Not everything that glitters is gold in the universe of streaming. Behind the large productions and the viewing comfort for users there is a consumption dynamic that must also be addressed, as it shows the “other side” of the phenomenon. The link that exists between the platforms and Argentines is a photo of the audiovisual but also economic present: more than six out of ten Argentines consider that it has become “very expensive” to pay more than one subscription, to the point that they increasingly share them with friends or family. The economic situation is beginning to be the biggest problem for the development of streaming in the country: 34 percent of Argentines said that the increase in subscription prices was the main reason why they unsubscribed from a subscription during the last yearleading the numbers in the region as a cause of disconnection.
These are some of the results of the report “Streaming consumption in Latin America 2024”made in January by Sherlock Communications in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, on a base of 3372 people. The survey expresses the growing concern about the increase in the cost of monthly subscriptions evidenced by the platforms in the region, something that hits much harder in Argentina due to the strong devaluation of the peso last December. In fact, while here 34 percent of those who unsubscribed cited cost issues, that figure was lower in Mexico (22%), Peru (23%), Colombia (25%) and Chile (29%).
One of the symptoms of the economic limitation to the development of the streaming market in the region is that the use of different illegal strategies to access the content of the platforms is expanding by leaps and bounds. First of all, through the widespread password sharing between multiple households. Despite repeated attempts by companies to control this dynamic, almost half of Argentines (46%) say they share subscriptions with family and friends to maintain costs. The same thing happens with the use of “TV boxes” (Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku), whose software is illegally modifiedwhich allow users to watch streaming content without paying monthly subscription fees: this practice is already reaching the 28% of respondents. Another increasingly popular habit of accessing the catalogs of streaming services without paying a subscription refers to “creole liveliness,” enjoying the free trials (7 days) and unsubscribing at the end of the promotion: 29% did it recently.
The problem of “thin pockets” is not the only reason that distances a sector of society from the streaming industry. The quality of the content offered by the platforms is also a point that users take into account: three out of every ten Argentines surveyed were critical of the content offered by the platforms, considering them “boring” and “repetitive”. Even when analyzing regional consumption and the development of local series and films that companies produce, there is a dissatisfaction that is generalized among Latin Americans: seven out of ten surveyed (69%) stated that productions about Latin America focus too much on “drugs,” “crime,” “violence,” and “sexual stereotypes.”.
One of the most interesting results of the report refers to the degree of attention that Latin American audiences apply to streaming content when tuning in. At this point, it is observed that the consumption of series and movies on platforms is beginning to repeat a habit similar to that exercised in traditional media such as TV or radio: Only 24 percent of respondents across the region said they pay full attention to streaming content while it is being played.. The low percentage of users who pay full attention to the content takes on an even greater dimension if one considers that in the 2021 report this figure rose to 46% of those surveyed. That is to say: whether due to lack of attractiveness or end of novelty, the contents of the platforms are viewed with less and less attention.
In Argentina, attention is just above the regional average: 70% of those surveyed said they do another activity while watching movies or series, just like what happens with radio and TV. “Cooking”, “tidying the house” and “chatting with friends or family” were the most chosen options. Only 28% of Argentinians surveyed said they focused all their attention on what they were seeing. Regarding the daily time spent playing streaming content, Argentina coincided with the trend throughout the region: the majority (27%) said they consume between two and three hours per day. Among the contents, 50% of Argentines say they regularly watch series and movies on streaming platforms, followed by music (20%).
Although the “war of the platforms” is a fact that is settled by both artistic and economic issues, with services that are continually launched and merged, the leading companies lead the preferences. When asked which platform they would choose to watch movies and series, if they only had one option, Argentines turned mostly to Netflix (61%), followed by HBO (currently Max) with 11%. To listen to music, the preference is more divided between Spotify (53%) and YouTube (40%).
“Our results are very interesting for companies that offer streaming services to Latin American audiences,” said Patrick O’Neill, managing partner of Sherlock Communications. “Most of those we contacted have already unsubscribed from a service in the last year. In a fiercely competitive landscape, streaming providers should pay close attention to consumer desires. Streaming companies that pay attention to the desires of local audiences and adapt to their tastes have a huge advantage in a competitive landscape. increasingly fierce,” stressed the executive of the company in charge of the report that accounts for the state of consumption of audiovisual platforms.
