
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>As streaming services continue to battle for the attention—and wallets—of viewers, subscriber numbers have changed over the last few months, with Netflix on a decline for the first time in a decade as Disney+ continues to grow and HBO Max and Discovery+ prepare to merge.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netflix remains the leader of the pack, with 220.67 million global subscribers as of June according to earnings reports, but as competition with newer platforms becomes tighter, it&#8217;s also one of the only streaming services to lose paid subscribers, falling by almost 1 million subscribers since March and nearly 1.2 million since December.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Disney’s bundle of streaming services—including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+—rose from 196.4 million subscribers in January to 205.6 million in April, the company reported, making it a real competitor to Netflix, but Disney+ pulls most of the weight, with 137.7 million subscribers in April (up 7.9 million from January) compared to Hulu&#8217;s 45.6 million (up roughly 300,000 in three months).</p>



<p>HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+—all of which have been owned by Warner Bros. Discovery since April—counted a combined 92.1 million subscribers in June, up just 1.7 million from March, the company says (it’s unclear how plans to merge the streaming services together into one platform will affect subscriber numbers).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Paramount+, owned by CBS’ owner Paramount Global, reported just 43 million subscribers in June—but the streamer has gained over 10 million since December.</p>



<p>Peacock, NBCUniversal parent Comcast’s streaming network, had 13 million paid subscribers as of last month, roughly the same amount that Comcast reported in April, and 27 million active monthly accounts—unlike some of the other streaming platforms, it offers a free version of its service with select programs and movies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND&nbsp;</h2>



<p>2022 has been a tumultuous year for streaming services, as media companies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2020/10/12/disney-reorganizes-to-prioritize-streaming/?sh=59da0776ab09">increasingly</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dbloom/2022/02/16/rebranded-paramount-global-focuses-on-streaming-future-with-huge-array-of-announcements/?sh=2feb09b2203e">prioritize</a>&nbsp;streaming platforms instead of traditional television. Warner Bros. Discovery, which was formed after Discovery and AT&amp;T’s former subsidiary WarnerMedia merged in April, announced plans last week to integrate HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single service next summer. The company also shut down news streaming service CNN+ just one month after it launched, amid a push to control costs and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/business/media/cnn-plus-discovery-warner.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">belief</a>&nbsp;that niche streaming platforms tend to fare worse than more all-encompassing services. More changes are to come: After Netflix suffered its first subscriber losses in over a decade earlier this year, the company said it would launch a cheaper ad-supported tier and cut down on password sharing, which it blamed for some of the deficit. The company shut down service in Russia after the country invaded Ukraine, resulting in a loss of 700,000 subscribers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/06/streaming-viewers-feel-overwhelmed-by-options-nielsen-survey-suggests/?sh=7676f543705f">survey from Nielsen</a>&nbsp;released earlier this year found that there are more titles than ever available to stream, and the time Americans spend watching streaming content each week is on the rise. Still, 64% of respondents said they wish there was a streaming service bundle, and 46% said it’s hard to find the programs they want to watch because there are too many streaming services.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/hbo-max-and-discovery-will-combine-into-one-streaming-service/?sh=5747ddd71931">HBO Max And Discovery+ Will Combine Into One Streaming Service</a>(Forbes)&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/04/discovery-and-hbo-max-swap-content-as-warner-bros-discovery-reportedly-plans-to-restructure/?sh=62747fb2313e">Discovery+ And HBO Max Swap Content As Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Plans To Restructure</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/21/cnn-will-reportedly-shut-down-after-only-one-month-of-service/?sh=721b85b865bb">CNN+ Will Shut Down After Only One Month Of Service</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/06/streaming-viewers-feel-overwhelmed-by-options-nielsen-survey-suggests/?sh=7676f543705f">Streaming Viewers Feel Overwhelmed By Options, Nielsen Survey Suggests</a>(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Watching Netflix On iPad

Netflix Loses Subscribers As Disney+ Catches Up: Here’s How The Major Streaming Services Are Faring So Far This Year


<p><strong>Disney + is set to expand into the continent.&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p><strong><em>By Nafisa Akabor</em></strong></p>



