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The streaming industry is in an awkward, crowded spot. Consolidation might help.

Feb 28, 2024
An abundance of options and services means some streamers struggle to turn a profit.
“The equilibrium can’t be 10 different streaming services where I can’t remember which one has 'Big Bang Theory,'" said Michael Smith at Carnegie Mellon.
Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

When it comes to live sports, consumers show streaming services the money

Jan 23, 2024
Sports content "drives eyeballs," and advertisers know it.
Jalen Ramsey of the Miami Dolphins, right, and the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce (aka Taylor Swift's boyfriend) tussle at an AFC Wild Card game. About 23 million people watched on Peacock — the biggest exclusively live streamed event ever.
David Eulitt/Getty Images

Will streaming services continue to raise rates, insert ads and crack down on passwords next year?

Dec 27, 2023
Customers are feeling the squeeze because the market is saturated and cheap subscriptions no longer work to lure new viewers.
Amazon Prime Video is telling customers that advertisements are coming to the platform. Prices have risen in the industry and customer churn is high.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Netflix crackdown on password sharing pays off

Jul 20, 2023
The company added nearly 6 million paid subscribers last quarter, almost three times what Wall Street expected.
Netflix's successful crackdown on password sharing may be adopted by other streaming services.
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Netflix's crackdown on password sharing seems to be working

Jun 9, 2023
Signups spiked after the streaming service limited account sharing. It was a bigger bump than during the start of COVID, one expert says.
Netflix was more than able to offset cancellation losses following its password-sharing crackdown by racking up 100,000 signups per day in the last week of May.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Netflix's "live" broadcast failed. Or did it?

Apr 18, 2023
The delayed "Love Is Blind" reunion upset viewers, but the buzz confirmed live events will draw a streaming audience, even if they aren't live.
Live content is the next frontier, says Adam Deutsch of Deloitte. "They are a forcing function to get audiences to gather in one specific moment."
Araya Doheny/Getty Images

Why streaming networks love a good background show

Apr 11, 2023
The ambient streaming library is meant to keep you from unsubscribing when the prestige dramas end, says Charles Schreger of NYU.
Ambient streaming: TV shows you tune out, but somehow make our caveman brains feel connected to others.
Mauricio Graiki/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Streaming giants target European market for growth and expansion

Mar 28, 2023
With growth tapering in the U.S., American streaming giants are tapping into growing European markets in countries like France.
The growth of European regional content on streaming platforms like Netflix is helping companies break into those markets.
Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

Does the autoplay feature on streaming services cost you money?

Feb 24, 2023
The consumer isn’t likely to see higher costs, but telecom companies say that Big Tech should pay its fair share.
Beware the spoiler: autoplay on streaming platforms. The autoplay feature on streaming services can lead to panic.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

What does the future of the streaming economy look like?

Jan 24, 2023
"This battle that the big streamers are undertaking ... it could turn into a bloody battle, and there could be victims of it," said NYU professor Luis Cabral.
"If you look at Netflix, I mean, they spent billions of dollars, they've created a lot of good content. But it's an iffy proposition. What if it doesn't pan out?" said NYU professor Luis Cabral.
Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images