I've been wondering how the fragmentation of the streaming media market affects usage and spending.
As more content providers start their own streaming platforms (Disney+, Paramount+, etc.) and streaming platforms are increasing their content creation efforts (Netflix, Amazon, etc.), it seems like the fragmentation is going to get worse and if one has eclectic tastes they'll need to subscribe to more and more streaming services to get everything they want.
Especially as these services hoard their libraries and don't license them to other services.
At what point does that fragmentation hit a limit? How many USD$10-$15/month streaming subscriptions are too many?
In the past, cable TV subscriptions bundled so much stuff that folks didn't want together with the stuff they did want, driving prices through the roof.
Then, getting Netflix/Amazon Prime and (possibly) an OTA antenna was plenty for most people to "cut the cord" (or never connect that cord in the first place) because it was significantly less expensive and had extensive libraries licensed from the content providers.
Now, it seems like we're heading in the opposite direction. More and more streaming services with libraries they don't license/share are coming online, pushing folks to subscribe to additional services.
At some point, the costs may rival the old-time cable subscriptions. Is it worth it, or should we just cut our losses and limit subscriptions to the stuff with the new/shiny and all the older stuff just becomes obscure?
Or, perhaps, does this give folks more incentive to actually buy physical media so it can't be taken away if/when various streaming services/content providers have a spat?
Or will more folks just torrent their media (with the same result) as some already do?
As more content providers start their own streaming platforms (Disney+, Paramount+, etc.) and streaming platforms are increasing their content creation efforts (Netflix, Amazon, etc.), it seems like the fragmentation is going to get worse and if one has eclectic tastes they'll need to subscribe to more and more streaming services to get everything they want.
Especially as these services hoard their libraries and don't license them to other services.
At what point does that fragmentation hit a limit? How many USD$10-$15/month streaming subscriptions are too many?
In the past, cable TV subscriptions bundled so much stuff that folks didn't want together with the stuff they did want, driving prices through the roof.
Then, getting Netflix/Amazon Prime and (possibly) an OTA antenna was plenty for most people to "cut the cord" (or never connect that cord in the first place) because it was significantly less expensive and had extensive libraries licensed from the content providers.
Now, it seems like we're heading in the opposite direction. More and more streaming services with libraries they don't license/share are coming online, pushing folks to subscribe to additional services.
At some point, the costs may rival the old-time cable subscriptions. Is it worth it, or should we just cut our losses and limit subscriptions to the stuff with the new/shiny and all the older stuff just becomes obscure?
Or, perhaps, does this give folks more incentive to actually buy physical media so it can't be taken away if/when various streaming services/content providers have a spat?
Or will more folks just torrent their media (with the same result) as some already do?