Streaming platforms have solidified their presence in the global media ecosystem. Gracenote's latest report revealed that, as of October 2024, 87% of the TV programming available to global audiences is accessible through linear and streaming services. This figure underscores the dominance of streaming as the go-to source for content consumption.
Five U.S.-based subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services —Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, and Paramount+— have taken the lead in the global streaming landscape. These five platforms alone are responsible for distributing over half a million shows, sports events, and movies. Collectively, they account for about one-third of the content tracked by Gracenote's global video database, reflecting their significant influence. Specifically, the total catalog volume across these platforms is approximately 487,500 individual programs and movies, while the unique program volume (excluding individual episodes) stands at 56,500.
The U.S. remains a key content producer, but international content is becoming increasingly significant. Only 32% of Netflix’s catalog originates from the U.S., and 45% of Amazon Prime Video’s catalog is American-made. Across all five SVOD platforms, just 44.2% of content was produced in the U.S., showcasing a growing trend toward international content and diversity. This shift is reshaping the nature of global streaming, as platforms strive to cater to diverse viewer interests across different regions.
TV series dominate the streaming space, accounting for 89% of the distributed content. Much of this programming was initially broadcast on traditional linear TV, indicating a shift in how audiences engage with long-form storytelling. In contrast to short-form content, deep content libraries are proving essential for streaming platforms. Although new releases can generate viewership spikes, it is the extensive libraries of established TV franchises like "Grey’s Anatomy" and "NCIS" that keep viewers consistently engaged. This trend is evident in the U.S., where only 26% of total streaming time in 2023 was spent on original programming. Additionally, 63% of streaming subscribers report they are drawn to services primarily for older TV shows and movies.
Content is now widely distributed across multiple platforms, with the five leading providers offering more than half of all streaming content tracked in Gracenote’s database. These platforms are especially dominant in movie distribution, holding 65% of the global movie catalog. Given this extensive reach, streaming services are investing in personalized user experiences to retain audiences, as many platforms may offer similar content.
Drama is the most prominent genre globally, representing nearly one-fourth (23.6%) of the content available. Documentaries are more prevalent in TV programs, making up 30.1% of the total, followed by drama (15.3%) and comedy (12.4%). In the movie segment, drama is also dominant, comprising 27.7% of the catalog, followed by comedy (16.6%) and thrillers (16.4%). Gracenote's analysis also highlights the importance of mood-based content curation, with "tense," "fun," and "powerful" being the top moods driving engagement across global audiences.
The report emphasized a shift from attracting subscribers with high-budget originals to maintaining them through diverse, deep, and globally representative catalogs. Personalization, recommendation algorithms, and content discoverability are crucial as streaming services aim to meet the demands of increasingly diverse and discerning audiences. As streaming continues to evolve, the competition for viewership will depend not only on the quality of programming but also on strategic catalog management and user experience optimization.