The future of streaming?

[DrNewGod]

The last 10 years have been a Wild West of growth in streaming service options and availability. Starting with Hulu, Netflix really gave life to the medium, and soon every studio was in on it. Everyone was rushing to create or acquire content and line up subscribers. The pinnacle was probably Disney's launch of Disney+, which included acquisition of LucasFilm and Marvel. Things only got crazier with the onset of COVID lockdowns, when nobody had anything better to do than subscribe and binge.

Seems to me that The Great Gong of Doom was probably Discovery's overreach in buying up Warner and all associated properties, just as people began coming out of their PJ's and doing stuff outside again. It seems like streaming has been on slippery ground ever since, even mighty Disney. While I don't think content has become inaccessible, it has become less accessible. Advertising-funded models very similar to pre-streaming TV are popping up. Premium content's being moved to more expensive packages. The days of just-get-the-subscriber have given way to cut-the-cost-and-squeeze-the-revenue-as-much-as-possible. In my mind, that doesn't bode well for the streaming consumer.

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an interesting piece on Iger's plan to right the ship in these turbulent waters.

The question that comes to me: Where is streaming going from the consumer's point of view?

[DanMad1977]

Streaming is a hit or miss.

I love and hate it. We already own

Netflix
Disney +
Paramount +
Amazon Prime
Sky
Cable TV

And as it seems I must have Apple + too, if I want to see the new Godzilla show.

[DanMad1977]

Oh, and to contribute to the thread....

Black Sails (a Pirate show) was always only available through a pay option. At least in my country. Now I have the chance to see it at Amazon Prime for free, but with ads.

Smart move.

[DrNewGod]

For now, Zaslav is leasing out IP to other services like a shady street-corner hot-watch salesman. I don't see that lasting. Not that I'm certain Discovery is going to recover from its boneheadedly gluttonous acquisitions, but I can see a point at which a few players will corner key content and squeeze out other providers.

[krazijoe]

For now, Zaslav is leasing out IP to other services like a shady street-corner hot-watch salesman. I don't see that lasting. Not that I'm certain Discovery is going to recover from its boneheadedly gluttonous acquisitions, but I can see a point at which a few players will corner key content and squeeze out other providers.

I am glad no one else does that...Now excuse me while I go watch Star Wars on TNT...

[Zauriel]

Most streaming studios are owned by studios. That is why you will not see any Disney movies or TV shows on Netflix.

Disney has Disney + and Hulu

Paramount has Paramount +

Warner Bros has HBO Max

[skyvolt2000]

I am glad no one else does that...Now excuse me while I go watch Star Wars on TNT...

TNT paid a huge check to get those movie rights.

[BeastieRunner]

Most streaming studios are owned by studios. That is why you will not see any Disney movies or TV shows on Netflix.

Disney has Disney + and Hulu

Paramount has Paramount +

Warner Bros has HBO Max

Black Adam, Shazam 2, justice League, a whole host of CW WB shows, and pretty much all the SnyderVerse are on US Netflix or coming soon FYI.

Legendary films are on Netflix.

Star Trek movies bounce to Netflix and HBO Max while coming off Paramount

I really think Disney is the only one to keep 100% during the streaming wars once the old deals expired

[Celgress]

I hope for fewer streaming services and (most of all) less platform-exclusive content (it sucks to subscribe to a service for only one or two shows) but I doubt that will happen.

[Immortal Weapon]

The future is not looking bright. Being expected to pay more when content is being removed, sub tiers, ads making their way in, and services trying to kill account sharing. The benefits continue to lessen. It makes me want to sail the high seas once more.

[Bunch of Coconuts]

The future is not looking bright. Being expected to pay more when content is being removed, sub tiers, ads making their way in, and services trying to kill account sharing. The benefits continue to lessen. It makes me want to sail the high seas once more.

Hell, nowadays when I have free time to plunk down and watch "TV," I'm watching YouTube anyway. Sure, I'm sharing the ad-free plan with someone, but I'm not getting my money's worth out of any streaming service.

[Derek Metaltron]

YouTube is consistently the platform I watch most stuff on because it’s the most flexible and tailored, currently only subscribed to Disney Plus but finishing end of March for a while. Here in the UK there’s loads of free services for streaming atm, albeit most with ads.

[Celgress]

YouTube is consistently the platform I watch most stuff on because it’s the most flexible and tailored....

Same here and for the same reasons.

[James Cameron]

I have no way to access any streaming service so I pirate everything. The only one that is actually worth it to me is Criterion. An archive of actually great movies, no corporate crap, that are usually the gold standard of cinema. No "streaming exclusives" or bull**** extra fees, just straight up great movies + special features from said movies. Another great one is Mubi. I've never seen a bad movie on that service and that's another one that cares more about quality over scamming their subscribers.