You've cut the cord and embraced streaming, but now you're overwhelmed by choices. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu—each offers favorite shows, so you subscribe to all. For live TV, you add Sling TV, DirecTV Now, or PlayStation Vue. Sling TV vs. DirecTV Now vs. PlayStation Vue: How do they compare?
Need British TV? BritBox or Acorn TV. BritBox vs. Acorn TV: Which is better for streaming British TV? Kids demand Disney's upcoming service, as their Netflix deal ends. Disney pitches rival streaming service to Netflix.
Suddenly, monthly costs rival cable, with fragmented access. You're not alone—this paradox plagues cord-cutters. Let's examine why.
Choosing music services like Spotify, Apple Music, or Google Play Music? Spotify vs. Apple Music vs. Google Play Music: Which is best? How to choose the best music streaming service? Decisions hinge on price, UX, and integration—not catalogs, which overlap vastly.
Video streaming differs. Netflix navigates studios, networks, distributors, and country-specific licensing, causing fragmentation.
Two trends: Cable TV is dying, and users prefer one provider—ideally Netflix, like their single cable bill.
Evidence (via Fortuna):
Netflix thrives, but licensing costs soar—$5B owed by end-2016. Now prioritizing originals like House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, Narcos, Stranger Things, The Crown.
Netflix's dominance wanes as rivals rise.
Prime Video mirrors Netflix: licensed content to originals like The Grand Tour, Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Mozart in the Jungle, Bosch.
August 2017: Disney ends Netflix deal for its service. Rationale: Iconic catalog ensures profits; retain control amid cord-cutting. Cut that cable! How to get rid of it.
Will more launch services? UK’s BBC/ITV did BritBox. Stream British TV with BritBox. HBO, Fox apps exist; Disney follows.
In 2016, TV firms earned $73 billion in ad revenue from reruns (How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Law & Order) and sports.
Viewership drives ad rates. Declines force hikes until advertisers flee.
Effects:
US networks already leaner than UK/EU peers. Subscription streaming is their lifeline—expect more "Disney" moves.
As Netflix/Amazon prioritize originals, licensed content shrinks. When does streaming become "21st-century TV networks"? Indistinguishable from traditional ones.
Cable's bundling irks users wanting a la carte. Ironically, streaming heads there: Subscribe to Netflix originals + ABC, Fox sports separately.
"Full" cable-like packages possible, but costly—matching current bills, assuming stable prices.
Depends who you ask.
Consumers: 1-2 suffice. Netflix at 75% penetration; Amazon Video <35% (Prime-boosted). Viewing hours decline—need multiples?
Networks: Choice rules; capitalism sorts winners.
Both valid.
Will Netflix endure fragmentation, or will a la carte and missing classics revive networks? How many services are too many? Room for niches? 10 Niche Streaming Services if You Hate Netflix.
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