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

Sling Becomes 6th Most Subscribed Internet Video Service As The Entire Industry Sees Growth

Parks Associates, a market researcher that surveys consumers on online TV-viewing habits, said that cord cutters and shavers (those downgrading from traditional pay TV service) are still the key custo...

Denver’s Newest Cable TV Service Plans Mid-January Launch

“The $120 per month core package might cause some sticker shock among consumers. Compounding it, the fact that the consumer then also must pay a traditional operator for a robust broadband connection...

Internet TV Subscribers Growing But Average Household Spends Just $7.95 A Month

Parks breaks the numbers down like this: 63 percent of U.S. broadband households subscribe to an “over-the-top” video service like Netflix. Of those, nearly half subscribe to two or more services....

DirecTV Now Goes 'Gangbusters,' And AT&T Stops The Bleeding

Before news broke Friday that AT&T has stopped bleeding TV customers, Parks Associates analyst Brett Sappington tried to put a finger on what sort of subscriber numbers for the company’s new streaming...