Streaming In Numbers

The streaming industry is entering a new growth phase. In the past, any company with a reliable platform and decent content would attract subscribers because people didn't have many options. We are now at the point where there is probably too much choice.

We think that most families will settle on three or four services, so this is not a case of a winner takes all. Here's what a recent Nielsen study found: "24% of subscribers paid for two streaming services, compared to 23% who paid for three, 18% who paid for four, 18% who paid for one, 10% who paid for five and 7% who paid for six or more".

The report also found an 18% jump in the amount of time that people streamed weekly, and that almost 1 in 2 people felt there was now too much choice available. I know for me, the first tricky decision is picking a streaming service. Once you have found a platform, you still need to sort through all the titles to find something you feel like watching.

As the industry matures, the streaming experience will get better. As an aside, Netflix is apparently considering selling ads to create a cheaper streaming package.