Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

Paid streaming for cheapskates is having a moment

“This is a lot of catalog content,” says Parks Associates entertainment research director Michael Goodman, using industry shorthand for titles making up Hollywood’s back catalogs.

“There is not one business model that fits everybody,” says Goodman. Adding ad-free streaming to its portfolio is a smart move for Roku, he argues. “You need to have multiple platforms to reach the consumer.”

If Howdy catches on, other free streamers may follow with their own paid plans, predicts Goodman. “There is potential for this to expand to other services.”

“Subscription growth at any cost — that’s not the model today,” says Goodman, alluding to the billions of dollars the industry poured into streaming a few years ago.

When services like Apple TV Plus and Peacock launched in 2019 and 2020, respectively, they bet on undercutting Netflix with deeply discounted subscription plans — only to double the costs of those plans in the following years.

Could the same eventually happen to Howdy subscribers? Goodman thinks so. “Over time, the price will rise,” he says.

From the article, "Paid streaming for cheapskates is having a moment" by Janko Roettgers

Previously In The News

Hulu An Even Bigger Chess Piece For Disney And Comcast After Sky Deal – Analysis

“They have a unique proposition, not just compared with Netflix but also with YouTube TV or Sling,” said Hunter Sappington, an analyst with Parks Associates, in an interview with Deadline. “They have...

Smart Home Gadgets Need To Live Together

“We need to look at problems in the home from a holistic perspective and realize it is the value of all these devices working together that will drive adoption of the smart home,” EVRYTHNG senior vice...

Tom's TV repair hangs on, installing outdoor antennas for streamers cutting cable

The heyday of outdoor TV antennas or rabbit ears will never return, experts say. But research firms and the National Association of Broadcasters have noticed the uptick in over-the-air TV antenna hous...

Quarter Of Millennials Are OTT-Only Broadband Households

Nearly a quarter (23%) of Millennial heads of household are OTT only households, higher than the national average of 15% among all U.S broadband households. Parks Associates analysts also note that...