Content Overload: Streaming Libraries Balloon 39% In Two Years

Binge-watching TV shows, movies, and documentaries on streaming platforms is like a drug… 

So, what do drug dealers streaming companies do when customers demand more? 

Give the customer what they want: A 39% increase in TV shows, movies, and documentaries on streaming platforms in two years, according to Bloomberg, citing a new report from market researcher Nielsen. 

Nielsen said the number of titles on streaming services surged to 2.35 million. The figure increases to 2.7 million when traditional broadcast and cable channel viewing operations are factored in. This content is only available across the Western world, primarily in the US, Canada, the UK, Mexico, and Germany. 

“Netflix and Disney+ are among 167 streaming providers, up from 118 two years ago. The average time it takes someone to find something to watch has risen to more than 10 minutes from a little over seven minutes in 2019,” Nielsen said.

Streaming companies played the long game, pumping out an enormous amount of TV shows, movies, and documentaries over the years for a small monthly fee — a move to get viewers hooked on their content. Dive deep into the bio-chemistry. Turns out, TV addiction isn’t just psychological; it’s biological. Your brain pumps out dopamine while you binge-watch, making the experience pleasurable and rewarding. 

But as any drug dealer would do… They eventually raise prices, and as we found out last week, ‘streamflation’ has led to a surge in customers wanting to cancel their Hulu And Disney+ accounts. It might be hard for some to cold turkey the ‘streaming drug.’