August 2022

YouTube Continues Climbing the Streaming Live TV Charts

By Jaclyn Jermyn

While cable providers continue to hold fast to subscribers looking for live linear TV, new numbers show just how much streaming providers have carved out the market and why they keep betting big on cord-cutting customers. Streaming-focused providers now account for a combined 12.4 million subscribers, with Youtube TV and Hulu + Live TV taking the lead (each has 5 million and 4.1 million subscribers, respectively). Sling TV and Fubo TV are also included in the group. 

YouTube TV's 5 million subscribers might seem small in comparison to something like Comcast's 17.6 million current customers, but you should keep in mind that traditional cable providers continue to lose subscribers while streaming providers represent most of the substantial growth in this area.

YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have only reported gains in the past few years—YouTube has even added 2 million subscribers since 2020 alone. Major cable and satellite companies have lost 1.95 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2022. The numbers don't lie, and with the added bonus of YouTube's live TV subscription being cheaper than Hulu's (those price tags come in at $64.99/month and $69.99/month, respectively), it's likely that YouTube TV will only continue to dazzle would-be customers looking to finally say goodbye to their cable companies. If you're looking to finally cut the cord on cable, get in touch with us at MarshmallowStreaming.com.

Netflix partners with Microsoft

Netflix’s desire to develop and launch an ad-supported subscription level has been one of the worst kept secrets in the industry. While there have been no details on how much this subscription level will cost (the current base subscription is $10/month), the company has revealed that it has partnered with Microsoft to design and roll out the platform for advertisers looking to engage with relevant Netflix audiences. 

Microsoft is a natural choice—other top ad services include Google and Amazon, two of Netflix’s primary competitors—but data harvesting for the sake of personalized ads is a touchy, hot button issue these days, regardless of which company is engaging in it. 

As Netflix revealed the loss of 1 million customers this spring, the company is actually breathing a sigh of relief. The losses were expected to be nearly double that figure. In addition, Stranger Things broke Nielsen streaming records, claiming 7.2 billion minutes of streaming time at the end of May—the highest weekly ranking in the two years that Nielsen has been calculating these specific rankings. That weekly tally fell right when the highly-anticipated start of season four began. With this news, Netflix stock prices went up and the company is forging ahead on plans, including the ad-supported tier, that might get former subscribers to return to the platform.

What to Watch: Emmy Award Nominees

This year’s Emmy Award nominations dropped last month with streaming platforms making plenty of noise. HBO is leading the way with 140 nominations (including 32 specifically for HBO Max original programming) and Netflix claimed 105 nominations. No matter who takes home awards, here are a few titles we think you shouldn’t miss. There’s still plenty of time to catch up before the Emmys take place on September 12.

Ozark -  Netflix, Nominated for Best Series

Over the course of four seasons, this Netflix original has gotten 32 Emmy nominations in total. Jason Bateman plays Marty Byrde, a Chicago financial advisor who gets involved with a Mexican drug cartel’s money laundering scheme. When it goes awry, he decides to move his family to rural Missouri to set up a new scheme and try to make amends. Along with his wife Wendy, played by Laura Linney, Marty quickly gets entangled with the local criminal dynasties.

The Problem With John Stewart - Apple TV+, Nominated for Best Nonfiction Series or Special

This current affairs show marks Jon Stewart’s return to the serialized television format since leaving The Daily Show in 2015. Each episode covers a hot-button issue that also aligns with Stewart’s personal causes, like the health challenges of American veterans and media coverage of the climate change crisis. Looking for even more in depth coverage? There’s a companion podcast that digs into the process of putting each episode together.

Only Murders in the Building - Hulu, Nominated for Best Comedy Series

True crime fans will feel a connection with the main characters of this hilarious mystery series. Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez play true crime podcast super-fans all living in the same high-brow New York City apartment building. When one of their neighbors dies mysteriously, the unlikely team bands together and begins their own investigation. As they search for clues, their own secrets start to seep out.

The White Lotus - HBO, Nominated for Best Limited Series

If you’re a fan of dark comedies, be sure to check out this satirical limited series that follows a group of travelers and employees at an exclusive Hawaiian resort over the course of a week. The all-star cast features well-known names, like Molly Shannon, Jennifer Coolidge and Steve Zahn, as well as newcomers like Sydney Sweeney (who is also featured in HBO’s Euphoria). Come for the stunning Hawaiian scenery and stay for the on-the-edge-of-your-seat tension.

Hoping to watch the September 12 awards ceremony? The Emmy Awards will be streamed live on Peacock or broadcast live wherever you view your local NBC channels. 

Roku adds free NBC channels

Speaking of local NBC channels, Roku has launched a new partnership with NBC Universal. The deal brings local NBC news channels to Roku users in select markets, including the Chicagoland area. The additions will be rolled out in coming months, but will include local news, weather, and more live coverage. These channels will be available via the Roku channel and are in addition to the ad-supported NBC News Now streaming app. 

This is just the latest effort for a top streaming device company to try to be a one-stop-shop for cord cutting customers. The general consensus is that currently, people tend to hang onto their cable contracts for two major reasons: watching live news and watching live sports. The more options available, the less likely it is that will remain true long term.

A Final Word

Are you one of those cable customers only holding onto your contact for the sake of live sports? The dominos continue to fall as new and better ways of streaming sports and related content are released. Late last month, NFL+ was launched, giving football fans easy access to their must-watch games on the go.

A subscription lets you watch out-of-market preseason games, local and primetime regular season games, live game audio, and even the big games like playoffs, Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl. A standard subscription costs $4.99/month or $29.99/year, and a premium subscription is $9.99/month or $79.99/year, all with a free 7-day trial.

While NFL+ is currently only widely available for smartphones and tablets (because of network TV contracts), it's only a matter of time before the same options are launched for smart TVs and streaming devices. It's crystal clear that this is the way the industry is heading and we will be sure to share any updates as they are made public.

Marshmallow Partners