<p>The Walt Disney Company has announced its streaming service Disney+ will expand this winter into 42 new countries and 11 territories, including Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The phased rollout for Africa includes South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. A launch date for South Africa has been confirmed for May 18.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Disney+ will include original content from its stables including Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, National Geographic, Marvel, and general entertainment from Star.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>A company spokesperson tells FORBES AFRICA that it will reveal the launch line-up in each market nearer to launch.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>“There may be slight differences within the library content across the different markets, given existing licensing commitments.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Viewers in South Africa can expect to see <em>Star Wars’</em> new series <em>The Book of Boba Fett </em>and <em>The Mandalorian</em>, as well as Marvel Studios’ new series <em>Moon Knight</em> <em>and Shang Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings </em>at launch.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Other titles include the Academy Award winning <em>Encanto</em> and<em> Cruella</em> starring Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil, and Disney and Pixar’s <em>Luca</em>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The general entertainment category includes <em>The Simpsons, Queens</em>, and <em>The Kardashians</em>, as well as National Geographic’s <em>The World According to Jeff Goldblum. </em></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-World-According-to-Jeff-Goldblum-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-54689" width="538" height="358" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-World-According-to-Jeff-Goldblum-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-World-According-to-Jeff-Goldblum-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-World-According-to-Jeff-Goldblum-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-World-According-to-Jeff-Goldblum-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-World-According-to-Jeff-Goldblum-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 538px) 100vw, 538px" /><figcaption>Seymour, TX &#8211; Jeff Goldblum learns how to make &#8216;cowboy coffee at a cattle ranch. (National Geographic/Ollie Richards)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Disney+ will include up to four concurrent streams.&nbsp;</p>


Streaming – Disney+

More World Content Streaming Into Africa: New Star Wars and Marvel Films Too


<p>Many American Netflix users will need to pay $1 extra for a subscription, the company announced Thursday, as the streaming giant deals with slowing U.S. growth after an explosion in new subscribers at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>A standard subscription now costs $14 a month rather than $13, and a premium plan (which allows users to stream content on more devices simultaneously) jumped from $16 to $18, though the company’s $9 basic standard-definition plan remains unchanged.</p>



<p>The price hikes will take effect immediately for new subscribers, and existing users will see their monthly bills increase over the next two months, with a warning 30 days ahead of time, a Netflix spokesperson told&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>.</p>



<p>The company said it is raising prices to underwrite an expansion in original movies and shows.</p>



<p>Netflix last hiked its U.S. prices in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/netflix-raising-cost-to-13-a-month-its-biggest-hike-ever-2019-01-15" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">January of 2019</a>, boosting the cost of a standard plan from $11 to $13 per month.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h4>



<p>73.08 million. That’s the total number of U.S. Netflix subscriptions as of last month, according to the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflixinvestor.com/financials/quarterly-earnings/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">third quarter</a>&nbsp;earnings report. Fewer than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/10/20/netflix-subscriber-growth-slows-after-surging-during-pandemic/?sh=690475e7244e">half</a>&nbsp;of all Netflix subscribers live in the United States, the result of rapid international growth.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>Netflix saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52376022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surging demand</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, after the coronavirus closed most movie theaters and sent bored, homebound customers in search for entertainment. Almost 26 million new people worldwide subscribed to Netflix in the first half of 2020, the largest growth spurt in Netflix’s history, and the company rushed to add new shows at a rapid clip. This expansion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/10/20/netflix-subscriber-growth-slows-after-surging-during-pandemic/?sh=690475e7244e">stalled</a>&nbsp;between July and September, when the company added just 2.2 million new subscribers, and Netflix expects growth to remain more modest for the next few months.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>Netflix faces stiff competition from smaller streaming services, including longstanding rivals like Disney’s Hulu and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/new-streaming-services-2019-2020.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">newer services</a>&nbsp;like Disney+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock. Most of these services&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/best-streaming-services-cost-15166523" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">charge</a>&nbsp;less than $10 per month, making Netflix a pricey option in a crowded market. Still,&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2020/q3/Netflix,-Inc.,-Q3-2020-Earnings-Call,-Oct-20,-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix executives believe</a>&nbsp;price increases will not slow their growth as long as the company continues adding enough new shows to justify the cost of a subscription.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“We understand people have more entertainment choices than ever and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our members,” Netflix spokesperson Katy Dormer told&nbsp;<em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>in an email. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer more variety of TV shows and films.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/29/21540346/netflix-price-increase-united-states-standard-premium-content-product-features" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix is raising the price of its most popular plan to $14 today, premium tier increasing to $18 (The Verge)</a></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/10/20/netflix-subscriber-growth-slows-after-surging-during-pandemic/?sh=690475e7244e">Netflix Subscriber Growth Slows After Surging During Pandemic (Forbes)</a></p>



