Q1 2020 Proves Streaming Is Essential To Consumers And To The Future O…

2020 1Q는 스트리밍 서비스가 고객과 제작사 모두에게 필수적인 것을 증명했다.

넥플릭스는 1Q에 올해 목표치의 80%를 달성했고, 디즈니는 출시 5개월 만에 5천만 가입자를 달성(넷플릭스는 7년 동안 달성), FOX, NBC 역시 새로운 스트리밍 서비스를 출시

사용자와 PP는 스트리밍 서비스가 필수적인 요소로 생각

이용자는 여러개의 OTT 서비스를 구독하는것을 당연하게 받아 들임

코트컷팅은 더욱 가속화 되고, 북미의 디지털 안테나 판매량은 증가. (OTA + OTT 서비스 증가)

OTT 서비스 경쟁은 더욱 가속화 될것임. 

• Netflix topped its global net new subscriber goal by 80%.
• Disney+, launched on November 12, 2019, topped 50 million subscribers about five months after the launch. Netflix took seven years to reach this number, while Hulu still falls far short of it.
• Fox, having divested its stake in Hulu when Disney bought its 21st Century Fox unit, turned around and bought ad-supported streaming service Tubi.
• NBCUniversal, on the verge of launching its Peacock streaming service, doubled down on streaming by buying Vudu from Walmart.

These events — and the fact that they all occurred in a single quarter — indicate that streaming video has hit the inflection point between streaming as an early-adopter/fast-follower behavior or niche add-on to traditional TV and streaming as a mainstream element of the media industry. In this world:

• Consumers view video entertainment as an essential service. Facing stay-at-home orders with an uncertain end date, people flocked to Netflix as one of the essentials they couldn’t live without, along with, yes, toilet paper.
• Media companies view streaming as essential to their future. ViacomCBS kicked this phase off with the acquisition of Pluto TV. Fox clearly believes streaming is essential to the future, spending $440 million for Tubi to plug the gap left by its loss of Hulu. Meanwhile, NBCU is beefing up its streaming portfolio in what looks like a rollup of movie-centric streaming by adding Vudu alongside its Fandango property.
• Consumers embrace multiple streaming services. Netflix achieved impressive net new subscriber growth in the face of the blowout Disney+ launch. But even before the pandemic hit, Netflix stated that its net new subscribers were on track to hit its forecast. Chalk the Disney+ success to the power of its brand as well as its immensely powerful franchises. Consumers clearly understand the different value propositions of these two services and are willing to pay for both.

• Cord cutting accelerates. So far, true cord cutting (i.e., completely canceling cable, satellite, or fiber TV delivery) has been a story of a slow, steady trickle. But now, if consumers are faced with the necessity to cut expenses, will they cut their Netflix subscription or their cable TV? With the breadth of streaming services available — both free and via subscription — consumers will look to build their own smorgasbords of content to suit their appetite, funding this from their current TV costs.
• Digital antenna sales will spike. Sports is still the one content genre not fully available on streaming, but a growing number of consumers are learning that a digital antenna connects them to the sports on their local over-the-air (OTA) stations. Sling already actively promotes the combination of OTA and streaming TV.
• The streaming wars will come to the market. So far, the idea of a streaming war has been in the minds of the industry, the media, and, yes, analysts. But the Q1 Disney/Netflix results show that consumers don’t see it as a zero-sum game — at least not yet. The launch of HBO Max will further test the amount of streaming services that consumers will pay for, while Peacock, Tubi, and Pluto TV, all backed by the major networks, will vie for their share of viewing time, as well. Look for pricing wars and promotions to break out as each player fights for share in this critical mainstreaming phase of adoption.