From LPs to Spotify, the videocassette to Netflix, the evolution of the entertainment industry has been one of the great Darwinian struggles of our modern age. Most recently, the launch of Disney+ Plus has caused many to reflect on the new-found fragility of the once indomitable original OTTs.  Here follows our contribution to the conversation.

HOW THE MIGHT FALL

Ten years ago – you had a choice between Hulu or Netflix. Now, you have Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Now TV, YouTube TV, PlayStation TV, all the way down into the long tail that no one has really ever heard or cared about. (What is Pluto TV?) The truth of the matter is that, nowadays, most people subscribe to more than one streaming service.

In the face of this new Zeitgeist, investors must ask: what are the implications for the incumbent providers? How does the future look for the upstarts?

The good news is that OTT services are very well-covered by alternative datasets.