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New research by Enders Analysis suggests that premium video services are being pirated via alternative streams on an ‘industrial scale.’ The firm says a lack of action by tech companies is to blame.
A study by Enders Analysis has claimed that big tech firms like Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft are not doing enough to clamp down on streaming piracy.
Premium broadcasting for sporting events is of particular concern, with the study describing consumer theft as being on an ‘industrial scale.’ Enders Analysis says that piracy costs broadcasters significant amounts of revenue and puts viewers at a greater risk of cyber-attacks.
The report was written by Gareth Sutcliffe and Ollie Meir. They point to the Amazon Fire Stick as a key enabler of piracy, as many consumers use these to download illegal software that can then be plugged into television sets.
So, what’s causing consumers to turn to piracy in an age where streaming and convenience has never been easier?
Put simply, the sheer cost of watching live television can be eye-watering, especially as far as live sport is concerned. The broadcasting rights for the Premier League are hotly contended, for example, with many different companies and platforms forking out big money for a slice of the pie.
This means that games are often shown in different places, including Amazon Prime, TNT Sports, Sky Sports and more. For one viewer to be able to watch most games in the Premier League, they’d likely need subscriptions to four different services as a minimum. Most of us can’t afford that kind of luxury.
As the BBC reports, the media rights for sports broadcasting are valued at £44 billion globally, with price hikes affecting consumers. Illegal options are easy, simple to set up, and save viewers a significant amount every year.
According to the study, consumers believe the most effective way to lower piracy rates would be to simply lower entry costs and make it easier to watch everything in one place.
We’ve seen this scattered business model crop up for traditional programming too. Where Netflix once dominated streaming a decade ago, there are now many, many other services that have divided the availability of content and ballooned subscription prices.
Hulu, Paramount Plus, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Now TV and more all have their own content, making it very hard to pay for only one service and still have access to all the programmes you might be interested in, at least in the UK.
