The Seemingly Endless Expansion of the Content Bubble

There have been many references to a new golden era of television content. With all the new, original content in distribution, and the availability/accessability afforded through digital platforms, I'd be inclined to suggest it's really a "platinum" age for content. In the quest for viewers, content producers are pushing out greater volumes of content, and each with a more compelling viewing proposition than the last. Is it any wonder new terms like "binge racing" are making their way into our vernacular?

​eMarketer recently published some statistics originated from FX Networks (see my earlier post trending their data on original series growth), stating that the number of scripted series aired on US broadcast, cable and streaming video outlets more than doubled from 2009 through 2016, with all of the recent growth coming from the digital side, according to an FX Networks study.​ The question to this is at what point will this bubble begin to slow and flatten? Content providers are developing more product to explore and understand viewing behaviors, but at a point there has to be consideration to monetization as production costs come at no small fee.

Over the course of the next 12-18 months, it will be interesting to see the path advertising products take relative to the availability of new content. And will programmers seek to break free from the MVPD distribution tethers, and venture out distributing their own content on the heels of HBO and CBS All Access? One thing is for certain, the only constant in this world of video content is change!