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

Privacy, Civil Rights Groups Press Amazon’s Ring to End Its Local Police Partnerships

It wasn't long ago that you could walk down the street without being video recorded by someone's doorbell. Not anymore. Now, as the popularity of the home security devices surge—more than 3 million U....

Wall Street isn’t sure Roku can lead cord cutters to the promised land

One of the secrets of Roku's success has been its expansion beyond its roots as a set top box maker (a term the company tries to avoid). To do this, Roku CEO Anthony Wood built a loyal customer follow...

Internet connections to Smart TVs grow as streaming options increase

Smart TVs are becoming more of a norm now than ever before as a younger generation of Americans continues to rely more on streaming services than traditional television, according to research from Par...

Merging Strengths Helps Founders Create Success

COVID-19 restrictions have changed habits, commented Steve Nason, research director at Parks Associates in Marketplace. "Consumers are captive right now, they're in their homes," he said. That's not l...