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 The move poses a direct challenge to Netflix and a way for
more traditional networks to reach for younger, digital-savvy
consumers who insist on watching on their own schedules.
Walt Disney Co <DIS.N> network Freeform, which targets a younger
audience, put the entire 10-episode season of new sci-fi drama
"Beyond" on digital and on-demand platforms on Jan. 2, a first
for the channel. By Jan. 10, it was ready to order a second
season.
"There are moments when it's really hard to make a decision
about a pickup," Freeform President Tom Ascheim said, announcing
the renewal at a Television Critics Association event. "This is
not one of those moments."
Roughly 14 million people watched "Beyond" on TV and online
during the first week. About 745,000 have finished the season on
various platforms, the network said.
In its earnings report this week, Netflix highlighted growing
competition from rivals that are adopting the strategy.
Britain's BBC, for example, announced earlier this month it
would distribute full seasons of major series on its digital
platform before the episodes run on traditional linear
television.
"We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC," Netflix added. A
spokesman for HBO, owned by Time Warner Inc <TWX.N>, had no
comment.
"In short, it's becoming an internet TV world, which presents
both challenges and opportunities for Netflix as we strive to
earn screen time," Netflix said.
Netflix popularized binge viewing with the 2013 release of the
entire season of "House of Cards." The company's monthly
subscription service reached 94 million customers at the end of
2016, it said on Wednesday.
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Comcast Corp's NBC became the first U.S. broadcast network to try
the release-at-once idea in 2015 when it put 13 episodes of drama
"Aquarius" online right after the premiere aired on TV.
NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt said shortly after the
experiment that he would consider it again for the occasional show
but it would not become standard practice.
The tactic is not popular with affiliate stations, Greenblatt said
at the time.
But advertisers see some advantages to the release of entire seasons
in one batch, said Andy Donchin, chief investment officer at Dentsu
Aegis Network.
"If people want to binge view like that and they seek it out, they
are probably highly engaged viewers," Donchin said. "If you’re
engaged in the program, hopefully you’ll be just as engaged with the
commercials."
Still there are tradeoffs, Wible said. When people are watching
bingeable shows at their own pace, the shows miss out on the
conversations that happen when a big plot development is watched by
everyone at the same time, such as the famous "Red Wedding" episode
of HBO's "Game of Thrones."
"You do lose out on the buzz," Wible said. "I think it takes longer
to gain momentum."
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Additional reporting by Tim Baysinger
in New York; Editing by Peter Henderson and Lisa Shumaker)
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