Cable networks and satellite TV companies are all scrambling to introduce their own streaming services, the latest being Sling TV, which was announced at CES 2015. Although an experiment by Dish, a satellite TV provider, Sling TV is meant to be a complementary service, not a replacement entirely, that will target a demographic currently not being specifically addressed: 18 to 35 year olds.
For $20 a month, Sling TV will grant people access to cable networks such as TNT, TBS, CNN, Food Network, HGTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, the Disney Channel, ESPN, and ESPN2. This would make it the perfect partner to Netflix and similar streaming media platforms. Roger Lynch, the newly named CEO of Sling TV, says, "Our strategy was never to replicate traditional pay TV over the Internet. We don't think that's the right approach."
What's Driving This Trend
- Complementary Streaming Services
- As more cable networks and satellite TV companies embrace streaming services like Sling TV, there is an opportunity for startups to develop complementary streaming services that offer unique content or features.
- Targeting a Younger Demographic
- Sling TV's focus on 18 to 35 year olds opens up a demographic that has been largely ignored by traditional pay TV providers, creating an opportunity for companies to develop content specifically for this age group.
- Hybrid TV Services
- Sling TV's hybrid approach of combining traditional cable networks and streaming services like Netflix provides an opportunity for other providers to create similar mixed services that cater to both traditional and online video viewers.
Who This Affects Most
- Television
- As traditional TV providers continue to embrace streaming services, it presents an opportunity for the television industry to collaborate and develop new hybrid services that offer both live TV and on-demand streaming.
- Streaming Media
- With Sling TV's launch and other cable networks entering the streaming market, there is a growing opportunity for streaming media providers to offer complementary services, unique content, and features that cater to younger audiences.
- Marketing and Advertising
- As cable networks expand their reach through streaming services like Sling TV, advertisers have new opportunities to target younger generations with tailored ads, creating a need for innovative marketing strategies and platforms.
