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

Disney+ Still Lacks an Amazon Fire TV App a Week Away from Launch

But with Fire TV and Roku somewhat bilaterally controlling 70% of the U.S. OTT player market, according to a Parks Associates report released in July, omission on the latter would seem counterintuitiv...

Consumers' Dependence on Broadband Gives Comcast a Streaming Opportunity

Most Americans would likely agree that access to high-speed internet makes life much easier and more enjoyable. Technology market research firm Parks Associates has quantified the gut feeling. As of l...

The Triple-Play Bundle Is Dead, But This Surprisingly Popular Bundle Just Might Stop Cable Companies' Bleeding

Market research outfit Parks Associates offers up a glimpse of the bundle's penetration: As of the end of the first quarter of this year, 19% of U.S. broadband subscribers also enjoy wireless/mobile s...

Prediction: Ads Could Make Disney and Netflix Investors a Ton of Money

Fresh data from Parks Associates, however, suggests ad-supported streaming platforms are more palatable -- and probably going to be more profitable -- than most people might think. As it turns out, a...