• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, October 7, 2022

For all the high-profile news of rising streaming competition, Netflix still commands strength in its depth of content. Just look at new and returning shows this season.

Netflix is starting up a massive 42 new shows this fall, which amounts to 27.5% of all new shows this season, according to Diesel Labs.

The next closest competitors are way down the list -- Disney+, Amazon/Freevee and Hulu, each with a 4.6% share.

What about actual linear TV networks?  Look further down the list: The CW (3.9%) and then ABC and CBS each with 2.6%.

Other numbers that show Netflix's dominance -- Looking at all shows across linear and streaming, it owns nearly 18% of those airing this fall.

The disparity between linear and streaming may be obvious here. Linear TV networks have a specific, set amount of time period positions for TV shows , On-demand streamers, however, have a virtual unlimited space.

All of that makes it harder to compete in this area, which is why major media holding companies with TV networks are jumping into streaming. (To make matters more interesting, NBC Television Network is mulling a decision to give back the 10 p.m. hour to its affiliates.)

In turn, this means modern TV network-streaming companies have to ramp up levels of TV and movie production to boost their content along with an effort to market their now expanded platform access to consumers.

This fall, Diesel Labs says, of the 270-plus new and returning shows, over half (55.2%) are premiering for the very first time. Diesel analysis is for shows premiering September 12 through November 13. It includes both returning and brand-new titles -- but not movies, award shows or sports. 

Of course, the total number of shows is just one data point. Highly watched individual shows are the main reasons  that drive streaming business. Much research has shown that a significant portion of subscribers opt in and out of a streamer due to whether one specific TV series is out with a new season of episodes.

This can be true for the likes of Netflix -- “Stranger Things,” of course, comes to mind. But one should also consider overall Netflix dominance in top ten TV shows viewing streaming hours as well, per Nielsen.

On the flip side, Apple TV+ -- which has the slimmest library of TV shows -- continues to find ways to stay in the game, getting big awards for “Ted Lasso” (Emmys) and “CODA” (an Oscar).

The battle for premium streamers consideration will continue to find new ways of positioning. The question is whether all will have the wherewithal to stay in the game as the business growth starts to contract.