The rise of Disney Plus and HBO Max has affected Netflix in the most surprising way. One would think that the rise of quality streaming platforms such as Disney Plus and HBO Max would likely affect Netflix only if Netflix subscribers switched loyalties to move to these steamers. But that is not what the case is. Netflix has not lost its subscribers to these platforms. What it has lost is content!
Read on to find out how.
Disney owns Disney Plus and Hulu, along with owning Fox, while Warner Bros is the owner of HBO Max. Earlier, when these streamers were not around, Netflix got to licence popular content from Fox, Disney and Warner Bros for streaming on the Netflix platform. But not anymore. These content producing companies have shifted their focus away from licensing out their content to other streamers, Netflix for example, and now prefer to stream their entertainment properties on their own streamers. That is the reason why Netflix has lost the rights to numerous popular titles – Warner Bros’ Friends, Disney’s Black Panther, and so on.
Earlier, Netflix was the go to streaming platform if one wanted to watch Disney hits. But Disney has not renewed its content deal with Netflix. Instead, it has diverted all its content to its own Disney Plus, which includes content from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic.
This has resulted in Disney and Marvel content almost disappearing from Netflix’s content library. Netflix will not receive any new original content from the abovementioned content companies too. All their new content will be streamed on their own respective platforms that is Disney Plus, Hulu and HBO Max.
The after-effects of this can be seen clearly. Netflix’s US movie library has shrunk nearly 40% according to ReelGood, while its TV library is down 25%, and could be even greater.
Though Netflix produces a lot of its own content, it’s reliance on licensed content is substantial.
And that licenced content is only set to shrink further in the coming days.
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