them. So people have to decide what fits their needs, and choose those Providers. With these Providers I have all the Content I need, plus my Hundreds of Movies and TV Shows. Like right now I'm watching Yellowstone on Prime.

[moreorless]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

It really wouldn't take much IMHO to see a rapid consolidation of streaming assets if the marketplace is full of temporary streaming watching consumers just abiding their time until other entertainment avenues reappear, then the number of subscribers disappears.

I'm not sure consolidation will be as easy as lot of other online businesses though. In many of those situations you have a situation were producers business models have always been selling though third parties or the product is some low skill gig economy work. In the entertainment industry you have a lot of very established businesses who are often used to playing a big part in the distribution of their product.

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by moreorless

I'm not sure consolidation will be as easy as lot of other online businesses though. In many of those situations you have a situation were producers business models have always been selling though third parties or the product is some low skill gig economy work. In the entertainment industry you have a lot of very established businesses who are often used to playing a big part in the distribution of their product.

I think you make a valid point, IMO Content is King and the Distribution Model is changing. So it stands to reason that the Streaming Providers will start to side with the Studios, because that is where the Content is Created and will need to be Distributed.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes I guess you are right, lots of people like to play that Free Month Game and bounce around.

Why bounce around when you can share accounts? It makes many of the services free for far longer than a month.

Lots of people pay for 1 service and share it while their family & friends pay for another and share that one. You can wind up with four or more services for the price of one or even all for free.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

I think you make a valid point, IMO Content is King and the Distribution Model is changing. So it stands to reason that the Streaming Providers will start to side with the Studios, because that is where the Content is Created and will need to be Distributed.

Increasingly, the studios are offering their own subscription streaming services; they are becoming one and the same thing.

Content is king and that is why actually owning your own copy on disc is so important. How many more examples of streaming service censorship and episode deletions do you need to read about before you understand that with streaming you have no control over the content? The recent deletions of TV show episodes by subscription streaming services is all but certain to increase (and expand to movies) and it is no wonder when they have so many subscribers like you who do not care. Cheap and convenient is all that matters with your lot.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

How Are Streaming Services Attracting and Maintaining Subscribers? - CordCuttersNews 6/26/20

Just look at all of us, how many streaming subscriptions do you really need to supplement what your use to for entertainment.

Even with my free access to subscription streaming services, I seldom use them. I have not streamed anything from these services in at least three months. I just don't need them.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Yes I guess you are right, lots of people like to play that Free Month Game and bounce around. I tend to pick the Providers I like, and stick with them. I have Amazon Prime, MA, Netflix, and Vudu.

You are only using two streaming services, Netflix and Amazon Prime with their own content.

Movies anywhere is not a streaming service, they are used mainly for redeeming digital codes, and their app allow 4k playback of redeemed content

Vudu is also not a streaming service, they offer some free movies, redeem codes, and VoD store.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by moreorless

I'm not sure consolidation will be as easy as lot of other online businesses though. In many of those situations you have a situation were producers business models have always been selling though third parties or the product is some low skill gig economy work. In the entertainment industry you have a lot of very established businesses who are often used to playing a big part in the distribution of their product.

How many sites out there are subscription? This is just a short list I made. There are still a lot of free TV related sites online such as ABC, CW as examples here in the states.

Subscription based

• NETFLIX
• YOUTUBE PREMIUM
• AMAZON PRIME
• HULU
• CBS ALL ACCESS
• SHOWTIME
• STARZ
• EPIX
• APPLE TV+
• PEACOCK (NBCUNIVERSAL)
• HBO MAX (Warner Bros)
• ACORN
• BRITBOX
• MUBI
• ESPN+

Shortform Contenders

• FACEBOOK WATCH
• QUIBI
• FANDOR

Free Contenters

• TUBI
• CRACKLE
• PLUTO TV
• YOUTUBE

[alchav21]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

You are only using two streaming services, Netflix and Amazon Prime with their own content.

Movies anywhere is not a streaming service, they are used mainly for redeeming digital codes, and their app allow 4k playback of redeemed content

Vudu is also not a streaming service, they offer some free movies, redeem codes, and VoD store.

Now you sound like Wendell, and his categories. What is a Streaming Provider, I think it's one that you can access and Stream Movies and TV Shows....Am I missing something?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Now you sound like Wendell, and his categories. What is a Streaming Provider, I think it's one that you can access and Stream Movies and TV Shows....Am I missing something?

Why do you always drag people that are uninvolved in a conversation into your replies? I can tell you for a fact that sounding "like Wendell" is infinitely better than how you sound 99.99% of the time.

Yes, you are missing more than something; you are missing a whole lot of somethings.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by johnav

how many sites out there are subscription? This is just a short list i made. There are still a lot of free tv related sites online such as abc, cw as examples here in the states.

Free contenters

• tubi
• crackle
• pluto tv
• youtube

plex
roku
filmrise

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

plex
roku
filmrise

PBS has a streaming app. that can be either free or "supported" with the latter offering more of their creative content.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Vilya

PBS has a streaming app. that can be either free or "supported" with the latter offering more of their creative content.

You get very little content under the free offerings. I think (?) the minimum for the supported is $50.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

You get very little content under the free offerings. I think (?) the minimum for the supported is $50.

It is $5 per month, or $60 per year, for the supported option the last time that I checked. The free offerings are mostly their documentaries, but there are a LOT of them.

The supported version is called PBS Passport.

https://www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by alchav21

Now you sound like Wendell, and his categories. What is a Streaming Provider, I think it's one that you can access and Stream Movies and TV Shows....Am I missing something?

So says the party that throws the term "Digital Locker" around.

Digital Locker or CyberLocker, specifically refers to some secure access third party cloud based storage space use to store music, videos, movies, games and other media online.

Movies Anywhere is a cloud-based digital rights locker to store proofs-of-purchase of licensed content in an account to enable playback on different devices using multiple applications from several different digital retailers

Now I should not be using the term digital provider it should be a digital retailer instead.

That is what Vudu, Microsoft Movies & TV, Google Play, Apple TV (used to be iTunes), and Amazon Prime represent as examples.

But AppleTV+ and Amazon Prime also run their own subscription based service, clearly you know what that is.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

You get very little content under the free offerings. I think (?) the minimum for the supported is $50.

There are so many of these lesser known services out there either membership or tethered to your TV content licensing with your provider. HallMark Now is another subscription one. AMC is a tethered example. Like CW usually needs to be tether, FX too. If someone didn't have a cable or satellite account its would be a bit of a effort to get similar content coverage.

[Batfreakforever1939]

With BS now of going back and removing whatever studios think is offensive content in shows and more. Physical media is more relevant and more valuable then ever now.
I don't dont want a studio going and changing content. We already have that with director's with their different cuts/versions.
I think it up to the individual to deem what offensive but in the end its just entertainment and people really need to stop with the edits. If something is that offensive then just don't watch it.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Batfreakforever1939

With BS now of going back and removing whatever studios think is offensive content in shows and more. Physical media is more relevant and more valuable then ever now.
I don't dont want a studio going and changing content. We already have that with director's with their different cuts/versions.
I think it up to the individual to deem what offensive but in the end its just entertainment and people really need to stop with the edits. If something is that offensive then just don't watch it.

People that already have this material in their collection accept it for what it is, irregardless of its place in history. Works of art are not always meant to please all the viewers, but to make a impression onto one's mind.