- Joined
- Feb 10, 2017
Streaming services have gotten big within the past few years, to the point where they've made traditional methods of viewing television and movies (Physical media, linear television (in most cases), DVR recording) virtually obsolete, as why use any of those when you can just watch stuff over the internet for a subscription price per month?
Below are some of the major streaming services available as of now:
Starting off as a DVD rental service in 1997 (making it the oldest of the streaming services here), their original business model has long fallen out of favor (although it's still possible to rent DVDs from their website). In it's place, their current business model lies around their streaming content, either from vendors like Sony Pictures (Columbia Pictures, Tri-Star, etc.), or their original content (like Stranger Things, Arcane, etc.). It is the biggest of the streaming services with 200+ million subscribers, though that number has dropped on a few occasions (see the Cuties controversy)
Launched in 2019, and is likely the catalyst for the streaming bubble we are seeing now. Obviously, Disney+ hosts content produced by Disney, from either their animated films, or content from their subsidiaries (Marvel, 20th Century, Lucasfilms, ABC etc.). In addition to Disney+, they also own two other streaming services, Hulu and ESPN+. Hulu was part of Disney's purchase of 21st Century Fox in 2019 (along with 20th Century, FX, et al), and now functions as a secondary source for Disney's content. ESPN+ is a sports streaming service that hosts ESPN's content, as well as content from UFC. All of these streaming services also have their own content, with Disney+ in particular seemingly being where Disney movies that otherwise wouldn't do very good in an actual movie theater are dumped.
Launched in 2020, HBO Max hosts content from WarnerMedia's library, with sources being from their movie studios (Warner Bros, DC Films, New Line Cinema, etc.) or from others (CNN, Cartoon Network, Crunchyroll, etc.). I use HBO Max to bring up two other streaming services that WarnerMedia will likely be involved with in the future. One is CNN+, which I don't get the purpose of, since CNN content is already on HBO Max, unless if CNN is that strapped for cash. The other is Discovery+, which I'm seriously unable to determine the purpose of (aren't they suppose to primarily host documentaries, and not reality shows?), but will likely be under WarnerMedia's hands soon enough, given how they are purchasing out and merging with Discovery.
Originally launched in 2014 as CBS All Access, but rebranded to Paramount+ in 2021 after the merger of CBS and Viacom, the streaming service hosts content that is owned by ViacomCBS, such as content from Paramount Pictures, CBS, BET, and what not. ViacomCBS also owns Pluto TV, a streaming service that sort of emulates that of a traditional linear television experience; it also hosts content from ViacomCBS's media library, and said content are contained within their own channels (e.g. there's a Survivor channel, Price is Right channel, etc.)
Other streaming services not listed include, but are not limited to: Amazon Prime Video (original content and licensed content), Peacock (original content and existing content from NBC and Universal etc), YouTube Premium (lol), and Apple TV+ (entirely consisting of original content, not much to say about that here)
Obviously, the streaming service bubble has gotten quite big, will it ever pop? Only time will tell.
Anyway, discuss streaming services and the content they host here, and be sure to air your grievances regarding these services as well!
Below are some of the major streaming services available as of now:
Starting off as a DVD rental service in 1997 (making it the oldest of the streaming services here), their original business model has long fallen out of favor (although it's still possible to rent DVDs from their website). In it's place, their current business model lies around their streaming content, either from vendors like Sony Pictures (Columbia Pictures, Tri-Star, etc.), or their original content (like Stranger Things, Arcane, etc.). It is the biggest of the streaming services with 200+ million subscribers, though that number has dropped on a few occasions (see the Cuties controversy)
Launched in 2019, and is likely the catalyst for the streaming bubble we are seeing now. Obviously, Disney+ hosts content produced by Disney, from either their animated films, or content from their subsidiaries (Marvel, 20th Century, Lucasfilms, ABC etc.). In addition to Disney+, they also own two other streaming services, Hulu and ESPN+. Hulu was part of Disney's purchase of 21st Century Fox in 2019 (along with 20th Century, FX, et al), and now functions as a secondary source for Disney's content. ESPN+ is a sports streaming service that hosts ESPN's content, as well as content from UFC. All of these streaming services also have their own content, with Disney+ in particular seemingly being where Disney movies that otherwise wouldn't do very good in an actual movie theater are dumped.
Launched in 2020, HBO Max hosts content from WarnerMedia's library, with sources being from their movie studios (Warner Bros, DC Films, New Line Cinema, etc.) or from others (CNN, Cartoon Network, Crunchyroll, etc.). I use HBO Max to bring up two other streaming services that WarnerMedia will likely be involved with in the future. One is CNN+, which I don't get the purpose of, since CNN content is already on HBO Max, unless if CNN is that strapped for cash. The other is Discovery+, which I'm seriously unable to determine the purpose of (aren't they suppose to primarily host documentaries, and not reality shows?), but will likely be under WarnerMedia's hands soon enough, given how they are purchasing out and merging with Discovery.
Originally launched in 2014 as CBS All Access, but rebranded to Paramount+ in 2021 after the merger of CBS and Viacom, the streaming service hosts content that is owned by ViacomCBS, such as content from Paramount Pictures, CBS, BET, and what not. ViacomCBS also owns Pluto TV, a streaming service that sort of emulates that of a traditional linear television experience; it also hosts content from ViacomCBS's media library, and said content are contained within their own channels (e.g. there's a Survivor channel, Price is Right channel, etc.)
Other streaming services not listed include, but are not limited to: Amazon Prime Video (original content and licensed content), Peacock (original content and existing content from NBC and Universal etc), YouTube Premium (lol), and Apple TV+ (entirely consisting of original content, not much to say about that here)
Obviously, the streaming service bubble has gotten quite big, will it ever pop? Only time will tell.
Anyway, discuss streaming services and the content they host here, and be sure to air your grievances regarding these services as well!
