Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes, I have watched tv when in the States and I agree, its abysmal with the amount of ads, hence the cord cutting there and the switch to streaming.

Europe is different that the States, I agree too. We have public tv for one thing and far less ads in our commercial channels, but I still think streaming will come to dominate here. Look at the rise of Netflix here from zero to more customers than Sky now, see here:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...by-end-of-year

The issue with streaming is what OB just linked to, in that everyone wants all the content under one house through a single provider and that is something I'm not sure the traditional pay tv companies will be able to do, even if they do offer all the streaming services in the future. You can search for Netflix content on a V6, but it's hit and miss in what content it finds.

Netflix used to be the everything under one house provider, but with the likes of Disney and possibly others pulling content off Netflix, we will all need more than one service to get a decent amount of content to watch.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

This report shows that pay tv subscribers are now on the decline in the UK, and confirms that consolidation is likely in the next couple of years. This is completely in line with the forecast made at the beginning of this thread, based on the declining revenues that will ultimately spell the end of our traditional TV channels.

This process will take some time to play out, but the switch from pay tv channels to OTT sevices will come in the end. Due to declining advertising revenues, the free to view channels will not be immune from this process.

https://www.rapidtvnews.com/20190426...#axzz5mDMukmkA

EXTRACT


“We have seen the cord-cutting trend for several years in the US, where the pay-TV business is more mature,” said Michael Goodman, director, TV and media strategies at Strategy Analytics commenting on the European Pay TV IndexEuropean Pay TV Index. “Now it is starting to hit major markets in Europe, and this spells trouble for pay TV operators which cannot adapt to the needs of today’s viewers. The threat of falling subscriber revenues and stronger OTT rivals will also increase pressure from investors for further consolidation across the industry.”

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I'd like to know how they arrived at those figures. I didn't realise that Sky broke down their subscriber numbers between Sky's main product and Now TV, or that they reported separate Ireland figures for the purposes of their financial announcements.

Virgin Media are reporting TV subscriber increases in the year to 31st December 2018.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Its more biased bollocks that is why as both Sky and Virgin have posted TV subscriber increases in their last quarterly figures.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Here's something interesting - probably will get reported as 'off topic' - according to the BARB cable in the UK peaked in Q3 2013.

https://www.barb.co.uk/tv-landscape-...y-tv-platform/

4.17 million households.

However, our good friends at Virgin Media made disclosures to the stock exchange saying something different.

http://www.libertyglobal.com/pdf/fix...ease-FINAL.pdf

3.74 million subscribers.

For completeness, Virgin also state in a footnote that the 3.74 million includes those who don't pay a recurring monthly fee for a television service but have a STB alongside telephone/broadband service (equivalent of the old TV M package) and that 89% of the TV base do pay a recurring monthly fee for TV.

It's actually quite difficult to estimate these figures which is why I'm curious to know what the source was and where estimates were used on what basis they were arrived at.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Small World was independent of VM in 2013. A couple of other companies may be in that number too eg Wight Cable.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

The link between the growing popularity of the streaming services and the decline of pay tv channels, it seems, is starting to play out.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019...ancel-doubles/

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019...els-turns-ott/

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019...tion-goes-ott/


'According to new research from Parks Associates, the percentage of UK broadband households stating that they are likely to cancel their pay-TV service has increased to 24% in late 2018 from 12% in late 2015.

The analyst’s IoT in the UK – Entertainment Products and Services report says the figure is at its highest among households that watch online video services.'


'Sony’s Film1 in The Netherlands will drop its linear channels, and terminate the carriage of its services on the various Dutch distribution platforms, at the end of July 2019.

At the moment, the movie channels and on-demand services of Film1 are available on the various cable, DTH and IPTV platforms from Ziggo, KPN, Canal Digitaal, T-Mobile, and Caiway. There are four linear channels, Film1 Premiere, Film1 Drama, Film1 Action, and Film1 Family, with most of the movies also available on-demand. All platforms were informed by the broadcaster about the termination of the service.

