The streaming wars are heating up with more and more competition entering the chat, even though most streaming services still fail to turn a profit. The streaming audience, at least, can’t get enough content. The majority of streamers have at least three subscriptions, according to tracking data from CivicScience. Here are the top streaming platforms fighting for your downtime in this week’s Five For Friday.
#5: Hulu
Hulu is one of the old guards in streaming, created in the olden times of 2007. It was initially launched as a joint venture between NBC and Fox to stream their programming online. At the time, skeptics dubbed it Clown Co. Who’s laughing now? Disney is the current majority stakeholder in the service and it has built up 48 million subscribers. Hulu has acclaimed originals like “The Handmaid’s Tale.” It’s also paving the way for a new cable age with Hulu + LiveTV, which is a big step for those looking to cut the cord and still maintain access to live sports.
#4: Max
Warner Bros. Discovery made moves in the streaming space this week by combining HBO Max with Discovery+. The two platforms have a combined 96 million subscribers. Starting in May, the final season of “Succession” can sit in your list right next to “Dr. Pimple Popper.” The new service is simply called Max. It’s been hard for anyone to squeeze out a profit in the streaming game, but Warner Bros. Discovery thinks this family combo could help them break even sometime next year.
#3: Disney+
Disney+ has been around for less than four years but has amassed more than 160 million subscribers, though it sheds a few million subscribers at the start of the year. Originals in the Star Wars and Marvel universes helped make it a major player. Disney+ also shook things up by releasing blockbusters like “Black Widow” straight to streaming, which resulted in a lawsuit. The platform is wading into live content with “Dancing with the Stars” and animated ESPN hockey in an effort to get kids interested in the sport – shaping them into future ESPN viewers, which Disney also owns.
#2: Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video may have the most subscribers of any streaming platform, according to at least one firm. But the company’s latest tally in 2021 showed it has 200 million users, which puts it squarely in second place. That said, its service is bundled with Prime 2-day shipping, so there’s always an asterisk next to its name in the streaming wars. Prime Video has original content like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and has the most movies of any service. The only problem is analytics firm Reelgood say less than 6% of those films are actually good.
#1: Netflix
Netflix is still the king of streaming. It may have started business by mailing DVDs, but the world’s biggest streamer has 230 million subscribers. Netflix made headlines when it lost customers last year but growth is coming back. There’s no shortage of content on the platform with hits like “Stranger Things” and comedy specials. They’ve also made multi-movie deals with superstars Adam Sandler and Ryan Reynolds. Netflix is the only profitable player in the game but with more competition, it’s taking a page out of its competitors’ books by offering a lower-tier subscription for those willing to deal with ads.
