5 Reasons Streaming Has Cooled

During the early 2010s streaming services began to crop up as an alternative to cable led by the former dvd mail order company Netflix. By the late 2010's new streaming services were popping up seemed like every week and the streaming wars had begun. Completely turning network and cable TV on its head as more people tuned to streaming for media consumption.

Now in 2024 while streaming is still the primary method of consuming media today. It has cooled a bit for various reasons, a lot of in my opinion is the doing of media companies. So let's take a look at 5 reasons streaming had fizzled out. 

5. Too Many Too Fast

First it was Hulu and Netflix that started the streaming paragon. Then slowly more streaming services began cropping up. Many utilizing "plus" in the name. Crackle, HBO Max, ESPN plus, Disney plus, BET plus, discovery plus. The list went on and on with everyone wanting a piece of the precious subscription dollars. Until there's just too many options and too costly for people.

4. Price Increase

Just like everything else in the world. Every damn time you turn around, another service is raising the price. Some services were raising the prices and a full calendar year had not passed since the last increase. You have 3 or 4 services the price add up and the product isn't matching the price..some services get expendable.

3.  Hidden Gems Are Frequently Removed

Warner Bros. started this trend of removing films and series that were very good, just didn't have the audience typically original films. Which contradicted most fans idea of what a streaming service by a major studio would do. I'm still tight Charm City Kings was removed, and WB caused an uproar when they cancelled an upcoming HBO Max original that was already completed. You know Batgirl, which also included a Michael Keaton cameo as Batman/Bruce Wayne.

Then there are hidden gems that you just cannot find on streaming services. Such as the 1998 Disney Channel original film Under Wraps. If  I pay a monthly subscription, I want to watch my favorite programs and if studios just have to pay the royalty fees so be it. That's the cost of doing business and spinning up a streaming service.

2. Tubi 

While Tubi likely will never reach Netflix levels in the streaming world. It's a damn good alternative, licensing content from all the major studios. Tubi is the right price of free, supported by ads (which now all paid services have, albeit along with a higher non-ad tier). Tubi has classics, modern favorites, and hidden gems. So much that Amazon delivered Freevee, and other companies are trying to establish their own ad supported streaming service.

1.  Content is Very hit or miss

As the amount of streaming services offered increased, so did the amount of content available. Many studios and Netflix went all in on original content to build out their libraries. That quickly proved to be not the brightest business decision, it soon became apparent there was a quantity over quality mindset.

Disney CEO Bob Iger even admitted to that mindset during Disney Plus launch. In addition, the pandemic and then the Hollywood writers and actors strikes put alot of content creation on hold. Which once the dust settled resulted in either rushed products of poor quality, just plain bad content, or a significant delay in some content (Stranger Things looking at you).

We live in a very in the moment society. And at that moment when your looking to trim the fat, if prices are going on and the type of content you want isn't there. Well makes it easier for some stuff to get cut. Most services original content just has not been there lately and that's played a part in the dissatisfaction around streaming.