Distribution
Netflix
Distribution
Distribution
Window Shopping: Why Holding Back Pays Off in Streaming Distribution
Studios are no longer tied to a single strategy for releasing films. Instead, each major player is now juggling theatrical, transactional, and streaming windows with increasing precision. Below is an examination of how studios like Universal, Sony, and Paramount are embracing staggered, platform-specific Pay-One strategies.
Distribution
All Eyes on Pre-Sales: Can Cannes 2025 Spark a Market Revival?
The slowdown in packaging during the first half of the year, has led to a stronger-than-usual Cannes lineup. The market is flush with well-developed packages and finished films with genuine theatrical potential. With more robust slates from top sales agencies and buyers reportedly ready to move on high-promise titles, Cannes 2025 could outperform recent years.
Distribution
Distribution
Resurrecting Value: How Syndication is Powering a New Phase of Streaming Monetization
With subscriber growth slowing and content costs ballooning, studios and streamers alike are revisiting syndication, not as a relic of broadcast television but as a renewed source of value in an increasingly saturated market. Lending out original titles is quickly becoming a practical tool for monetization.
Streaming
Beyond Binge Watching: Ads, Sports, and Telecoms Are Steering Streaming Back to Cable’s Playbook
The U.S. streaming market is saturated, with 96% of households subscribed to services, prompting a shift from acquisition to retention strategies. Ad-supported models are gaining traction as affordability overshadows uninterrupted viewing. Live sports and telecom partnerships are key growth areas, while brand ecosystems are vital for subscriber retention in this maturing landscape.
Streaming
One Platform to Rule Them All: Aggregation Will Alter Streaming Markets in 2025
Standalone SVOD services are experiencing a shift as consumers grapple with rising costs and subscription stacking. Many are turning to video aggregators, which simplify access but risk escalating prices. The market may soon consist of fewer standalone players alongside aggregators, highlighting the necessity for service bundling to reduce churn and enhance consumer convenience.
Distribution
2024 in Review: Netflix Reigns, Roku Rises, Theaters Falter, and Trends Shaping 2025
In 2024, the media industry faced significant challenges, with domestic box office revenues falling sharply due to delays and a lack of original content. Contrarily, free ad-supported streaming platforms like Roku gained traction, indicating a shift towards cost-effective viewing. The industry grapples with evolving strategies amid ongoing mergers and the rise of library content.
Streaming
Europe’s AVOD Boom: How Ad-Tiers Will Reshape Streaming Markets in 2025
Europe’s streaming market is on the verge of transformation, propelled by the rise of ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms. Consumers increasingly favor lower-cost subscription plans featuring ads, benefiting major players like Netflix and local entities such as TF1+. However, platforms face challenges with ad relevance, viewer retention, and stringent EU regulations.
Broadcast & PayTV
Splitting the Difference: Why Warner Bros. and Comcast Are Carving Up Their Empires
Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast are restructuring to separate their declining linear TV networks from streaming divisions, signaling the end of linear television’s dominance. This strategy, framed as a means to enhance value, highlights the sector’s collapse as advertisers and viewers shift to digital platforms. Mergers or sell-offs are imminent.
Streaming
SVOD Trends in 2025: International Variability, Advertising, and Pricing Adjustments
Content and pricing strategies are shifting as platforms focus on retaining subscribers with live sports and bundled services. Sports rights, such as those for the Champions League and NFL, have driven substantial growth for Paramount+ and Peacock—Prime Video benefits from integrating most major streaming services into one platform.
Streaming
Retention Over Acquisition: How UK and US Streamers Adapt to Market Saturation
As global streaming markets mature, platforms are shifting focus from acquisition to retention amid near-saturation in regions like the U.S. Strategies include ad-supported tiers and content diversification. While platforms strive to meet changing demands, competition is intensifying, particularly in the ad-supported landscape, emphasizing the need for innovation and strategic partnerships for sustained growth.
Streaming
Super-Bundles and Churn Reduction: Disney’s Vision for Streaming Dominance
Disney’s super-bundling of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ forms a key part of its streaming strategy amidst rising subscription costs that echo traditional cable models. The $30 mega-bundle with Max aims to reduce churn and simplify streaming but raises concerns over overwhelming choices and competitive pricing, challenging Disney to attract new subscribers effectively.
Distribution
Slow-Motion Collapse: How Nostalgia, Streaming, and Short-Sightedness Undermined Hollywood’s Future
Hollywood’s golden age of innovation and artistry is fading, replaced by an industry stumbling through a self-imposed crisis. The rise of streaming, an overreliance on recycled intellectual property, and dwindling opportunities or audience support for new talent have left the film and television world on precarious ground.
Streaming
Subscriptions to Free Streaming: The Platforms and Formats Redefining Entertainment
Streaming platforms are evolving amid changing viewer preferences and competition. YouTube leads with creator-driven content, while Netflix shifts back to licensed shows to maintain its subscriber base. Growth of ad-supported services like Tubi offers budget-friendly options. The industry’s future relies on innovation, collaboration, and understanding audience needs.
Production
Production is Fleeing Los Angeles: How Poor Policies Push Producers Away
Long hailed as the beating heart of the entertainment industry, Los Angeles is losing its grip on film and TV production. Once the undisputed leader of Hollywood magic, Southern California faces a dismal reality: plummeting production levels, industry layoffs, creative drain, and a mass exodus of viable projects to rival jurisdictions.
Exhibition
From Capes to Clicks: The Fall of Superheroes and the Streaming Shakedown
The superhero genre, once its crown jewel, is fading under the weight of oversaturation and audience fatigue, devolving into a rebellion by the fandom. Yet, in this chaos lies an opportunity. As audiences reject formulaic content and mediocrity, a new wave of creativity can emerge, reshaping the film industry.
Distribution
The FAST Frontier: How Free Ad-Supported Platforms Are Transforming Streaming and Cable Television
As streaming fatigue sets in, consumers increasingly opt for FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television), with traditional cable providers feeling the pinch. Once considered fringe players, FAST platforms capture significant market share with their ad-supported, cost-free models, while SVOD giants drive premium content strategies and global expansion.