Like Its Streaming Rivals, Disney+ Needs To Skew To A Broader Range Of Entertainment
- by Wayne Friedman , January 18, 2022
While analysts have worried about the slowdown in Disney+ subscribers in recent periods, one research group believes there is also a concern about the perception of its “narrow” audience.
“Disney+ has failed to penetrate older consumers over the age of 50, who likely don’t have young kids at home and may not be Marvel/"Star Wars" fans,” says MoffettNathanson Research in a recent report. “[Disney-owned] Hulu has similarly under-performed in older households relative to both Netflix and Amazon Prime.”
Disney+ needs to expand from its “narrow fan boutique,” the researcher adds.
A fourth-quarter survey produced by HarrisX goes into further detail.
When asked what “paid services do you or someone in your household currently use to stream content,” just 28% is attributed to those between 50-55 years-old and 18% for those 55 years and older.
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By comparison, Netflix is at 69% for those 50-55 and 67% for those 55 and older. Amazon Prime Video is slightly lower at 55% for those 50-55 and 57% for those 55+. In addition, Hulu, posted lower results -- 37% for 50-55; 27% for 55+.
“In order to achieve those new higher penetration levels, we think Disney needs to both invest in more original scripted general entertainment content at Hulu and Disney+, while marketing Disney+ in a bundle to those older households.”
MoffettNathanson expects Disney+ subscribers to reach global 248 million subscribers by 2024.
Good one, Wayne. If anyone looks at the audience comp figures from Nielsen as well as other sources it leaps out at you that Disney+ is mainly for kids and, to a lesser extent, their parents. Since the percentage of homes in the U.S. with teens and kids under the age of 12-15 is quite small, this places Disney+ at a marked disadvantage where subscriber growth is concerned. Yet Disney+ controls plenty of fare in its various bundles as well as Hulu---much of it being ABC network, cable and local news content. But is this wealth of viewable content---viewable to people aged 40+ and 60+---- being heavily promoted by Disney+? From what I have heard, the answer is nope. Just check out what goodies Disney+ is touting to consumers and see what you think.