The market is flooded with Streaming services and portals. Also, Apple wants to get in on this now. But who will look at all this? A conversation with the media, journalists Kim Berkmeyer.
Deutsche Welle: We have to offer in the near future, several global major players, the series and movies. The offer is now huge. The obvious question is: Is there even an audience for all these shows and movies?
Kim Berkmeyer: This is a legitimate question. The market has felt flooded by Streaming services, and portals. The big players have all realized that there’s a lot of money. And that fits to the changed viewing habits of young people. The young people, the many representative surveys, estimate that you can retrieve your content at any time and location. That is to say: “I have to be at 20:15 at home, so I can see the shipment XY,” only on very, very little acceptance.
Traditional linear television, as an older Generation that was used is relatively out. Instead, it will appreciate the User that they can view your content when and where you want it to, and even on which device, on the phone, the tablet or the console.
Streaming market: Apple wants to be involved in
But not Streaming the portals themselves make something up in the tight competition?
Yes, the provider put a lot of points strongly to the fact with exclusive content. This is the direction in which it goes. This can be seen especially in the case of Netflix, which focus heavily on in-house productions. The offer licensed merchandise, but the place already strong to the fact that they produce content themselves, which can offer only you and no one else: Because of the viewers to subscribe to exactly this service – because they know they get the content just there.
What is also appreciated is that the services get along without advertising. You pay a monthly subscription price and get a service that has no ads.
So Netflix, Amazon Prime, soon to be Apple that are top dogs. What is it currently? Especially on the European and German market?
On the European market, the is actually relatively difficult. In the US, there are still “Hulu” (another in the United States popular streaming provider, A. d. R.), which are also popular. But there are actually the above-Mentioned, which dominate the market. Netflix has been really successful, after you have set the Streaming model.
Television is out, Streaming is in – at least for the younger Generation
Amazon is so large and plays such an important role in the market of Streaming services, because you give all of your Amazon-Premium-customers of the Streaming service Free of charge. Amazon is very customer-make an effort to make on your own platform because you save series “”, which will be deducted from other transmitters. And: you can secure the rights to materials such as “Lord of the rings” – for an estimated $ 500 million.
Then there are other big US Player in the starting blocks: Warner and Disney. So the market will be even bigger…
Exactly, Disney is fix. This is also officially working on its own Streaming service. The set is also very strong on their own Content. You own the rights to many great titles. You have the Star Wars movies. Since you have bought the rights a few years ago for around a billion dollars. The last Star Wars Film was created under the Label of Disney. So Disney is coming for sure. Since all of Marvel and Pixar in the future land content.
Media Journalist Kim Berkmeyer
In the case of Warner, it is not confirmed yet officially. But what you can see: Since the beginning of the year, with Amazon, no Warner Prime-films bought or borrowed. As a justification for Amazon, but merely a license for legal reasons. There is the rumor that Warner is bundling its content and our own content to offer on its own Streaming service exclusively. It is so unlikely that Warner gets into the Streaming Ring with.
Now Netflix, Amazon and Co to provide but only a specific Segment. Of course, good serials and movies are there, but All of what you describes as “Arthaus”, so we search there in vain. There are other providers, where to find the?
This is actually difficult. The public broadcasters in Germany do not have a proper Streaming service, but they have a large Streaming deal, where the meantime you can find a lot of things. Since you are ahead of the media libraries of the private channels. ARD and ZDF have recognized the very fast and optimized quickly, so that the user can retrieve the content easily and without major problems. That would be an alternative offer.
Netflix, Amazon and co. have documentation, but very strong in the Entertainment field, so series, a lot of Mystery, a lot of Science Fiction, Action. This is mainly due to the fact that you want to score with the young target group. The interest in this.
What is it with the private channel providers in Germany? TV NOW (RTL-group) is promoting the offer with the self-produced series “M – A city searches for a murderer”(Co-production with the Austrian television). What other providers are there?
At RTL I see it on a relatively good path. RTL has been focused for a year on in-house productions. The idea is there: With licensed series, all of which have ever seen to play this up and down and to make it online, just no more flower pot. Therefore, RTL focuses on its own content and can offer exclusive.
Scene from the series-Remake of the Film classic “M -eine Stadt sucht einen mörder”
In the case of Pro7 the plan is also for some time your own platform. The had advertised for a “German Champion”, also invited the RTL and ARD and ZDF, to participate in this idea and almost a great German streaming service. RTL has recently said that they want to do this alone. Because you have to look so now, what comes out of it in Pro7. The want to probably go in the summer. As a possible Partner including BBC iPlayer, Eurosport and Discovery are traded.
Let’s see in the future, do you see at all the chances for the Survival of linear TV with all the Streaming services, the now and the yet to come?
It’s hard to say. But I do believe, because of this Streaming Boom is very strong in the young people, some of which are certainly not classic television connection. And also not to have to be a certain time in a certain place to see a content.
I believe, however, that the older generations will continue to see classic television. The market is simply too important and too significant to say: TV is dead. That would be too early. The weight will shift more and more clearly in the Streaming area, but the big TV stations do still by a large margin, the biggest sales, with a classic linear television. And so I can’t imagine that the disappears completely. It will be in ten years.
Kim Berkmeyer Content Manager, News at “Chip Online” and there is among other things responsible for the media.
The interview was conducted by Jochen Kürten.