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The National Media and Infocommunications Authority has issued a press release on the latest Hungarian television and streaming subscription patterns. According to its annual survey, 44% of households watched films or series via streaming services, and at the same time the beginning of a decline in television subscriptions has started, writes Világgazdaság.
In Hungary, the three most popular streaming platforms are Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+, present in 30, 21, and 14 percent of households respectively. One of the prerequisites for these services is a good quality internet connection, without which picture quality can deteriorate. Although these services can be streamed on a computer or even on a mobile phone, the majority of people still opt for high-definition TV sets.
The growth is also driven by the increasing amount of Hungarian-language content,
whether it is in-house developed content or dubbing existing films and series in Hungarian.
Streaming usage shows a typical pattern of innovation diffusion, with higher educated, well-off, and younger households more likely to use these services. For instance,
54% of 30-39 year olds are streaming subscribers, compared to 19% of households aged 60+.
According to the last survey, 12% of households were no longer watching any television at all. This could be because they only watch on streaming services, or because they neither watch television nor streaming services at all. The number of TV subscribers has been stable at around 3.7 million for a long time, but has been declining since mid-2021; in the middle of this year,
there were 175,000 fewer TV subscribers than in the peak two years earlier.
However, the era of cheap streaming subscriptions is over, and an increasing number of operators are introducing the abolition of password sharing, hoping to attract new subscriptions from existing users. Not only are prices changing, but new subscription models are becoming available.
Even Netflix eliminated its $9.99 ad-free basic monthly subscription earlier this year, with new customers paying $15.49.
Disney’s latest price hike is the second in less than a year. The monthly fee for the ad-free service increased by $3 to $13.99 starting in October. Furthermore, the previously completely advertising-free services are joined by cheaper options with advertising.
Via Világgazdaság, Featured image via Pixabay
