VOD : Streaming services news, offers and general chit chat

[Media Boy UK]

As you know Sky signed a deal with Warner Media for a well known Sky only channel to broadcast HBO shows until 2025.

As of 7pm on May 3rd my Sources has revealed that Warner Bros. Discovery are "still talking to Sky to end the HBO contract early".

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I honestly don't see this being a success in the UK. It's non-essential content at a time when consumers are being squeezed and other streamers have got their feet in the door.

We watch quite a few CBS All-Access (the old name for P+) shows, so I can definitely see us subscribing for a bit.

[DECKAS]

I'm thinking about it too

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I honestly don't see this being a success in the UK. It's non-essential content at a time when consumers are being squeezed and other streamers have got their feet in the door.

Agreed it will be another one people dip in and out of as opposed to one people long term subscribe to.

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by Chris

This.

I’m a big Star Trek fan and I won’t be subscribing even though this will soon be the only place to see it. I’m just going to wait and see what transpires months or a year or so from now. Maybe once there’s enough content for a proper binge I’ll take their free sample offer and then cancel it.

absolute morons arent they haha. Back to piracy people will go...its like they never blooming learn!

Originally Posted by vincerooney

absolute morons arent they haha. Back to piracy people will go...its like they never blooming learn!

Where a studio or a channel has only one really big property, they’re deluded if they think people are going to sign up for an enduring subscription just for that. They’re either going to wait for a better deal or else, as you say, use other means. Vastly more people watched Game of Thrones via such means rather than watch it on Sky Atlantic.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Agreed it will be another one people dip in and out of as opposed to one people long term subscribe to.

They are all going to be like that that for most people I suspect. No-one likes a particular content provider enough.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

They are all going to be like that that for most people I suspect. No-one likes a particular content provider enough.

That's not a viable business model for the streamers, many of whom aren't making money as it is.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

That's not a viable business model for the streamers, many of whom aren't making money as it is.

It isn't, but that's what I hear anecdotally about how many people seem to use the various on-demand services. There's no reason to subscribe to any service on an ongoing basis. If that is indeed the case for most folk the business models will have to change.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

It isn't, but that's what I hear anecdotally about how many people seem to use the various on-demand services. There's no reason to subscribe to any service on an ongoing basis. If that is indeed the case for most folk the business models will have to change.

The reason to subscribe on an ongoing basis is a regular addition of good originals. That’s what the media has learned through experience and it is why Netflix is the most popular of all the platforms and why Britbox is flagging.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

The reason to subscribe on an ongoing basis is a regular addition of good originals. That’s what the media has learned through experience and it is why Netflix is the most popular of all the platforms and why Britbox is flagging.

In theory. But all the services suffer from users being uninspired. Original content can be commissioned with good budgets and in plenty quantity, but it won't necessarily "click" with the audience, there's no guarantee. I've seen a fair few comments recently that indict that there's a content malaise even with the mighty Netflix at the moment.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Chris

Where a studio or a channel has only one really big property, they’re deluded if they think people are going to sign up for an enduring subscription just for that. They’re either going to wait for a better deal or else, as you say, use other means. Vastly more people watched Game of Thrones via such means rather than watch it on Sky Atlantic.

https://advanced-television.com/2022...e-and-pricing/

[EXTREACT]

Paramount+ will launch in the UK more than 8,000 hours of content, spanning new and exclusive Paramount+ originals, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from Paramount’s brands and production studios, including Showtime, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

https://advanced-television.com/2022...e-and-pricing/

[EXTREACT]

Paramount+ will launch in the UK more than 8,000 hours of content, spanning new and exclusive Paramount+ originals, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from Paramount’s brands and production studios, including Showtime, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon.

Yes, I read that. And it’s just marketing speak for “back catalogue”. Old stuff that most people who wanted to see it, have already seen. To be successful your back catalogue has to have some utterly compelling material in it, and that can’t be quantified in number of hours.

Besides, as you have already said, it’s new content that makes a streaming service successful, not its video library.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Chris

Yes, I read that. And it’s just marketing speak for “back catalogue”. Old stuff that most people who wanted to see it, have already seen. To be successful your back catalogue has to have some utterly compelling material in it, and that can’t be quantified in number of hours.

Besides, as you have already said, it’s new content that makes a streaming service successful, not its video library.

Agreed, but they also need the library. I assume they will be adding originals on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Agreed, but they also need the library. I assume they will be adding originals on a regular basis.

That would be a reasonable assumption, except for the fact that Disney made this very error when it launched in late 2019 (spring 2020 in the UK). They traded on their back catalogue for far too long and I’m not convinced the Star branded stream within the main Disney+ app was part of the original plan - it really doesn’t fit the branding it has otherwise used, which is based on established feature film production company brands, and looks very much bolted on, as if they felt they needed to add a lot of new and original material quickly, and the very modest pipeline of TV shows based mostly on movies out of their Marvel and Star Wars properties wasn’t going to produce enough content, quickly enough.

Paramount may indeed dodge that bullet, but as a major established film & TV studio there is always the risk it will assume its back catalogue is so great it will do too little for too long. We shall just have to wait and see.