• by Wayne Friedman , August 18, 2022

Although streaming viewing has grown dramatically, many subscribers sign on big-name streaming services to watch only one TV show, according to Samba TV's second-quarter report on streaming and TV.

Just over half of subscribers of four major premium TV streamers watched just one program among a streaming service's top 50 shows during the second quarter of this year.

HBO Max was at 62%, followed by Apple TV+ (60%); Hulu (55%), and Amazon Prime Video (55%) as the top streamers where subscribers go to watch just one program.

Top shows for single-program viewers include “Sesame Street” (HBO Max), “Central Park” (Apple TV+), “The Kardashians” (Hulu), and “The Boys” (Prime Video). Programs here include movies and any episode-- or multiple episodes -- of a TV show.

More diversified viewing of different shows occurs on Disney+ and Netflix. Some 35% subscribers come to Disney+ to watch a single program.

The top piece of content here for single-program viewers was the movie “Encanto”. Netflix is at 33%, with the service's original series “Stranger Things” as the top-ranked among viewing homes that watch only one program.

“The lack of interest viewers display at watching multiple programs per streamer highlights the challenge these services face in retaining viewers,” according to the authors of the report.

“With subscription cycling on the rise -- where viewers sign up for one show or move and then cancel -- SVODs will need to find new ways to show viewers they are worth the money, whether that be through innovative programming or offering new, cheaper AVOD tiered offerings.”

Samba says that collectively, $50 billion will be spent on original and acquired programming among top streamers this year.