The Next Big Streaming War Is Going To Be Internationally… and Netflix Has a Huge Lead

“We are looking at it with a very US-centric perspective visa vie either Netflix or any of these big streaming wars next phase of growth,” says Propagate Content CEO Ben Silverman. “I think Netflix is just so ahead internationally in reaching out and creating subscriber growth and subscribers in general. The next phase of competition, and this one hasn’t even begun in the US, is going to be internationally where they have a market lead just as they do here. You’re going to just see more and more expansion along what’s happened in the US globally.”

Ben Silverman, Chairman and CEO of Propagate Content, says that the real streaming wars will be internationally where Netflix currently has a huge lead. Silverman was interviewed on CNBC:

Netflix Is Way Ahead Internationally

We’ll see if people are going to zero-sum game it and only choose a new one if they get rid of an old one. I think with Apple and Disney’s pricing, an extra $10 a month collectively or $12 may not be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in terms of people making choice and cutting one service for another. I think it’s just the whole reintroduction of this basically new bundle. Are you going to have to cut off your old bundle to experience all of these new services or there is there going to be a way that the Comcast, Dish, DIRECTV players also start serving these up to remain in the home as the primary supplier?

We are looking at it with a very US-centric perspective visa vie either Netflix or any of these big streaming wars next phase of growth. I see the international marketplace where we supply a ton of content, both primary content in local languages and also formats of our programming or even the finished episodes, and I think Netflix is just so ahead internationally in reaching out and creating subscriber growth and subscribers in general. The next phase of competition, and this one hasn’t even begun in the US, is going to be internationally where they have a market lead just as they do here. You’re going to just see more and more expansion along what’s happened in the US globally.

Prank Encounters Extends Existing Netflix Relationship

As a supplier, I make a lot of content for them and for other players. Many times you are not ending up in a situation where ten of the platforms want your program. You’re usually ending up at the platform that’s either building a brand or has an audience deficit that it’s looking to fill with the content you’re bringing them. So it’s not always that you have everyone going after the same content. Usually, it’s only one or two buyers for a show idea at the end of the day after you go out and pitch them all.

Then there’s also developing content in a bespoke way with a platform. We have a show Prank Encounters going on Netflix with (Gaten Matarazzo, known for his role as Dustin in Stranger Things). That show which launches October 25th around Halloween and as a scary show is perfect for Netflix. It extends Gaten’s relationship with the platform and it’s very targeted around Halloween and this time of year which they go after very aggressively.

So you start to build your relationships around the right platform for the right idea at the right time. It’s not about the money–it’s always about the money–but it’s not about who’s paying more for it as much as where do you think it’ll be most successful and last the longest.