HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA — As Hollywood moviemakers desperately work a Change.org campaign to try to convince WarnerMedia from shuttering movie-buff-targeted SVOD site FilmStruck, the dam supporting many other niche-oriented subscription streaming platforms might be ready to break.
Indeed, Parks Associates recently tallied the known universe of subscription streaming services at more than 200. And Fox Networks senior vice president of distribution Sherry Brennan said that “only a handful of platforms can support themselves in the niche OTT world.”
A small number of subscription-based over-the-top services have more than 100,000 subscribers at this point, added Brennan, speaking on a morning panel at the Streaming Media West conference, a video-tech-focused event held annually in November at a beachside Orange County, Calif. Hyatt.
Brennan said the subscription streaming platforms in general are seeing increased churn, with consumers becoming more savvy in how to exploit the rampant number of available free trials.
“That only adds to the cost” of these platforms, she said.
Notably, Brennan made her comments alongside Michael Dale, executive VP of media and entertainment for WarnerMedia-owned Ellation Media.
WarnerMedia made news last month, when it announced that it would shutter not only FilmStruck, but Korean drama SVOD platform Drama Fever, as well.
Conversely, WarnerMedia is pouring resources into Silicon Valley-based Ellation, which operates the anime focused streaming platforms Crunchyroll and VRV.
