Two days after Disney announced an increased focus on Disney+, one media research firm is sounding the alarm. Christopher Zara of Fast Company reported on disturbing trends identified by analysts at MoffettNathanson. Perhaps the biggest challenge facing Disney+ and other streaming services is the lack of new content. The COVID-19 pandemic shuttered many studios for months.
Analysts at MoffettNathanson cited numerous bleak metrics. To begin with, the firm found that Disney+ daily viewers dropped to 26%, the second consecutive downward quarter. According to the report, 43% of Netflix users indicated that they are daily viewers.
In August, Disney+ boasted over 60 million subscribers. Hamilton provided a summer bump for the service. In the months since the musical’s premiere, new content has slowed. With the premiere of WandaVision and the second season of The Mandalorian on the way, viewership trends may begin to rebound.
Zara also points out that many Disney+ subscribers joined at no cost. Mobile providers such as Verizon offered free Disney+ subscriptions with device purchases. MoffettNathanson estimates that 18% of Disney+ subscribers come from the Verizon promotion. Worse, less than half of those promotional subscribers plan to renew.
To be fair, other streaming services like Apple TV+ and HBO Max are in the same metaphorical boat.
Will Disney’s pivot to Disney+ pay off, or are these trends a sign of troublesome times to come as the streaming service enters its sophomore year?
Use the comment feature to tell us what you think about the future of Disney streaming content.
We love it and use it every day. But we have young kids and they watch all the Disney movies or Disney Junior shows. We like NST Geo, but disappointed that all the marvel shows that were supposed to be released panned out. Looking forward to the Mandalorian. We also really enjoyed the Imagineering Story. I would love to watch an NBA bubble documentary, and an Imagineering documentary about COVID, hopefully including happier times in the future as well. We also cancelled Netflix once we got Disney+. Just works better for our family.
We’d use it more if they’d fix their app, but they seem uninterested in the problem. We can stream Prime, Netflix, and Hulu on the TV, but we can only use Disney+ if we stream it on our phones and mirror it to our TV instead, which is horribly pixelated and buffers after 1 show. I’m still waiting for “a call back in 10 business days from a technician” about it from January. We’d be cancelling our subscription after the Mandalorian comes out if my sister didn’t use it so much for her kids.
I paid for a 1 year Disney+ subscription up front, but I am not renewing. There is really nothing there for adults. If you have children, it’s probably great, but there is nothing there for an empty nester like me.
I’m a single adult with no kids and I find plenty to watch…unless you think “The Right Stuff,” “The Mandalorian” and National Geographic documentaries are only for children.
Why would anyone want to rent the same movies and tv shows forever when they could simply buy a physical copy once? The amount of $$$ people are giving these streaming services plus their monthly internet service bill truly mystifies me.
Okay then, show me where I can make a purchase of a physical copy of The Mandalorian or Hamilton. I’ll wait. *eye roll*
by myself, I would’ve cancelled due to lack of new content. I cant watch Marvel and Star Wars any more. Only my son and 10 year old grandson (we own a house together) have asked to keep it. I have yet to catch either watching. HOWEVER, do love the new Right Stuff but thats the only reason I’ve logged in for months