VOD : Netflix/Streaming Services

[Raider999]

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

I think it's reaching the point where people will just say "no"

As a sports lover I subscribe to sports anyway but I would only pay they amount for a days sport if there was something exceptional on - must be cheaper to pay a monthly sub rather than opt into NowTV even on a weekly basis

[Chad]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Now TV increasing day Sports passes again to £9.99.

Just got an email from Now TV to confirm the entertainment pass is going up to £8.99 per month. Also just noticed that TV Player is now £6.99 per month.

Streaming is getting pretty expensive now.

[denphone]

So much from some prominent forum voices who's logic was with more streamers around in a competitive market prices would go down rather then up.

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by denphone

So much from some prominent forum voices who's logic was with more streamers around in a competitive market prices would go down rather then up.

Where are they then? Have they started yet?

[jfman]

Originally Posted by pip08456

Where are they then? Have they started yet?

There’s streamers in the market all raising prices despite “competition”.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by pip08456

Where are they then? Have they started yet?

Its quite clear that the prices of monthly streaming subscriptions are rising and will continue to rise so more competition does not necessarily mean prices will stay competitive in the market especially when some streamers are increasingly up to their eyeballs in debt spending willy nilly on content and with that huge monetary outlay they will want to get much of that money back..

[Chad]

Originally Posted by denphone

Its quite clear that the prices of monthly streaming subscriptions are rising and will continue to rise so more competition does not necessarily mean prices will stay competitive in the market especially when some streamers are increasingly up to their eyeballs in debt spending willy nilly on content and with that huge monetary outlay they will want to get much of that money back..

It's interesting that the streaming services tend to put their prices up by a pound every 2 years. An increase followed by a 24 month freeze. I don't think I've ever seen a streaming service lower it's price.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by denphone

Its quite clear that the prices of monthly streaming subscriptions are rising and will continue to rise so more competition does not necessarily mean prices will stay competitive in the market especially when some streamers are increasingly up to their eyeballs in debt spending willy nilly on content and with that huge monetary outlay they will want to get much of that money back..

Competition will keep a check on prices. If they rise too far, they will lose subscribers to other providers.

I doubt very much that the price of Netflix or Amazon will come down, but their ability to raise prices will be constrained by the competition. If they add new services, of course, that will impact on price, and that is what you would expect.

If you compare the quality and quantity of watchable content (excluding sport, which has yet to make the transition to streaming that scripted video streaming has), with the scheduled channels, it is not difficult to conclude that the streamers are incredible value for money. I think the issue that some are finding difficult to come to terms with is the sheer number of streamers that will be available, and they opine that they can't afford them all. This ignores the simple fact that no- one is expected to take them all. You choose which ones you want, according to your budget and your viewing preferences.

[muppetman11]

If I want Disney I'll only be able to purchase from Disney so not sure competition will help there.

I remember you always had a bee in your bonnet about exclusivity I fail to see how this is any different.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

If I want Disney I'll only be able to purchase from Disney so not sure competition will help there.

I remember you always had a bee in your bonnet about exclusivity I fail to see how this is any different.

It's different because we all have the same freedom to subscribe to Disney + on any platform once launched. I have o doubt it will be on Sky, Virgin Media, BT and on many other platforms too such as Roku, Amazon Prime, Apple +, etc.

The beef I have is that under the current system, you choose whether to subscribe to Sky or Virgin Media or BT, for example, for good reasons. Some people are not allowed satellite dishes, some aren't cabled up, etc. So hogging all the content on one platform is not in the interests of the consumer.

However, with streaming services, these are available no matter who your provider is, via the internet. As long as you ignore Sky, that is, who are still trying to restrict who can watch their streaming service, Now TV. By rights, this should be available on all platforms.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

If I want Disney I'll only be able to purchase from Disney so not sure competition will help there.

I remember you always had a bee in your bonnet about exclusivity I fail to see how this is any different.

Well this is the thing. Economics 101 tells you that there's assumptions about supply and demand in the theory that are often ignored or misrepresented. It assumes that products are directly comparable with each other, low barriers to entry for new suppliers, etc.

That's not true in the pay TV market, of which subscription streaming services are merely an extension.

The product offering the Carling Premiership isn't comparable with the product offering the Vauxhall conference because it's the same sport in the same sense Coca Cola, Pepsi and supermarket brand colas are direct substitutes for each other.

Of course an added complexity is that the streaming services are increasing upstream demand for content - more demand pushes prices up - costs that flow down to the end user.

---------- Post added at 14:03 ---------- Previous post was at 13:56 ----------

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

However, with streaming services, these are available no matter who your provider is, via the internet. As long as you ignore Sky, that is, who are still trying to restrict who can watch their streaming service, Now TV. By rights, this should be available on all platforms.

I really think that's a stretch. It's available on Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Roku and Now TV branded devices - often sold cheaper than the bundled entertainment pack

Your gripe is that Virgin don't offer it, despite Virgin having a wholesale deal with Sky for the vast majority of content on there.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Chad

It's interesting that the streaming services tend to put their prices up by a pound every 2 years. An increase followed by a 24 month freeze. I don't think I've ever seen a streaming service lower it's price.

It's an old business ploy, start off cheap (or even free) and then when people are used to or like your product, steadily raise the price.

Another thing that might put people off streaming services (especially for live sport):

https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/09/amaz...fers-more.html

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

It's an old business ploy, start off cheap (or even free) and then when people are used to or like your product, steadily raise the price.

Another thing that might put people off streaming services (especially for live sport):

https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/09/amaz...fers-more.html

Teething problems, Richard. Just like when we went digital, there was a lot of buffering and picture freeze. A couple of years or so will sort that.

[jfman]

It's hardly teething problems. Amazon have been streaming for years, as have others such as the BBC. The technology is tried and tested.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Teething problems, Richard. Just like when we went digital, there was a lot of buffering and picture freeze. A couple of years or so will sort that.

Strange teething problems l would say as its been going on for a few years now.