The big streamers have been cutting their original content output
Where did all the new shows go?
Seasons change
If you’ve been mindlessly scrolling through streaming services and have been feeling even less enthused than usual, you may not be entirely to blame: almost all major US streamers have been cutting their original TV output this year, according to new analysis from Variety.
From content monolith Netflix, which released 203 original shows in the first half of 2023 compared with 174 in H1 ‘24, to Disney+, which has halved its already-slim original TV library as it continues an apparent shift to quality over quantity, shrinkage has hit the streaming world hard. Indeed, of the 8 major streamers Variety studied from Luminate data, only Max and Peacock maintained their output level year over year.
All told, the number of original seasons fell 19% at the 8 streamers tracked.
For a while, it seemed we might float forever on an endless stream of new series, as companies competed to supply viewers who’d become accustomed to basking in the Golden Age of Television. However, the financial reality of producing content in an increasingly-competitive arena where margins are tight and churn rates are growing is becoming apparent.
It’ll be interesting to see how streamers’ original show libraries stack up in the latter half of this year compared to H2 2023, when original production tallies at some major players began to reflect the effects of the extended Hollywood strikes.