Last year, Film1 started to market its offer as an OTT service for €7.99 a month. In April, the service became available over an app on Samsung smart TV sets. Film1 go is also available on mobile devices with its Film1 Go service. It is not clear if the OTT service will also be terminated.'



'Mediaset Premium will cease broadcasting on Italy’s digital terrestrial network on June 1, 2019, and will make the channels available as an OTT service on the Infinity platform.'

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Mediaset Premium will result in DAZN not being bundled at a discount, meaning subscribers will require two, more expensive, subscriptions where before they only needed one.

https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2019...only-offering/

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Also, if the media companies are all going down the DTC (direct to consumer) route aka streaming, something has to give.

Disney has done very well in recent weeks and its share price is up 20% on the announcement of its streaming service, but for their streamer to become as popular as Netflix, means that their linear channels must decline.

Why? Because people won't pay for the same stuff on the Disney Channel, ESPN channel etc and pay for their streamers too. Disney makes tons of money off its linear channels and selling rights onto others, this will all come to a stop over the next few years.

It's a whole new world and it'll be interesting to watch who the winners are and who the losers will be. It's brave of Disney to go full hog into streaming, but they were left with little choice with Netflix gobbling up the streaming market pretty much to itself.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

It will become a more convoluted and expensive new world for many.

Purely personal preference but Disney has very little that's going to be on its Disney streaming service that interests me so not sure I'd bother.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I never viewed the M tv package as masking their true tv figures before, but now you've posted that, I do.

Their situation as regards to their pay tv numbers, are worse than I had previously thought.

I missed that bit in their footnotes.

---------- Post added at 13:11 ---------- Previous post was at 13:10 ----------

All depends on price of services and how many services are taken at the same time.

If you want all content at all times, then yes it will get very expensive, but streaming gives you the option to choose what you want each month, rather than paying for bundles of channels that you never watch.

Doesn't interest me either, but those who want all Star Wars, all Marvel/superheroes stuff, all Pixar stuff, many of the Disney animated classics, will love it.

I'm more interested to see if Disney launch a international version of Hulu or bolt on Hulu content onto their global Disney+ service.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Yes but a pay TV sub now offers me content from most of the US broadcasters under this method I'll need a sub to each one to watch their shows which is a huge step backwards for me. I don't watch it all but enjoy shows from numerous different broadcasters.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

Lets see if VM and Sky can be the aggregators that they claim to be and offer all the streamers on their service under their own interface. The fact that it's taken VM this long to offer Amazon Prime, doesn't seem to bode well in this regard. BUT...

Comparing tv channels with streamers is like comparing apples to oranges. They are not the same thing. Unless Sky run one of their "special" channels, you've never been able to access all Star Wars films before outside buying the DVDs.

I think people will mix and match streamers and take different ones each month, depending on what new shows/films are on the services.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

In my opinion its still a pipe dream with the exception of Disney I don't see many brave enough to go it alone outside the USA.

I still see the others licensing content to third parties.

Re: Linear is old tech - on demand is the future
 

I agree and have drawn the same conclusion. However, if the Hulu strand is added to it, I would be interested, depending on the content and how much of it there is that I would want to watch.

---------- Post added at 14:29 ---------- Previous post was at 14:19 ----------

I think there was a particular issue with Prime, because Liberty Global pulled it from the negotiations with Virgin Media.

They were quick with Netflix, Amazon and Hayu, though, so let's hope Amazon Prime was an exception.

I still say that in terms of drama and documentaries, there will be better value for money, and a much better choice than pay-tv offers. From time to time, where particular programmes people want to see are on SVOD services that they are not subscribed to, they will temporarily stop one subscription and start another.

I do think also that as material becomes about 5 years old on any streamer, many programmes will be made available elsewhere, either exclusively or on a non-exclusive basis.

---------- Post added at 14:30 ---------- Previous post was at 14:29 ----------

If they do, I would imagine that they will give the content rights to the SVOD services rather than the pay-tv channels.