Overwhelmed by Streaming Choices? The Number of Titles Keeps Growing
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the countless options for movies and TV shows available for streaming online? Well, you’re not alone. In fact, the number of titles on streaming services has skyrocketed in the past two years, reaching a staggering 2.35 million, according to a recent report by market researcher Nielsen. And when you include traditional broadcast and cable channels, the total number of individual viewing options climbs up to 2.7 million. These figures encompass movies and shows available in the US, Canada, the UK, Mexico, and Germany.
This significant surge is attributed to the rapid expansion of streaming providers, with Netflix and Disney being just two examples among the 167 available today. This number has increased from 118 providers just two years ago. However, this abundance of options has also led to a new problem: decision paralysis. The average time it takes for someone to find something to watch has now surpassed 10 minutes, compared to a little over seven minutes in 2019, as reported by Nielsen.
Nielsen also highlights the role played by the growth of free, ad-supported streaming services in recent years. Paramount Global’s Pluto and Fox Corp.’s Tubi are two examples of such services that have contributed to this expansion. Moreover, NBCUniversal has announced plans to launch dedicated channels for specific programs, such as Saturday Night Live and Top Chef, further adding to the diversity of streaming options.
A fascinating finding from Nielsen’s report is that in the US, 60% of all streaming time in May was spent on shows that originally aired on regular TV. This suggests that even though streaming services offer an enormous range of content, TV shows still command a significant portion of viewership.