Super Aggregators in the TV industry

The global pandemic has had a profound impact on many sectors including the TV industry, and the issue of aggregation of TV content has now reached a tipping point for video services.

These conditions have created a perfect storm for Broadcasters, Streamers, Pay TV operators and Content Owners. With COVID-19 acting as a catalyst for change, the transition to digital and the rollout of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Services has accelerated. 98% of respondents from our 2021 Trends Survey agreed that the pandemic has accelerated broadcasters’ plans for digital migration. As a result, more online services will launch, adding to a growing list of D2C TV services such as Discovery+, Paramount+ and HBO Max, and local services that are related to local broadcasters and standalone. This creates more choice for content, in an increasingly complex world where there is already an abundance of choice available for consumers. These market conditions are perfect for aggregators to help consumers navigate and make sense of this world.

Fragmented market for TV content

The TV market is increasingly fragmented for content and the services offering that content. Services are struggling to be seen and heard – adding to challenges around customer retention and potentially increasing subscriber acquisition costs.

New aggregators are battling to help consumers navigate the extensive amount of content online, by bringing content and channels into one interface. There are different types, disruptors (e.g Amazon, Apple and Google) and others who are more established (e.g Pay TV operators and Smart TV manufacturers).

There is a clear need for aggregation that offers universal content access, effective search and recommendations functionality and a single point of billing. Additionally, there are also bundling opportunities to provide value for the consumer.

Within the SVOD market alone, the options available to consumers are growing fast – the number of SVOD subscribers estimated per SVOD home is increasing to 1.74 on average globally. Consumers will need assistance in finding and keeping up with the content that is available.

To discover more about the strategic issues of TV content aggregation and the future of Pay TV and SVOD, download our exclusive white paper for MIP Trends.