The Evolution of Streaming

Many of the earliest streaming video services, like Netflix , Amazon Prime Instant Video, HBO Now, and PlayStation Vue, were subscription-based, with customers paying a monthly or annual fee for the rights to stream content. Viewers were largely spared the commercials characteristic of broadcast, cable, and satellite TV services. As competition increased, services invested in exclusive and original content to differentiate and expand subscriber bases.

Today, services are reconsidering the costs to acquire and produce original content and subscription stacks are leveling out.

Streaming viewers subscribe to 5.8 streaming services on average, though that number has not grown substantially since 2021.

n 2024, profitability is the focus of the streaming market. Platforms and content sellers are expanding the use of advertising to generate new revenue streams, raising prices on subscription tiers, and making tough decisions related to content acquisition and production to reach profitability.

Optimizing Decision-Making with Data

Media operations rely on data to optimize their business strategy in this quickly evolving space. Executives seek reliable data to reveal effective ways to attract and retain viewers, create new value for audiences, optimize content strategy, detect and predict churn, and better understand the viewer journey. Companies seek to better understand viewer preferences and behavioral patterns to inform content and distribution strategies for increased reach, engagement, and revenue.

However, nearly half of industry executives report that they do not have the data they need, in the way they need it, to make the best business decisions possible. The fragmentation of distribution channels and drastically varying policies on what data is shared with content sellers results in businesses making strategic decisions based on diverse – and often lacking – sources of unstandardized data. Plus, keeping up with licensing agreements and other contracts adds another layer of difficulty. Even metadata can be formatted differently across platforms, complicating proper cross-platform analysis.

This fragmentation poses challenges to understanding the viewer journey, audience engagement, and content preferences.

71% of industry executives say it is difficult to see all their streaming-related data in one place, and 47% said they do not have all the data they need to make good business decisions.

Executives pinpointed specific challenges when assessing content performance, optimizing operations for ad-supported content, and gauging viewer engagement.

This is an excerpt from Parks Associates’ custom report “Streaming Content Performance: Executive Insights” in collaboration with SymphonyAI Media .

This custom report shares findings from an extensive study, including in-depth surveys and interviews of senior executives from streaming service providers, networks, and content sellers.