No matter what anyone says, it is almost always a dictator’s world. Well not to get all political or anything, but this is with respect to the monopoly that giant streaming platforms have declared over the OTT streaming space.
Platforms like Prime Video and Netflix, are not only established names worldwide, but also undeniably through the country. More than that, their streaming libraries feature a long selection of titles both region specific and not. While this diversity and representation is appreciable, it is also not the best thing.
What this means for smaller region-specific OTT platforms is that the content they should ideally get their hands on, is poached by these giants first. Take for example, the 2024 Tamil-language action drama title ‘Boat’. Considering the amount of widespread appreciation it is garnering online, the feature could have been a potential gem for a platform like Aha.
However, what eventually ended up happening? The title was acquired by Prime Video and will start streaming from October 1! ‘Boat’ could have aided a smaller platform by boosting its viewing statistics as well as site traffic, especially considering that Prime Video’s traffic wouldn’t have been affected all that much with its release.
Which is to say, the only means for smaller platforms to sustain themselves and establish their monopoly, at least region-specifically, is to act fast and acquire films that are generating the right amount of online buzz!