Ranking The Potential Of Each Streaming Service
6. Britbox
Estimated Subscribers – 2m
BritBox is something of an anomaly on this list given that it’s the only service not run by an American entertainment or technology giant. It could even be argued that is a service specialising in a ‘niche’, namely British programming, even if that does count as general entertainment.
Bringing together the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 is a smart move, enabling a ‘strength in numbers’ approach, and BritBox is certainly attractive to Anglophiles in the United States and Canada who have a penchant for the period dramas and sharp sitcoms that can only be done justice on the other side of the pond.
Outside of original programming such as a revival of Spitting Image though, it has less appeal to domestic customers who can stream the bulk of the three companies’ offerings for free through iPlayer, ITV Hub and All4.
The prospects of Britbox are also somewhat hampered by the fact that the larger streaming services, such as Netflix and HBO Max, have picked and chosen what they feel to be the biggest draws for their own services.
Given that the platform is already profitable (always a plus for a company that cannot profit from advertising revenues) ahead of expansion to other large markets for British programming such as India and Scandinavia, Britbox should persevere.