The streaming industry is undergoing a structural change that goes far beyond technical developments. A key factor is the increasing change in the licence market: while content used to be in demand from a large number of broadcasters, pay TV providers and new streaming services, the number of relevant buyers has decreased significantly. This development is permanently changing the economic basis of content exploitation.

Fewer buyers, more concentrated demand

The market for streaming licences is increasingly dominated by a few large platforms. For rights holders, this means that although there are fewer potential buyers, they have considerable market power and budgets. At the same time, many smaller or regional providers have either disappeared from the market or have severely restricted their licence activities.

This concentration leads to a paradoxical situation: competition on the buyer side is decreasing, yet the pressure on prices and content remains high - especially for titles in high demand or formats with clear target group appeal.

Content becomes a strategic asset

In this environment, the importance of content has changed. For streaming platforms, it is no longer just about simply expanding their catalogues. Instead, content is used strategically to attract and retain subscribers or to serve specific target groups.

Licensing decisions are therefore increasingly based on data-driven analyses: Which content ensures longer dwell times? Which titles reduce churn rates? Which genres or IPs strengthen the brand position of a platform?

Rising costs despite less choice

Even if the number of buyers decreases, this does not automatically mean falling prices. On the contrary: sought-after content can continue to generate high licence fees as it represents direct economic added value for the platforms. Content with high demand is specifically courted or exclusively secured.

For producers and rights holders, this opens up opportunities for better conditions for sought-after titles on the one hand, while increasing the pressure to market and strategically place content as accurately as possible on the other.

Exclusivity and fragmentation

Another trend is the increasing fragmentation of content. Exclusive deals are becoming more important as platforms attempt to differentiate themselves from one another with unique content. At the same time, content is less frequently licensed broadly and is instead specifically allocated to individual partners.

For users, this often means a greater distribution of content across different platforms. For the industry, this leads to more complex exploitation strategies and longer decision-making processes for the allocation of rights.

Effects on the film industry

This has several consequences for the film industry as a whole:

• Licensing is becoming more strategic and less volume-driven
• Rights holders must plan their exploitation windows and partners more carefully
• International platforms play a dominant role in market access
• Negotiating power shifts depending on the type of content and demand profile

For producers, distributors and sales companies in particular, it is becoming more important to position content not only creatively, but also economically and in line with market logic.

Conclusion

Streaming licensing is evolving from an open, growth-driven market to a focussed, strategic system. Fewer buyers, more selective decisions and increasing demands on content characterise the new reality. For the film industry, this means that success increasingly depends on how well content is placed in a fragmented, globalised and data-driven market.