Super Aggregators of TV Content

The global pandemic has had a profound impact on many sectors including the TV industry. These conditions have created a perfect storm for Broadcasters, Streamers, Pay TV operators and Content Owners. COVID-19 has been a catalyst for change, increasing the transition to digital and the rollout of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Services. 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.

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.

The importance of aggregation of TV content has now reached a tipping point for video services. 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).

In this white paper, written for MIP Trends, we examine super aggregation and the future of Pay TV and SVOD.