Right now, on paper, OTT platforms are on a victory road. But content-wise, there are big question marks being raised. From excessive content to a lack of good content, OTT platforms are slowly heading toward a saturation period.
In today’s content landscape, it doesn’t matter if you are a consumer or a maker; you will feel the saturation on the platforms. People are opting for more and more OTT platforms every day. Even Netflix’s Q2 report says that the streaming giant gained over 6 million new subscribers.
Makers are producing more shows than ever, and people are subscribing to these services at a ginormous rate. So, is the ‘saturated’ claim baseless?
Let’s peek into the world of makers. The actors are tired and frustrated with a revenue-sharing model that is making their livelihoods a lot harder. This situation is also making it tougher for the writers. Among the monetary concerns, tension is also building up regarding the usage of AI in modern entertainment.
Additionally, directors, editors, and writers have always complained about strict deadlines, which generally makes the creative experience stale. Even basic psychology will tell you that it is affecting the outcome.
And as a viewer, the saturation also affects your experience. As a viewer, you expect something more than just regular shows.
Shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Money Heist, and The Sopranos have made the viewing experience worth living. Even leaving aside the quality of the shows, these series have provided us with an unmatched experience. For example, even with shows like Prison Break, which utilized a somewhat familiar concept, the creativity behind it excelled. Similarly, shows like Money Heist, while entertaining, feature a very known concept but manage to make the watching experience thrilling.
Over time, OTT has developed certain formulas for creating hit shows. This is not necessarily a bad thing from a business point of view, but it does risk leading to a plateau in the overall viewing experience sooner than we might expect.
It’s the experimental nature of OTT that made us big fans of their services, but as the platform becomes saturated with uncreative shows, useless spin-offs, and similar types of content, it is surely leaving a bad taste among the viewers. And the makers are victims of the same thing.
