OTT Strategy Shift from Binge-Watching
Sequential Episode Release to Retain Subscribers
One of the programming strategies of OTT (online video services), 'binge watching,' is being shaken. As 'binge watching' no longer retains paid subscribers, the strategy is shifting to a 'split viewing' method.
OTT platforms like Netflix achieved success by breaking the traditional TV method of releasing 1-2 episodes weekly and instead releasing all episodes of content at once. The 'binge watching' method, where viewers watch multiple dramas at once, created several hits and made consumers watch OTT all day long.
Capturing viewers with sequential releases
The Netflix series "The Glory," a school violence revenge drama released on December 31, ranked 5th worldwide among Netflix series as of January 1. Photo by Yonhap News
The 'binge watching' strategy that once captivated viewers is now becoming a disadvantage. This is due to intensified competition among domestic and international OTT platforms. Although the number of OTT services is increasing exponentially, the number of viewers is limited. Despite introducing new policies such as ad-supported plans and banning account sharing, Netflix suffered the dishonor of losing 200,000 paid subscribers in the first quarter of last year.
Accordingly, Netflix changed its 'binge watching' strategy, which rapidly consumes content, to a 'split viewing' method. Netflix's The Glory, starring Song Hye-kyo, gained huge popularity, ranking 5th worldwide in Netflix series rankings just two days after release, but currently only Part 1 (8 episodes) has been released. Netflix announced that the remaining Part 2 (8 episodes) will be released in March.
Also, the Spanish drama La Casa de Papel was remade in Korea as La Casa de Papel: Joint Economic Area, where only 6 episodes corresponding to Part 1 of the total 12 episodes were released first in June last year, and Part 2 was released in December of the same year. Netflix original Stranger Things Season 4, which has 9 episodes, also released only 7 episodes first, with the remaining two episodes available a month later.
OTT platforms are switching from 'binge watching' to 'split viewing' strategies or using both simultaneously. It seems they judged that releasing episodes sequentially is better than releasing all episodes at once. This can encourage subscribers to maintain their subscription until the next episode and create a lock-in effect.
Disney+ pre-released only the first 3 episodes of Season 1 of Casino, starring Choi Min-sik and Son Seok-gu. TVING has been releasing 2 episodes weekly of Drunk City Women 2 since the 9th of last month. In this way, OTT platforms are trying new strategies such as splitting a season in half or uploading episodes one by one at regular intervals.
'Viewers accustomed to binge watching... Is split viewing okay?
However, the industry says that 'split viewing' alone cannot be the answer. This is because viewers' watching habits are already accustomed to 'binge watching.' In fact, various online communities have voices of dissatisfaction such as "When will the next episode come out?" and "If the entire season is released at once, I will subscribe then to watch."
There are also opinions that if the next episode comes out months later, the flow is already broken and immersion decreases. As the number of viewers watching multiple OTT platforms simultaneously increases, it has also become easier to switch to another OTT if a release is delayed or the pre-released content does not meet expectations.
For these reasons, Netflix emphasized that it has not abandoned the 'binge watching' programming strategy. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos explained during the Q1 earnings report last April that "splitting the season was due to production delays caused by COVID-19." Peter Friedlander, head of Netflix's North American drama division, also hinted that there would be no change to the existing programming strategy by stating, "Fundamentally, we want to give members the choice in how they watch."
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