Streaming services are increasingly taking a bundling approach across different operators. In the United States, the streaming market is approaching saturation, notes Erika Luzsicza.
Streaming giants have once again taken a step closer to traditional cable TV. How is this possible? Has competition or the hunt for new paying customers forced them to do so? These are becoming harder and harder to get, and in many cases keep, in a saturated streaming market, which is why aggregation is gradually taking place. The imaginary avalanche was triggered a few days ago by Disney together with Warner Bros. Discovery, who unveiled a new package that will offer viewers Disney+, Hulu and Max services.
It didn't take long for Comcast to come up with a competing offer these days. The latter will offer its customers Peacock, Apple TV+ and Netflix together in one package. And of course, there's a discounted price.
Also worth mentioning is the Disney , Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Crop project. These services have agreed to a joint service, focused on sports broadcasts. The main channel they want to benefit from is ESPN+, as well as the linear channels of each company. The streaming service is expected to launch this autumn. It has been nicknamed Spulu, a combination of the words sport and Hulu (this service is under Disney).
Why is the streaming services market changing rapidly and the current one seeking refuge in bundling? A study by Kantar says that only in the United States, the imaginary mother of TV and streaming services, is the market saturated. 95% of households, some 125 million, use streaming services. In the first quarter of this year, the number of new subscribers was recorded at just one-tenth of one percent compared to the end of last year. The average American household subscribes to 3.9 services.
Kantar said in its study that Apple TV+ and Peacock saw the biggest growth. Conversely, Prime Video saw the largest outflow of subscribers. Therefore, if companies want to maintain revenue growth in the long term, they need to keep coming up with new and attractive offers.
Erika Luzsicza, Axocom
Source: mediaguru.cz
