The Streaming Video Economy

The streaming video business has transformed profoundly since the launch of Disney+ officially kicked off the streaming wars in 2019. 

Netflix no longer reports subscribers and is more focused on competing with YouTube than its fellow SVODs. Ads are now an integral part of the subscription video model, as are live events. And new forms of premium and hybrid SVOD, not to mention the many streaming bundles now on the market, are blurring the lines between the cable and direct-to-consumer businesses more than ever before.

Perhaps the biggest change is that the SVOD sector, long known for disruption and upheaval, has settled into a (perhaps temporary) period of something akin to stability as consistent profits begin to materialize. 

It’s unclear how long this will last, of course, as high-level Hollywood dealmaking is poised to disrupt the field once again and the industry faces down the persistent threat of social video.

The Luminate Intelligence special report The Streaming Video Economy is a deep dive into this new normal, as well as the trends continuing to reshape the never-dormant SVOD business. 

Data from Luminate’s Entertainment 365 survey, for instance, highlights the changing consumer sentiment behind key topics such as subscription cycling (a preview: content may no longer be king), while exclusive streaming viewership numbers illuminate the engagement trends fueling ongoing shifts in the SVOD landscape.

As Hollywood barrels toward another decisive year — in which the number of major studios could shrink yet again — the streaming video economy may very well be poised for another significant evolution. 

And while no report on the SVOD business can hope to remain current for too long, this one offers a detailed look at how the field has already transformed and what will drive the next era of this complex industry.