With inflation squeezing commissioning budgets, streaming-TV services are battling to demonstrate value to consumers who risk churning under pressure from the cost-of-living crisis. The big spend on new shows to grow playbook is not only unsustainable, but also out-of-step with the consumer appetite for classic content. To retain subscribers sustainably in an inflationary era, streaming TV services need cost-effective engagement and can do so by bringing back catalogue to the fore. Through incorporating social tools, focusing on fandom, and embracing lean-back consumption behaviours driven by free ad-supported streaming TV channels (FAST), streaming TV can minimise churn and usher in a new era of sustainability. This means commissioning fewer new shows and sweating existing IP across audio, games, and live services.  

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Disney+, The Godfather, ITV, ITVX, Netflix, Pluto TV, Spotify, Stranger Things, TikTok, and Zoolander