We all know how the great streaming reset started. Now the question of the moment as we leave Q1 behind is, how is it going?
This is also the central question looming over the latest edition of Variety Intelligence Platform’s trademark special report “Dare to Stream,” a deep data dive into the state of the SVOD market and the key issues and challenges facing the subscription streaming space in its new, cost-conscious phase.
As this report illuminates, Hollywood’s era of “efficiency” is well underway just over a year after Netflix’s historic subscriber loss and stock correction reshaped the direct-to-consumer business seemingly overnight.
Every major streaming player has laid off employees; runaway content spending is being reined in; and diverse revenue streams including advertising, content licensing and theatrical exhibition have moved back into vogue.
As the legacy media studios seek to trim costs and satisfy shareholders’ demands for revenue growth and profitability, it seems that every strategy is indeed on the table. In this report you’ll find detailed analysis of those strategies, as well as how the fallout is manifesting so far.
There may well be more pain ahead: Streaming costs continued to rise year-over-year in Q1, and it’s unclear whether the industrywide goal of turning a profit in 2024 is a viable one. Still, the road ahead is treacherous, and it’s truly becoming do-or-die time for the smaller players, as the casualties of the streaming wars pile up.
With the streaming business at a pivotal point, this VIP+ report is your guide to the critical metrics and trends underlying this perpetually shifting sector.