<p><em>-By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Stay at home and watch TV

Netflix Just Raised The Price Of A Monthly Subscription


<p>Disney+, which last year added a content advisory for racism on several older films streaming on the platform, has added a stronger warning to films including <em>Dumbo</em> and <em>The Jungle Book</em>, following some viewers’ criticism last year that the platform’s initial messaging was not strong enough.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>Disney+ has rolled out a new message on a handful of classic cartoons, which reads: “This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. . . . These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.”</p>



<p>Films with the new disclaimer include&nbsp;<em>The Aristocats</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>The Lady and the Tramp</em>, which both depict negative stereotypes of Asian people, and&nbsp;<em>Peter Pan</em>, which contains racial slurs against Native American and First Nation people.</p>



<p>The initial disclaimer out last year read: “This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>As a growing number of entertainment streaming services breathe new life into old classics, the need to contextualize negative stereotypes and racist depictions that were widely accepted decades ago has become apparent. Disney+ isn’t the first streaming service to roll out this measure in the midst of a wider reckoning in the entertainment world following widespread antiracism protests this year. In June, a then-new HBO Max temporarily&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/06/10/gone-with-the-wind-temporarily-removed-from-hbo-max-in-wake-of-george-floyd-protests/#770baabcef11">pulled down</a>&nbsp;1939’s&nbsp;<em>Gone With The Wind</em>, saying it could not leave the film, often criticized for its glorification of slavery, on the platform without “explanation or denouncement” of those negative depictions. The movie&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/06/10/gone-with-the-wind-temporarily-removed-from-hbo-max-in-wake-of-george-floyd-protests/#770baabcef11">returned</a>&nbsp;two weeks later with a warning about the “horrors of slavery.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>Some viewers pushed Disney to make its disclaimer more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/13/20963014/disney-plus-racism-cultural-disclaimer-dumbo-song-of-the-south-warner-bros-tom-jerry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">explicit&nbsp;</a>like rival studio Warner Bros.’ “wrong then and wrong today” label when it launched the warnings in November.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h4>



<p><a href="https://deadline.com/2020/08/disney-nears-5-year-streaming-goal-in-first-eight-months-with-57-5m-subscribers-1203003841/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>60.5 million</strong></a><strong>.</strong>&nbsp;That’s how many subscribers Disney+ counts globally, CEO Bob Chapek said in August.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/06/25/gone-with-the-wind-is-back-on-hbo-max-with-a-warning-about-horrors-of-slavery/">‘Gone With The Wind’ Is Back On HBO Max With A Warning About The ‘Horrors Of Slavery’</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/13/20963014/disney-plus-racism-cultural-disclaimer-dumbo-song-of-the-south-warner-bros-tom-jerry" target="_blank">Disney+ warns viewers about past racism, but not as well as Warner Bros.</a> (The Verge)</p>



<p><em>-By Isabel Togoh, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Tag: Disney+

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Netflix Loses Subscribers As Disney+ Catches Up: Here’s How The Major Streaming Services Are Faring So Far This Year

More World Content Streaming Into Africa: New Star Wars and Marvel Films Too

Netflix Just Raised The Price Of A Monthly Subscription

‘Wrong Then, Wrong Now’: Disney+ Strengthens Disclaimer About Racism In Older Films Including Dumbo, Peter Pan