According to a report from global audience demand analytics leader Parrot Analytics, STARZ has emerged as a surprise runaway success when it comes to in-demand premium content for audiences at home as well as abroad.
In the U.S., data shows that STARZ has more than five times the audience demand compared to the average TV series, putting them higher than any other platform.
Parrot Analytics’ report also indicates that STARZ’s originals are doing even better internationally, with TV series demand running 6.1% more globally than domestically. The average STARZ original is 12.6% ahead of its closest competitor, Disney+. This is likely upsetting data for the Walt Disney Company, which has been leading the pack when it comes to international spending on new content and programming.
The firm also reports that the average STARZ title, compared to the global average as a whole, has 41% more longevity with regard to its demand. The logical conclusion is that STARZ’s original programs are excellent at maintaining interest and viewership.
The results are welcome news for STARZ, as streamers have been looking to extend their reach outside of domestic borders to new, international audiences.
Jeffrey Hirsch, STARZ President and Chief Executive Officer, feels that the success is due in part to STARZ seeking growth among underrepresented audiences by telling stories that are relevant to their experiences.
“These results reinforce STARZ’s proven ability to bring audiences high-quality premium programming, which we believe is key to success over raw scale,” Hirsch said. “With our most robust slate ever, STARZ is continuing to deliver exceptional premium programming focused on amplifying narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences.”
The international waters are teaming with competitors, as HBO Max launched on Tuesday in Latin America and Discovery+ is set to launch in Brazil this September.
The HBO Max launch will bring access to all of the movies and television shows from the North American version of the platform to Latin American and Caribbean viewers, along with region-exclusive material like “Pop Divas”, “The Cut”, “Las Bravas”, and more.
Fernando Medin, President of Discovery Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, said in a release that the Latin America production team is collaborating with local as well as global production companies to create over 40 original titles and more than 150 shows by the end of 2022.
In addition, last week, Univision announced plans to launch a global streaming platform in the United States and Latin America in 2022 that would carry more original Spanish language content than any other provider. The new Univision service will include both paid and ad-supported tiers that will include thousands of hours of owned and acquired content at launch.
Time will tell who succeeds in their quest for international dominance, and it will be interesting to see what strategies play out with the best results going forward. So far, if the analytics are any indication, STARZ may be the one to keep an eye on as their dedication to diverse narratives through quality over quantity is clearly hitting the right notes when it comes to viewer loyalty and excitement the world over.