Dmitry Kazankov’s Post

The week that includes the July 4 holiday is usually a big one for streaming services — but it’s never been as big as this year. Nielsen’s streaming content ratings show the week of July 1-7 as the biggest one ever since the measurement firm began regularly tracking streaming several years ago. TV users spent 313 billion minutes on streaming platforms for the week, and for the first time, every entrant in the top 10 overall titles had at least 1 billion minutes of viewing. The top 10 was led by Netflix’s movie Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which premiered July 3 and had 2.05 billion minutes of viewing. Suits (1.5 billion minutessurged back into the top 10 after the show’s final season made its Netflix debut; it had been exclusive to Peacock during last year’s record-breaking run. House of the Dragon set its second series high in the past three weeks with 1.3 billion minutes of viewing on Max (which doesn’t include any on-air viewing on HBO). Your Honor (1.23 billion minutes on Netflix and Paramount+) continued its strong summer, and The Bear (1.21 billion minutes on Hulu) lost almost none of its series record audience from the prior week.

" [..] According to Mitch Metcalf, head of media consulting firm MEI who spoke to Variety recently, American audiences are drawn to a relatively small subset of titles. Around 1,000 titles account for 70% of all viewing time on streaming services measured by Nielsen, according to Metcalf, which shows why streaming platform owners are more willing to enter into licensing deals for familiar popular titles and leave the siloed gardens of streaming exclusivity behind." The Streamable #ContentStrategy #ContentLicensing #ViewershipPatterns #Netflix #StreamingWars 

Ad-supported free streaming services are fast gaining on big streamers. The platforms come with lower costs than paid services, thanks to their massive libraries of in-house and licensed content, and some originals. Likewise, people are leaving linear TV, transferring their ad-supported watching hours to free streaming choices. https://lnkd.in/gitfFj7c

As streaming services become more expensive, consumers are turning to free ad-supported streaming platforms like the Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV. Nielsen indicates that these FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) channels have seen a rise in viewership. With the recent price hikes from major streaming services, the appeal of FAST channels is growing and attracting cost-conscious viewers with their extensive libraries and accessibility. Despite heavy ad loads and a lack of original content, FAST channels offer linear and on-demand content, making them a cost-effective alternative. https://lnkd.in/gCaTwu8E

"If someone subscribes to HBO (as in the linear HBO channel, not the Max streaming service) and only watches one show the entire year – or doesn’t even watch a single minute’s worth of content – that person is still a profitable subscriber. But for an ad-supported, on-demand streaming service to generate healthy average revenue per user (ARPU), it needs engagement, engagement, and more engagement." Quality over quantity is key in driving sustained growth and user satisfaction in the streaming landscape.

🚀📺 Did you know streaming now dominates 40.3% of TV viewing in the U.S.? 🎉 In June 2024, streaming services outpaced cable and became the king of screens! Dive in! 📉📊 🔝 Key Points: - Streaming services captured over 40% of TV viewership, the highest ever recorded! - YouTube leads with 9.9% usage, followed by Netflix at 8.4%, thanks to hits like Bridgerton. - Despite booming viewership, ad revenue challenges persist as streaming platforms explore hybrid subscription models to boost earnings. 💡 Insights: - As market saturation approaches, agility in monetizing content through diverse revenue streams, like subscriptions mixed with ads, could be critical. - Understanding viewer preferences and maintaining robust content offerings will be essential for platforms aiming to stay ahead. 🔍 What strategies do you think will be most effective for streaming platforms moving forward? Do you see a shift in your own viewing habits? Share your thoughts below!👇 #StreamingMedia #DigitalTransformation #MediaTrends #NielsenRatings #Netflix #YouTube #BusinessStrategy #AdRevenue #TechNews 👍 or 👎 Let us know if streaming has changed how you engage with TV! 📺✨

The video streaming industry, bolstered by the pandemic, continues to thrive, outpacing traditional TV with a record 40% share of U.S. viewership in 2024. However, profitability is becoming a challenge, prompting platforms like Netflix and Disney+ to increase prices. While spending on content has surged - Netflix's budget alone could hit $17 billion in 2024 - consumer frustration is growing. Nearly half of U.S. subscribers consider current fees too high, and price hikes risk triggering cancellations. Ad-supported plans might offer a path forward, balancing revenue and viewer retention. Source: GlobalData Plc #videostreaming #profitability #pricehike #subscribers #fee #netflix

You know you’re in a business that matters when lofty publications like The Atlantic weigh-in on 'The Streaming Wars'.    In 'The Dream of Streaming is Dead' (May 16), Jacob Stern scrutinizes the latest bundles from The Walt Disney Company and Comcast to ask if this is any improvement over cable TV. The problem, Stern believes, is that going it alone for the streaming service providers hasn’t actually worked.    We cannot say that. Recent announcements from both Disney and Netflix suggest healthy growth so far this year with Disney+ becoming profitable last quarter. The recent actions taken by the streamers (password sharing crackdown, new pricing tiers) are bringing in more customers and more revenue, and bundling is one of the actions driving growth.   The dream that Stern refers to about streaming being a better, cheaper version of cable was always just that — a dream. Ultimately, someone needs to pay for the content creation — streaming was never going to change those economics. What it has provided is more flexibility and a disaggregation of the larger cable packages, allowing consumers to choose. There is certainly a risk that fixed bundles of streaming services get so large they look more like cable bundles. But consumers want choice: in what services to select, in how to bundle, and on the trade-off between value and flexibility. That's the real dream of streaming, and it's very much alive. https://lnkd.in/eye4tvaH #streaming #cable #TV

TV viewership in South Africa is declining as viewers move to streaming, and local streaming services like Showmax often lack content compared to major players like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. https://lnkd.in/dPR89SfM

Ad-supported video streaming has a new player, 'Tubi' from Rupert Murdoch's FOX? Netflix recently added to their offering a cheaper ad-supported streaming service.....but this is still a paid service albeit cheaper than the service without ads. Can Tubi become the new business model to see more Media outlets entering the streaming world? Will Netflix need to offer a free service with Ads to retain market share? Could we see all more mainstream global channels offer more streaming services? Will we see advertisers start to pull budget away from TV channels and start to concentrate more on the streaming sites? #Netflix #Tubi #Streaming https://lnkd.in/e7MvHYA7