Ten years ago, one subscription (cable) gave you access to 90% of popular media. Today, to access the top 10% of quality exclusive content, a consumer needs an average of four to six subscriptions.
We are witnessing the fragmentation of the monoculture. www xxx com exclusive
Each platform is a walled garden. To see the flower of popular media, you must pay the entrance fee. For the consumer, this is exhausting. For the creator, it is a gold rush. Ten years ago, one subscription (cable) gave you
However, the fragmentation has a dangerous side effect: the death of the "water cooler" moment. When Squid Game dropped, it was a global phenomenon because nearly everyone with a Netflix login watched it simultaneously. But if a hit show drops on Apple TV+—which has a smaller subscriber base—is it truly "popular media," or is it just "popular among a specific, affluent niche"? Each platform is a walled garden
The $9.99 ad-free tier is standard. The future is the $29.99 "Insider" tier. Platforms will charge a premium not just for removal of ads, but for adding value—director’s commentaries, behind-the-scenes dailies, alternative endings, and live call-ins with cast members. This is the "OnlyFans-ification" of mainstream media.
Why are we, as consumers, so willing to subscribe to six different streaming services just to watch one show? The answer lies in behavioral psychology.