The Impact of Streaming Services’ Exclusive Content on Viewers’ Frustrations
Exclusive deals that lock shows and movies into specific streaming platforms can be such a drag. I mean, seriously, having to juggle multiple subscriptions just to watch your favorite shows? That’s where we’re at nowadays. But hey, could things be worse? Probably.
A recent survey found that the average household shells out around $69 a month for four different streaming services. That’s no chump change. And let’s not forget, keeping track of all those subscriptions can feel like a full-time job. It’s like budgeting for your household has turned into a balancing act of canceling and resubscribing all the time.
Research from UCLA Anderson’s Yihao Yuan sheds some light on the whole situation. He’s worried that without these exclusive deals, the streaming landscape might end up controlled by a select few big players. And while those exclusive contracts might be driving up costs for us regular viewers, they actually benefit the smaller studios and streaming services.
Yuan dug into the data for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu over an extended period. He found that households might be forking over about $24 a year due to exclusive content. That’s like an extra fee just to watch the shows we love. But here’s the thing, it seems that smaller studios are cashing in on those exclusive deals, getting about 8% more in the long run.
Exclusivity isn’t all bad news for the little guys. It actually gives them a chance to shine in a market dominated by the big players. For smaller streaming platforms, nabbing a hit show on an exclusive contract could mean the difference between thriving and going under. Take Hulu, for example. In a world without exclusivity, their profits could more than double.
While it might be a pain to pay for multiple subscriptions to get your TV fix, it turns out that those exclusive deals are keeping the industry diverse and welcoming to new talent. So, next time you grumble about needing yet another streaming service, remember, it might just be what’s keeping the small fish in the big pond afloat.
