SVoD Round up!

Subscription video on demand (SVoD) refers to services that give users unlimited access to certain content for a monthly fee. Typically, the following things characterise a SVoD platform - 

• No programming schedule, users have full control over what they watch 
• No live TV, users can pause, fast forward, rewind and stop the content as they wish 
• Content is available anytime and on-demand
• Content is frequently updated and refreshed 

SVoD is huge and it is quickly becoming the main way people engage with and consume content. As the usage of linear TV is on a steady decline, companies are finding ways to integrate SVoD into their service in order to make revenue. Revenue in this space is expected to reach US $84.431Million in 2022, worldwide.

Whilst for many people the term SVoD is pretty much synonymous with Netflix, they are not the only big player in the field. Here, we want to outline many of the key SVoD services, why they might each be popular and what IP they host. 

Being the first of its kind and really paving the way for subsequent services, why don’t we start with Netflix? Since its inception in the late 90’s Netflix has become a platform with such a wide variety of familiar network shows and it has increasingly more original content. Some of this good, and some questionable - have you seen the woman in the house across the street from the girl in the window?! In 2021, Netflix won 44 Emmys beating the total number of awards won by the next two companies combined (HBO and Disney plus). Several Netflix originals have also been nominated for Oscar awards! They are not only the host of amazing content, but are certainly becoming key content creators. 

Other key SVoD services include HBO Max, Paramount Plus, Amazon prime video, Hulu and Disney plus. We take a look at each of these below…

HBO Max, owned by WarnerMedia, launched in May 2020 and has since been the home of a wide array of popular content. From the Friends Reunion to the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That. It’s also the home of the hit TV series, The Tourist, released in 2022. The streaming service also includes TV series and documentaries from HBO, such as The Sopranos and Game of Thrones, and shows from DC and Warner Bros. 

Paramount Plus, owned by ViacomCBS, offers a growing collection of original series and films, including the Star Trek, Godfather and Indiana Jones franchises and a reboot of the popular Nickelodeon show iCarly. There are also some exclusives to the platform, such as Spongebob Squarepants and South Park specials developed specifically for it. 

Amazon prime video, like many of the platforms, is home to exclusive content and originals. One of my personal favourites being NBC’s This is Us. Amazon Kids+ is an all-in-one subscription that gives kids access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games. From ages 3-12, parents can monitor and customise what content is fed to their child - anything from Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol to Barbie and Shrek, and then Victorious and Kung Fu Panda for the pre-teens. 

Hulu, majority owned by The Walt Disney Company, while NBCUniversal currently holds a minority stake, this Hulu is home to a wealth of content. Live and on-demand content from over 75 top channels including Cartoon Network, ABC and CBS. One of the more recent additions to Hulu, and something I’m thoroughly enjoying, is Pam and Tommy - although you can also find this on Disney plus!

With Disney plus, you get new releases, classics, series, and Originals from the creators at Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Nat Geo - there really is something for everyone. Disneyplus is interesting because the brand is so synonymous with kids, that you’d expect everything on the platform to be kids-focused, but it has such a wealth of content for adults too! Some of the shows exclusive to Disney plus include things from Raya and the last dragon and Luca to Grey’s Anatomy and The Walking Dead. 

There are now so many great SVoD platforms - way more than is summarised in this blog! With all the great IP they host, it’s hard to choose which ones to subscribe to! I think if I had to pick, Netflix might still be the one that gets my vote - I’m a sucker for choice!