Why are soap fans so averse to online streaming?

[Khan]

Streamers' budgets are maxed as it is.  Subscribe to any more of these services and you might as well go back to cable.

 

Meanwhile, how many of these services are out there now, including the ones that have been announced but have yet to launch?

 

On my list, there's Netflix, Hulu, Sling, Philo, BET Plus, Amazon Prime, Disney+, AppleTV, HBO Now AND HBO Max, AT&T TV Now, NBC Universal's one, Warner Archive (which, I guess, will be merged with HBO Max?), Criterion Collection and YouTube TV.  What am I missing/overlooking?

Edited September 13, 2019 by Khan

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Crackle is free and ad-supported, by the way. It is sort of on the tier of ad-supported streamers like Tubi and Pluto. 

[dragonflies]

Direct TV Now is now AT&T TV. but yeah there's A LOT. It's becoming over saturated

[Khan]

 

Oh, I didn't know that!  I thought they were two separate services!  Thanks, @dragonflies!

 

 

Really?  It's still free?  Shows you how often I watch these damn things, doesn't it, lol?

Edited September 13, 2019 by Khan

[DramatistDreamer]

I posted this article in the Media/Journalism thread but I decided to post here too because 1.) I really think it's a fascinating article and 2.) I think this is something that web based soaps and even soaps that would think about reboots or revivals should think about as a possibility, especially as it really seems like a high-tech digital twist on an aspect of the early days of television soaps-- the product placement.

 

Could you imagine if the PP/TOLN soaps would have been able to do this?  Procter & Gamble could easily do this if they were able to get their collective heads out of their as$es and to a reboot of As The World Turns and/or Guiding Light.

 

You See Pepsi, I See Coke: New Tricks for Product Placement

[te.]

 

I think it's interesting that you compare it to the early days of television, because it kind of is in the way that they're still trying to figure things out. Where I live I noticed that there's a live streaming show that starts around 4pm and goes on until 7pm that's being targeted towards commuters who are watching stuff on their phones, so the format is adjusted to that. I imagine that if there are future daily streaming soaps they'll be targeted to such a crowd - people who'll end up watching something on their phone on their way to work, on their lunch break etc.

[Chris B]

I'm not sure if it was mentioned here, but starting in January The Doctors is going to be available on a streaming site. It looks like everything that aired on RetroTV will be there so 1968 through the end of the series. Also, they recently got the rights to the black and white episodes and said those will be exclusive to the streaming service. I'm excited because it's been hard keeping up with the show previously and I will take nay soap on streaming. Also curious for the 60s episodes. I wonder just how far back the black and white episodes go.

[sheilaforever]

WOW - this is really cool. Hopefully it is the beginning of a trend. I think the AOL video service with P&G was much too early in the streaming days. With content getting rare (due to everyone opening his own service) maybe some classic soaps/episodes will make it to the streaming heyday after all!?

[YRBB]

 

Whoa! Thrilling news!

[DramatistDreamer]

 

That's really fascinating, it seems like a really good idea and I can imagine other production companies being interested in this.

 

The idea of advertisements being tailored can sound somewhat invasive but years ago, early Hulu used to do interactive commercials, and I imagine individually curated ads will be the next step.

 

I mention this because although Disney's streaming service has been an unmitigated success, the jury is still out on Apple+ and there will come a time very soon where the amount of people willing to subscribe to paid streaming services will reach a saturation point and ad-sponsored streaming will be seen as an attractive option, especially for shows that are not first-time run shows. 

Also, right now, ads geared toward streaming command less revenue than those aired on broadcast television (thus, it's cheaper to run an ad via online streaming than broadcast therefore the profits from it are less) but as viewing habits continue to change and ratings decline for broadcast and streaming numbers ascend, I expect that the costs of running an ad online will climb and eventually reach parity with those aired on broadcast television, increasing the value of running ads via streaming.

[KMan101]

 

I'm excited for this and hope it sets a new trend. I mean, DAYS is like #1-#5 most popular on NBC's streaming site, the audience is there. AMC and OLTL were often top on Hulu in 2013. They were just all a bit too before it's time. I had always hoped GL would have been the first to move online but alas ...

 

I do agree the P&G/AOL streaming thing was just too early and "before it's time" so to speak. It's a shame.

[DramatistDreamer]

By the way, IMDB streaming seems to have taken off, with new titles being added every few weeks.  And because it's owned by Amazon, you best believe Amazon places ads for their various products and services before and during running times for these shows.

Like I said, if P&G had any sense...

[Soapsuds]

I have ESPN + which is 4.99 a month. I'd be willing to pay the same amount for classic atwt and gl episodes.

[titan1978]

I also would pay between 5 and 10 a month for one of these services.  Especially if it covered GH or GL.

Edited December 24, 2019 by titan1978

[Soapsuds]

I'm paying 10 a month for SiriusXM ...and love it. It's worth it.