I noted earlier this week how Stan had become Australia’s weakest link in the subscription television market after it lost a series of key exclusive deals, including to rival Australian stalwart Foxtel.
Specifically, in November last year, Stan lost its exclusive license to stream Marvel content after Disney Plus joined the Australian market.
Then in May, Foxtel out bid Stan for exclusive rights to Warner Bros and HBO content. In addition to handing Foxtel a key leg up in the subscription television wars, Stan also lost some key WarnerMedia programs from its catalogue, further weakening its offering.
Stan then lost its exclusive deal with ViacomCBS to stream Showtime content. This means that Stan will lose around 500 hours worth of content from its catalogue at the end of 2020. Worse, ViacomCBS plans to launch in Australia next year, adding even more competitive heat to an already over-saturated streaming market.
Thus, after a string of content losses, Stan’s offering was beginning to look very thin in comparison to its rivals. This comes at the same time as Foxtel has bolstered its content line up via the Warner Bros deal (it already had exclusive rights to HBO), in addition to launching its competitively priced Binge streaming service.
Thankfully, after a series of losses, Stan has finally scored a content win, securing an exclusive 2-3 year deal with NBC Universal that will add much needed film and television programming to its library:
The new deal, which sources said will run for two or three years, is expected to give Stan subscribers access to original programs from NBCU’s streaming service Peacock and Sky, such as Gangs of London, I Hate Suzie, Brave New World and Capture…
Sources indicated that NBCU’s new arrangement with Stan is only short-term and leaves open the option for the global entertainment giant to enter the Australian market further down the track.
Earlier this week, Stan also announced a plan to commission at least 30 new local Australian productions annually over the next five years in a bid to differentiate itself in the crowded streaming market.
These are vital moves by Stan, which desperately needs exclusive content in order to incentivise people to subscribe.
With eight subscription streaming services already on offer to Australians, and more expected to come online next year, the market is fast becoming oversaturated.
Stan must fight hard for its survival.
