Shifting Strategies: What Streaming Services Really Want in 2025

Editor in Chief of Ikon London Magazine, journalist, film producer and founder of The DAFTA Film Awards (The DAFTAs).

The streaming landscape has undergone significant transformation in recent years, with priorities shifting from subscriber growth at all costs to a more balanced approach focused on profitability, audience engagement, and content optimisation. This evolution was examined in detail during a recent panel discussion at MIP London titled “What Do Streamers Want?”, featuring Hannah Blyth (Head of TV, Prime Video UK), Kai Finke (Chief Content Officer, SkyShowtime), and moderated by Jack Davison from 3Vision.

The Evolution of Streaming Priorities

The fundamental question of what streamers want has evolved substantially since 2022. As Jack Davison noted in his opening remarks, “The simplest way to answer it is to say they want subscribers and profitability.” However, this straightforward answer belies the complexity of strategic shifts in the industry.

March 2022 marked a pivotal moment when the focus dramatically shifted from subscriber acquisition toward profitability. This transition occurred as streaming services faced growing financial pressures, with investors demanding returns on their substantial investments.

Hannah Blyth of Prime Video UK emphasised that their strategy involves looking at a three-year horizon and considering Prime Video as a whole ecosystem: “We’re looking not just at the SVOD service, but at Prime Video as a whole. That’s our live sports, our channels business, TVOD, home entertainment, as well as our load original slate.”

Content Strategies in an Era of Financial Discipline

Both panellists acknowledged that the era of unlimited content spending has ended. The industry is witnessing what some have termed “content austerity,” though Kai Finke preferred to characterise it as enhanced creativity in financing and distribution.

“I’m not sure if I want to talk about austerity,” Finke remarked. “I think what we need to look at is the creativity of a collaborative approach and financing projects together, but also in getting more views together.”

The data presented during the session showed a tapering of original concept development and increased interest in established IP. Literary adaptations have grown significantly, now representing 43% of IP origin for US scripted commissions in the 2023/24 season, up from 35% in the previous season. Original concepts, meanwhile, have declined from 37% to 31%.

Windowing: The Return of an Old Strategy

One of the most significant trends highlighted was the resurgence of content windowing—a practice that had diminished during the early streaming wars when exclusivity was paramount.

The panellists discussed how windowing has become a critical strategy for maximising content value. Blyth noted that for Prime Video UK, international co-productions often involve sharing windows with partners in different territories: “In Spain, my counterparts share a first-run window with the local player. In the UK, we haven’t done that… but everyone’s becoming a lot more flexible and open to it.”

Charts presented during the discussion revealed that second-window acquisitions by free TV broadcasters jumped from 8% to 18% of all second windows in the past year, indicating a significant shift toward broader distribution strategies.

Finke added that for SkyShowtime, which operates across multiple European markets, windowing presents a real opportunity: “Shows like Yellowstone are very well distributed, and you could say windowed. It’s a show where the audience just keeps growing.”

The Rise of Strategic Partnerships

The panel emphasised that collaborative approaches have become essential in the current market environment. Four key areas were highlighted as critical for streamers:

Innovative Partnerships: Flexibility in distribution, finding new windows, and creative collaboration between services
Sports and Events: Live content becoming more central to streaming strategies
Library Value: Established programming delivering reliable engagement
Social Media Influencers: Integration of creator economy into mainstream streaming

Blyth shared how Prime Video UK has successfully leveraged influencer-driven content: “Molly May and This Is Games are good examples. The benefit is that you have these influencers with very engaged, very loyal fanbases, but it still needs to be compelling content.”

Financial Reality and Market Maturation

The financial data presented showed that while Netflix continues to dominate in both subscriber numbers (approximately 300 million globally) and profitability, other services are gradually improving their financial positions. Disney+, Warner Media Discovery, and Paramount+ have all shown progress toward profitability after years of losses.

“In our commissioning and co-production initiative, we are definitely looking to program for existing audiences and then organically grow into broader audiences from there,” Finke explained, highlighting SkyShowtime’s pragmatic approach to growth.

Balancing Global and Local Content

Both executives stressed the importance of local authenticity in programming. Finke noted: “We know that in order to program a really successful service, you also need to provide local authenticity. That’s what we’re looking for in some of our shows.”

For Prime Video UK, Blyth emphasised their focus on ensuring a well-rounded content offering: “Our focus for the next year or two is really making sure that we have a broad and well-rounded slate for our audiences.” She highlighted shows like Clarkson’s Farm and the upcoming Kill Jackie as examples of content that appeals to their core audience while also broadening their demographic reach.

Content Acquisition Trends

The presentation included revealing data on third-party acquisitions, showing that both Netflix and Amazon have significantly increased their acquisition activity in the past year. For Netflix, single-market second-window acquisitions increased from 2 to 17 shows, while Amazon has seen growth across both multi-market and single-market acquisitions.

This trend aligns with the overall industry shift toward more flexible content strategies and maximizing value through diverse distribution channels.

Looking Forward: Audience-Centric Strategies

As streaming services navigate this new landscape, both panelists emphasized that understanding and serving audience needs remains paramount. Prime Video is particularly focused on broadening its demographic appeal while maintaining its core strengths.

“If you look at some of the shows that have been our biggest hits, like Clarkson’s Farm, they do on the face of it look more male-skewing,” Blyth noted. “We still want to be programming for that audience, but finding ways to make sure that we’re serving a female and younger demographic as well.”

Conclusion: A More Sustainable Streaming Ecosystem

The panel discussion revealed an industry that has matured beyond its initial growth-at-all-costs phase into a more sustainable model that balances subscriber acquisition with profitability. Content windowing, strategic partnerships, and thoughtful audience targeting have become essential elements of streaming strategy.

As Finke succinctly put it, streamers today want “to grow into market share, present ourselves as a great destination for creators and storytellers across our footprint, and to be a great partner and asset in the entertainment and creative industries.”

The streaming wars have evolved into a more collaborative ecosystem where flexibility, creativity in financing, and strategic content distribution are the new competitive advantages.